What is a habit?

By Skills for Study editor

A habit can be thought of as...

a behaviour, a set of actions, that you establish -

- often through repeated action within a given scenario or setting (context).

Habits become ingrained when you associate certain actions with a scenario -

- and can be triggered by signs (cues) that you easily connect to those scenarios.

What does a habit mean to you?

Are you aware of your own habits?
Do you know what can trigger your habits (cues)?
Do you have habits that significantly affect your wellbeing (either in a positive or negative way)?
Are there any habits that you would like to change?

References

Gardner, B., Lally, P. and Wardle, J. (2012) 'Making health habitual: the psychology of ‘habit-formation’ and general practice', British Journal of General Practice, 62 (605), pp. 664-666. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp12X659466