Good habits, bad habits: How to change them in 21 days

Actually, we only need to mention one keyword at this point: New Year's resolutions. If you've ever found yourself on the sofa at the beginning of February, pondering what happened to your ambitious new training program or the Mediterranean diet - then you've come to the right place. Because in this article we'll show you how to integrate good habits into your life and break bad patterns in just three weeks.

Our brain is a creature of habit. This means that it likes to stick to familiar routines because the familiar is simply less work than the new. Whether these routines are good or bad for us plays a less important role. So it's no wonder that most of us find it difficult to establish new habits. And no wonder that this can lead to real cycles of frustration. But don't worry, science offers some exciting answers to this challenge too.

What are the benefits of habits?

Imagine having to plan your day anew every morning as if yesterday had never happened. What will you have for breakfast, which route will you take to work, which sport will you do today and for how long, which toothpaste will you use, and so on. That would be pretty exhausting and inefficient. That's why the brain likes to "automate" everyday tasks and activities - this saves cognitive resources that you need for more complex or creative challenges.

The basal ganglia play a key role in this, as this is the region of the brain where these automatic behaviors are established. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for planning, decision-making and impulse control. And the neurotransmitter dopamine releases “rewards” in the form of good feelings, which provides motivation. All of these functions interact with each other and influence our good and not so good habits equally.

Why it is so difficult to change habits

The brain can literally go down new paths. When we learn new things, it reorganizes itself, which is known as neuroplasticity. This ability stays with us even as we age - so it is never too late to integrate good habits. But in practice it is not so easy, because for new routines the brain has to create new neural pathways. This costs energy, which is why it prefers to use the existing neural "highways". After all, they are already in place. Our rational prefrontal cortex has to implement the new habits in a very conscious and planned manner and encounters resistance known as limbic friction. In short: This is exhausting. The processing of rewards plays a role in limbic friction. The longer the brain has to wait for a satisfactory result, the less willing it is to integrate the new behavior. Anyone who has ever quit smoking knows what we are talking about.

But there is also good news: we can use the knowledge of neuroplasticity to our advantage. Once the initial resistance has been overcome and we carry out the new behaviors for a few weeks, they also become routine. All beginnings are difficult - that's true, but it's only the beginning. We'll show you how to manage it better using the example of the 21-day plan recommended by neuroscientist Prof. Andrew Huberman in his podcast Huberman Lab.

The 21-day plan for good new habits

Step 1: Define your goals

What do you want to achieve? What new routines do you want to integrate into your everyday life, what harmful habits do you want to replace with positive ones? Your goals can relate to health, productivity, personal development or other aspects, you are completely free to choose. Here are examples of six concrete goals:

• Drink 2 liters of water daily
• Exercise for 30 minutes every day
• 20 minutes reading
• Start the morning with a healthy breakfast
• Meditate for 10 minutes every day
• Every evening, write down three things you were grateful for

Step 2: Divide the day into phases

Current neuroscientific research shows that it takes an average of 21 days for a new behavior to become established. This period is short enough to stay motivated, so you don't have to torture yourself for months. Huberman suggests adapting the new goals to the brain's natural rhythm to make habit formation easier. To do this, the day is divided into three phases:

• Phase 1, concentration - 0-8 hours after waking: Dopamine, adrenaline and cortisol are at their highest now. This phase is ideal for focused and energy-intensive activities such as morning exercise, concentrated work or studying, creative tasks with deep thinking.

• Phase 2, Creativity - 9-15 hours after waking: Now serotonin is higher and adrenaline is lower. This phase is good for creative and less intense activities such as light physical activity, writing or brainstorming, hobbies or other creative pursuits.

• Phase 3, rest - 16-24 hours after waking: In this phase, rest and regeneration are called for so that the body can prepare for the next day with a restful night's sleep. Relaxation routines such as meditation, sleep hygiene and reflection on the previous day are useful now.

Step 3: Let's get started!

Make a point of implementing 4-6 of your new habits every day. You manage all 6? Great. It was only 4? That's OK too. It's not about perfection, it's about sticking with it. Because persistence is the key. Many people find small digital nudges like reminders on their cell phones, alarm clocks or habit tracker apps helpful. The latter, by the way, create a small additional reward impulse when you can mark another routine as completed.

After 21 days, you can test your new habits: take a short break from consciously trying to tick everything off and observe which routines have already become second nature to you. This way, you can see what is already established and which habits need more consistency. You can then adapt your plan accordingly and introduce new goals or adjust the level of difficulty or the time of day.

Step 4: Overcome friction

The limbic friction mentioned above is the inner resistance you feel when pursuing your plan. Your inner demon, if you will. You may experience this resistance as tiredness, fear or lethargy - that's completely normal. Now that you know about this mechanism, it's a little easier to outsmart it. The following strategies can help you:

• Baby Steps: Start with simple habits that require little effort
• Rewards: Treat yourself to a small reward immediately after your new routine
• Commit: Tell your friends about your plans or join a group to make it easier to stay disciplined
• Habit stacking: This method combines a new routine with an existing one. For example, you could do 20 push-ups after each time you brush your teeth. You have to brush your teeth anyway, and the new habit can simply "stick" to it. This principle works pretty well for a number of things.

Step 5: Get rid of the bad habits

Often it's not just about introducing something new, but also eliminating something old. It's difficult, but absolutely doable. Here are some strategies to help you gradually break the bad habits:

• Identify triggers: What triggers the bad habit? Are there specific triggers? If so, try to avoid them or change them so that they no longer trigger the habit.
• Positive Replacement: Oops, is that a bag of gummy bears in your hand? Immediately replace the action with another activity, such as ten jumping jacks, a minute of wild dancing to your favorite song, a text message to friends, or simply taking a few deep breaths.
• Consequence: Maybe you won't be able to break the bad habit the first time. You're not alone in this. Accept setbacks and celebrate small successes to strengthen your motivation.

Would you like to know more about it?
The Science of Making & Breaking Habits - Huberman Lab