The science behind your habits
Behavioural science tells us that establishing a new habit can be tricky. Building new habits means rewiring your brain’s circuits so it’s not surprising we may need a little help to stick to them. Our brains also prioritise short-term rewards so a new habit that gives delayed rewards can be trickier to maintain as opposed to things that give instant rewards (eating for example).
1. Start small
The best way to embed a new habit is to start small and manageable. No one ever ran a marathon on the first run. Look for the small wins that are easy to repeat.
2. Hook your new habit to something else
With Symprove, we hear from customers that it is easy to remember as it’s the first thing you do in the morning, and the fridge is a great visual reminder to take it – a sort of cue. Anchoring to a cue is a great way to remember when that new habit is due to happen.
3. Track your progress
For an instant feeling of success, you could track your habit to create a visible reward that you’ve done it. Tracking your progress helps to celebrate the small wins.
4. Give yourself time
Habit formation takes on average 66 days, but it can take longer. Give yourself time to adjust to a new habit and look for the long-term rewards.
The power of the morning
A morning habit is a particularly important one, as it sets the tone for the rest of the day. So many customers tell us that taking Symprove means they know that they have started their day off on a positive front, and it often helps them to make other positive habits part of their day too. A theory by Roy Baumeister called the ‘ego depletion’ theory also suggests that willpower is a finite resource that gets less throughout the day. In the morning:
- Our brains are in a state of heightened plasticity, which make them more receptive to new routines.
- Your prefrontal cortex is at its strongest, meaning your ability to exercise self-control and make decisions is at its strongest.
- Your cortisol levels peak. Whilst cortisol is most often linked to stress, it is also linked to alertness and memory, again helping to solidify that habit.
Why consistency is important
Being consistent is far more effective than doing an intense burst of something. This is because short bursts do not allow time to for the brain to rewire, so it takes more mental effort to perform the habit when you do. The best way to get a habit to be automatic is to do it on a regular basis. Consistency also offers a sense of making progress, which boosts your self-belief. Coupling that with repeating a habit at the same time each day means your brain becomes used to doing it at that time, learning to expect the benefit, and therefore making it easier to do it each time.
Sources
Self-control and limited willpower: Current status of ego depletion theory and research. (2024). Link.
