KARACHI:
The belief that it takes 21 days to form a new habit originated from Dr Maxwell Maltz’s observations in the 1960s. As a plastic surgeon, he noticed his patients seemed to adjust to their post-surgery changes after about 21 days. These observations were mentioned in his book, Psycho-Cybernetics, and over time, without much scientific scrutiny, the idea that 21 days is sufficient for any change became widely accepted.
People found the 21-day timeframe appealing because it struck a balance between being long enough to be challenging, and short enough to be achievable. A period as brief as 3 or 4 days might seem too easy and not credible, while a longer span, like a year, could feel daunting and unattainable.
However, in 2009, a significant study led by researcher Phillippa Lally presented strong evidence against the 21-day rule. The study revealed that the time it takes to form a habit can vary greatly, ranging from 18 to 254 days. On average, participants took about 66 days to consistently integrate a new daily activity, such as eating fruit with lunch, drinking a bottle of water at lunch, or running for 15 minutes before dinner. The study highlighted that the key to habit formation is not the duration but the consistency of the behaviour.
Saad Kamyana
Attock
Published in The Express Tribune, May 8th, 2024.
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