A habit is a repeated action that becomes automatic and requires little to no effort, according to brownhealth.org. Habitual actions account for 43 percent of all behaviors performed by humans each day, according to apa.org. Building positive habits can improve areas of life such as longevity, mental health, professional success, and cognitive functioning, according to washingtoncenterforcognitivetherapy.com.
Consistent habits increase stability in routines, allowing the brain to use less effort and thought. Since the brain requires less energy once it recognizes a habitual action, it can focus on other tasks. Actively practicing habits also builds self-control and discipline. Creating beneficial health habits like incorporating regular exercise, maintaining a balanced diet, and getting sufficient sleep all contribute to a healthy lifestyle, according to brownhealth.org. Maggie Sweeney ’27 reflected on how making healthy habits impacts her life.
“I try to work out every day by attending my lacrosse and soccer practices,” Maggie said. “Working out makes me feel very productive and clears my mind and allows me to focus better in school. Additionally, I try my best to eat healthy and get at least eight hours of sleep a night. I find that by making these lifestyle changes, I am able to perform my best in other areas of my life.”
Habits can have both positive and negative effects, however. Once a person forms a habit, breaking it becomes difficult. Harmful and highly addictive habits like smoking, drinking, and drug use can lead to serious consequences. Because these habits are already formed, removing them from one’s life takes effort and persistence.
To break a bad habit, a person must retrain their brain by reflecting on how healthy habits are beneficial and how unhealthy habits are detrimental. Additionally, talking to others about healthy and unhealthy habits can help begin the process of retraining the brain to create change, according to healthline.com. Three steps to breaking bad habits include becoming aware of triggers, examining the rewards, and finding a new reward, according to drjud.com.
The “fresh-start effect” is the psychological boost people feel during new beginnings, such as the new year or the first day of school. These moments help individuals mentally separate their past selves from their future potential. The fresh-start effect can serve as a catalyst for achieving goals and personal growth by encouraging the formation of long-term, positive habits. Temporal landmarks function as interruptions in life, offering new opportunities and prompting people to reflect and make changes, according to psychologytoday.com. Mrs. Jillian Bozzi, Upper School History Teacher, commented on the psychology behind starting new habits and breaking old ones.
“Creating a good habit requires a lot of willpower, but the great thing about it is that once you create the habit, it becomes second nature,” Mrs. Bozzi said. “This can release some of the burden on decision-making. It takes about 21 to 28 days to create or break a habit, but after that, it becomes routine. If you reward yourself for creating or breaking the habit, it releases dopamine, reinforcing us to continue to create that change.”
Featured Image by Claire McMonagle ’27
