How Long Does It Really Take To Create A New Habit

There are so many conflicting numbers out there of how long it takes to actually create and form a habit. Some say that you can do it in a week, others say 21 days, and others say 31.

However, a study from the European Journal of Social Psychology found that it can range from 18 to 254 days to form a new habit. And it could take 66 days before it becomes a task you do on autopilot.

This is a vast range of days, so let’s dive deep into how long it takes to create a new habit.

How long does it take to build a new habit?

The type of habit you’re trying to create and what kind of person you are can play a huge role in developing habits.

Habits, especially the ones that give us pleasure or are enjoyable, are some of the most difficult to break because our brains release dopamine when doing it.

Why is it so difficult to break a habit?

How to change a habit

Figure out what things are linked to that habit and change your behavior. Replace your dopamine response habits with something comparable, it will be much easier to switch them.

What to do next

Start identifying and replacing! Find the habits you want to implement, and replace what is currently keeping you from that habit!

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