How habits get formed

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“When at New Years you make a resolution and have this burst of enthusiasm, the research shows that the more you repeat, the more it becomes ingrained and starts to feel automatic,” says behavioral scientist Katy Milkman. “So celebrate the successes, repeat when you have those bursts of energy as much as you can, because that's how you get the carryover.”

“When at New Years you make a resolution and have this burst of enthusiasm, the research shows that the more you repeat, the more it becomes ingrained and starts to feel automatic,” says behavioral scientist Katy Milkman. “So celebrate the successes, repeat when you have those bursts of energy as much as you can, because that's how you get the carryover.” Photo by Shutterstock.

What is the science behind the formation of a habit? When it comes to brushing teeth, personal hygiene, checking e-mail, and eating, most of these behaviors are set on autopilot. But why do some habits stick and others don’t? And why is it so hard to stick with a good habit, whether it’s a New Year's resolution or a month without sugar or alcohol?

Jonathan Bastian talks with Katy Milkman, behavioral science professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and author of “How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be,” about the formation of habits and tips for adopting good ones.

“Motivate yourself in a consistent way,” she says. “Ideally, reward yourself to the extent possible, whether it's by tracking yourself in an app or celebrating with friends. But don't be too rigid in the way you structure your workouts or any other behavior [or] habit you're trying to form. Try to actually mix up a bit when you're in startup mode, so that you teach yourself to be resilient.”


“How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be” shares strategic methods for identifying and overcoming common barriers to change. When it comes to learning a good habit it’s best not to “be too rigid and make it fun!” Katy Milkman. Photo by Shira Yudkoff.

When it comes to kicking bad habits, Milkman shares research on “commitment devices,” which she  says can be very powerful in breaking bad habits. Putting money on the line, for example, serves as a powerful tool to stopping a behavior, and Milkman points to websites like stickK or  beeminder that can help as well.  

“You can put frictions in place that force you to pause and think for a moment before you just mindlessly engage in a behavior,” she says. “And that gives you at least an opportunity for the thinking part of your mind, instead of the automatic part of your mind, to decide, is this what I want to be doing right now?”

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Credits

Guest:

  • Katy Milkman - Professor of operations, information and decisions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Author of “How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.” and host of the podcast “Choicolgy” - @Katy_Milkman

Host:

Jonathan Bastian

Producer:

Andrea Brody