University College London study challenges 21-day habit formation myth

A study conducted by University College London has challenged the popular belief that new habits can be established in just 21 days. Research published in the European Journal of Social Psychology indicates that the time required to reach near-automaticity in a new daily behavior varies significantly among individuals.

Among the participants studied, the estimated time to reach a plateau in self-reported automaticity ranged from 18 to 254 days, with a median of 66 days. The study involved 96 adults who selected a specific eating, drinking, or activity behavior to perform once daily in a consistent context. Researchers monitored the participants for 84 days to track how automatic the behaviors felt over time.