How Long Does It Take to Break a Habit? I Asked a Clinical Psychologist

How Long Does It Actually Take to Break a Habit?

“Research indicates that breaking a bad habit is a highly individualized process, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all timeframe,” says Cook, adding that “people rarely ‘break’ the habit so much as merely ‘replace’ it with a healthier option.” Indeed, not all habits are created equal, but forming them is part of human nature. What matters most is feeling empowered to choose which habits you adopt and which ones you decide to ditch.

However, if you find comfort in knowing a more accurate number, Dr. Cook guided me towards a 2009 study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology that suggests it takes roughly 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic. As previously discussed, most of the time old habits are simply replaced by new ones; so, by extension we can conclude that 66 days is a rough estimate of the time it will take you to kill an old habit, starting from the time you introduce a new one.

Again, there is no one-size-fits-all answer here. In fact, the expert emphasizes that “it's important to remember that research from the very same study shows a wide variation for making new habits—from as few as 18 days to as many as 254 days—depending on the individual and the specific behavior.” Translation? Every person’s habit breaking-journey is different, but the sooner you find a healthier alternative to the habit you want to shed, the faster it will fade.

So now that you know that the habit-breaking timeline can really run the gamut, I bet you’re eager to find out what you can do to be closer to the 18-day mark as opposed to the 254-day one. Good news, Cook has some sound and very actionable advice that you can follow to help you reach your goal as quickly as possible. “The following methods highlight the fact that changing habits is a process influenced by multiple factors including time, goal-setting, planning, self-awareness and environmental cues,” says Cook, adding, “While individual differences mean that no single approach will work for everyone, integrating these research-backed strategies can provide a more structured and effective path to changing unwanted habits.” Without further ado, here’s the game plan.

1. Identify the Habit Loop

Research has identified something called a habit loop, and the gist of it is that every habitual behavior we adopt has three components to it: a cue (or trigger, if you will), a routine (i.e., the habit itself) and a reward that makes you want to continue engaging in said behavior. Before you get started breaking an unwanted habit, you’d be wise to gain a full understanding of what motivates and incentivizes it for you. 

If you need an example, I will share a personal and not super sexy one. When it’s winter, my lips get chapped and I was born a picker. I pick zits, I pluck out grey hairs and, yep, when my lips start to get flaky I pick those too. Why am I a skin picker, you ask? Well, I am a pretty high-strung person, so here’s my habit loop, as the psychologist explained it. 

• Cue: Something stressful or irritating happens. Think: I just missed the train home by one minute and now I have to wait 15 minutes for the next one. And my partner is texting me asking what’s for dinner because the kids are complaining that they’re hungry and my dinner plan was just delayed by, well, 15 minutes, so I tell him to just order pizza and be done with it…but I hadn’t budgeted for ordering in. You see where this is going, right?
• Routine: While all these thoughts are swirling around in my brain, I start mindlessly touching my lips because my automatic stress response has been triggered and I’m subconsciously looking for something to pick that will distract me from my uncomfortable feelings. (In the case of boredom-related habits, you will be seeking a reliable way to fix that uncomfortable feeling.)
• Reward: My neurotic picking behavior calms my nerves and distracts me—largely because of the physical sensation that accompanies it. Picking my lips brings a brief sense of relief from the stress I am feeling; in much the same way that fidgeting or doodling might help a person who finds boredom to be uncomfortable. For me, the reward of reduced stress reinforces the behavior and, well, a bad habit is born.

Note: I leaned into my personal example, but there are many unwanted habits—social media scrolling, chronic lateness, unhealthy snacking—that follow the same pattern described above. This is because most habits are the result of stressors that activate the central nervous system, or CNS, thus prompting automatic self-soothing responses. That said, the expert notes that some habits that are non-stress related, and are linked more closely to boredom. Whether stress or boredom is your habit trigger, a similar feedback loop to the one described below applies.

2. Set a Clear Objective

Once you understand your habit loop, you’re ready to set some goals. Do you want to banish the behavior completely? If so, what healthier behavior would you like to replace it with? What other methods would you prefer for coping with your cues/triggers? Or perhaps you don’t feel like you need to banish the behavior completely, but would like to be able to turn it on and off when you choose—you know, so it’s less habitual (i.e., not occurring outside your active consciousness). A 2002 study published in American Psychologist concluded that when it comes to having a clear objective, challenging and specific goals lead to higher performance than vague ones. As such, don’t go too easy on yourself when defining your objective.

3. Use Implementation Intentions

This is closely related to the concept of setting an objective with specific goals, but Cook recommends using implementation intentions so you can actually achieve the goals you set. Per the expert, implementation intentions are “specific ‘if-then’ plans that link situational cues with the desired behavior (e.g., If I feel stressed, then I will go for a short walk instead of snacking).” It might sound elementary, but there’s science behind this, too. Research done by Peter Gollwitzer demonstrated that implementation intentions can significantly enhance goal attainment…so the next time I feel stressed, I will apply lip gloss instead of picking my lips.

4. Self Monitor

Cook is a huge proponent of mindfulness, saying, “Mindfulness techniques can help you become aware of your impulses.” As such, she recommends that anyone wanting to break an unwanted habit “keep a journal or use a tracking app to record when you experience the urge to perform the habit and how you respond.” Research shows that self-monitoring can improve self-regulation; it’s also (hopefully) a great way to see the progress you’ve made, thus encouraging you to keep up the good work.

5. Build a Supportive Environment 

“Altering your surroundings to reduce exposure to triggers associated with the habit is hugely helpful,” says Cook, adding that “it’s also a good idea to enlist support from friends, family or support groups as needed.” Indeed, there’s a wide body of research—including this 1996 study published in Psychological Inquiry—that indicates social support can improve self-regulation and help maintain behavior change.

Summary: How Long Does It Take to Break a Habit?

On average, the research indicates that it takes roughly 66 days to break a habit, but this number varies wildly from person to person. Ultimately it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to shed an unwanted habit. That said, you can influence this by following the strategies outlined above—namely, goal-setting, mindfulness and social support.