This article explores the science behind habit formation and offers practical advice on how to break unhealthy habits. It emphasizes the importance of intention, memory, and understanding the reward mechanisms that drive our behavior.
The secret to effective behavior change lies in intention and memory. And, if you’re one of the 72 percent, you’re likely already aware that these habits are unhealthy. But, try as we might, this knowledge alone doesn’t make bad habits any easier to break. “Why do we act on habit even when we intend to do something else?” This is the question that plagued Wendy Wood, a researcher interested in behavior change.
According to her June 2024 research, “The answer lies in habit memories, or context-response associations, that form when people repeat rewarding actions in stable contexts.” to kick the habit, but wanting alone isn’t enough. Instead, Wood suggests that the secret to effective behavior change lies in intention and—and it’s simpler than you imagine. Based on her research, these are the three steps needed to kick a bad habit for good.Unhealthy habitual behaviors don’t form because we desire their negative effects; they form because, in many ways, they feel good. As a 2003 study explains, “These bad habits may relate to behaviors that have positive direct outcomes for the self, but negative consequences on the long run.” No matter how dangerous or unsavory these habits are, they’re objectively rewarding in the moment. Smoking relaxes us, speeding excites us, and fast food satisfies us—regardless of their consequences. Thus, Wood suggests that the first key to kicking a bad habit lies in ensuring that its rewards lose their effectiveness and, in turn, becoming self-aware of its genuinely habitual (and harmful) nature. From here, we’re able to trick ourselves into a healthier habit by means of the very same reward structure. Say, for instance, you’re someone who has a habit of binge-watching TV to unwind after a long workday. The rewarding feeling of relaxing on the couch with episode after episode is so strong that it often overrides your intention to make a healthy dinne
HABIT FORMATION BEHAVIOR CHANGE INTENTION MEMORY HEALTHY HABITS
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