how long does it take for a behavior to become a habit
No reward of any kind was offered as an incentive for repeating the behavior. Subjects chose actions like running 15 minutes before dinner, eating a piece of fruit with lunch, or meditating. The median length of time it took for a habit to become automatic was 66 days. The range, however, was 18 to 254 days for the habit to be established. In fact, about half of the subjects did not perform their chosen action consistently enough to create a habit. Interestingly, increased repetition of an action does not always yield stronger habits.
On average, it takes more than 2 months before a new behavior becomes automatic â 66 days to be exact. And how long it takes a new habit to form can vary widely depending on the behavior, the person, and the circumstances.In Lallyâs study, it took anywhere from 18 days to 254 days for people to form a new habit.[1].here to Go From Here. At the end of the day, how long it takes to form a particular habit doesnât really matter that much. Whether it takes 50 days or 500 days, you have to put in the work either way. The only way to get to Day 500 is to start with Day 1.