How Long Does It Take To Create A New Habit?

You may have heard it takes 21 days to create a new habit which is what I thought until I researched it, I’m a bit of a psychology nerd.

In 1960 a doctor published a book about behaviour change advising that it takes 21 days for an old mental image to dissolve and a new one to take place.

The book become a massive hit and sold over 30 million copies.

In the decades that followed every self help professional recited the same.

And that’s how society started spreading the common myth that it takes 21 days to form a new habit.

It’s easy to understand. The time frame is short enough to be inspiring, but long enough to be believable. And who wouldn’t like the idea of changing your life in just three weeks?

So what’s the real answer?

How long does it actually take to form a new habit?

In a study published by the European Journal of Social Psychology confirms on average it takes 2 months, 66 days to be exact.

Before you let this dishearten you, there are three reasons why this research is actually inspiring.

*There is no reason to get down on yourself if you try something for a few weeks and it doesn’t become a habit. It’s suppose to take longer than that and no need to judge yourself.

*You don’t have to be perfect. Making mistakes has no measurable impact on your long term habits.

*Embracing longer timelines can help us realise that habits are a process and not an event.

Understanding this makes it easier for you to manage your expectations and commit to making small improvements rather than pressuring yourself into thinking that you have to do it all at once.

At the end of the day, how long it takes to perform a particular habit doesn’t really matter that much.

Forget about the number and focus on your journey.

#newyear #newhabits #yoga #wellness