Habits are routines of behavior that are repeated regularly and tend to occur subconsciously. Many habits are beneficial, such as exercising regularly, eating healthy foods, and brushing one’s teeth. Other habits can be harmful, such as smoking cigarettes or overeating. Still other habits may be neutral, such as biting one’s nails.
Most habits are acquired during childhood and adolescence, when individuals are learning how to function in society. Many habits are learned through imitation and modeling of others’ behavior; for example, children often learn table manners by observing and imitating their parents or other adults. Once a habit is learned, it generally persists over time unless it is deliberately changed.
There is evidence that Habits form because they serve some sort of purposeful goal. One theory posits that Habits develop in order to help us conserve energy; by automating certain routine behaviors, we can free up mental resources for other tasks. Another theory suggests that Habits evolve because they help us reduce uncertainty in our environment; if we know what to expect from our own behavior (and from the behavior of others), we can navigate the world more efficiently and effectively. Regardless of their exact origins, it is clear that Habits play an important role in human life.
Interestingly, Habits seem to be particularly resistant to change when they involve negative behaviors like smoking or overeating; these “bad” Habits often have a stronger emotional component than positive ones do, which makes them harder to break. However, with effort and persistence, any Habit can be changed. There are many different techniques that can be used to break bad Habits or develop new ones; these will be discussed in more detail below.