{"id":8531,"date":"2020-08-12T07:18:20","date_gmt":"2020-08-12T06:18:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lemonade.com\/de\/blog\/?p=8531"},"modified":"2025-06-29T11:42:25","modified_gmt":"2025-06-29T10:42:25","slug":"breaking-bad-habits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lemonade.com\/de\/blog\/breaking-bad-habits\/","title":{"rendered":"The 6 Keys to Breaking Bad Habits"},"content":{"rendered":"

Think back to a habit you\u2019ve tried to break. Whether it\u2019s biting your nails, late night snacking, overspending, or constantly checking your phone, harmful habits are easy to form and much harder to shake. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve ever tried to break a bad habit yourself, you know what we\u2019re talking about. It doesn\u2019t just take 21 days (yes, that\u2019s a myth) – ending a habit requires willpower, strategy, and a good understanding of how habits form.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, how can we break bad habits? And what is it about habits that makes them so difficult to shake, no matter how motivated you are?<\/span><\/p>\n

While it may not seem like it, habits are actually automatic behaviors, rather than well-considered decisions. Once they\u2019re ingrained in your brain, they don\u2019t become much of a conscious choice. <\/span><\/p>\n

Habits exist in the first place because they\u2019re a shortcut for our brains. Our minds are evolutionarily designed to find short routes for everything, so we can conserve energy and focus on what\u2019s important. <\/span>Once our brain notices that we perform a specific behavior over and over, a habit forms, allowing our minds to go on autopilot so our bodies can take over. <\/span><\/p>\n

So when going through your morning routine, commuting to work, or scrolling on Instagram right before bed, you probably don\u2019t have to think very much. That\u2019s because you\u2019ve done this routine so many times that it\u2019s ingrained. <\/span><\/p>\n

Although they are huge time and energy saver, habits can also negatively impact our productivity, wellbeing, or happiness.\u00a0<\/span>But here\u2019s the good news – since our habits are crafted by our minds, the key to breaking bad habits is simply knowing the right way to communicate with our brains. It\u2019s that easy. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here are 6 science-backed tricks to hack your brain, and finally shake your bad habits.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Find the core of your bad habit<\/b><\/h3>\n

Figuring out why your habit exists in the first place is much less intimidating than it sounds. Turns out, there\u2019s a pretty clear-cut formula behind almost any habit. Every habit has three basic parts, according to Charles Duhigg:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. The cue – the feeling, time, or location that triggers your habit<\/span><\/p>\n

2. The routine – the habit itself<\/span><\/p>\n

3. The reward – the craving the habit satisfies<\/span><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Figuring out these components is the first step to hijacking your habit. Here\u2019s how: pay close attention the next few times your routine (read: habit) happens, and try to notice the cue and reward that prompted it. For best results, write down the cue, routine, and reward each time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s say you\u2019re trying to break your habit of scrolling through your phone before bed, because you\u2019re not getting as much sleep as you\u2019d like. Ask yourself, \u2018what triggers this routine?\u2019 And, \u2018what craving is my body trying to satisfy?\u2019 <\/span><\/p>\n

The next time it happens, take notice: if you shut your lamp right before bed (cue), picked up your phone and scrolled through your feed (routine), and felt socially connected (reward), write it all down. After a few instances, see if there\u2019s a pattern in your behavior. If you always scroll through your phone right after you shut your lamp (cue), or notice this habit is bringing you a feeling of social satisfaction (reward), you\u2019re onto something.<\/span><\/p>\n

Diagnosing your bad habits will not only help you find effective alternatives (more on that later), but it\u2019ll also help you become more aware of your habit. This awareness will transform your habit from an automatic, subconscious routine to a deliberate, conscious behavior.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Change your environment<\/b><\/h3>\n