Developing New Year’s resolutions with the psychology of habit formation

When we talk about New Year’s resolutions what we’re really talking about is developing a new habit. And there’s lots of research on the psychology behind habit formation.

First, you have to write the code. Imagine your brain is a computer: when you do something for the first time it has to write a completely new chunk of code to drive the new behaviours and react to the new experiences. This takes effort and, if there’s one thing we know about the brain, it will do anything to avoid effort. So, wherever possible it will use an existing chunk of code – something it can run without really thinking about it.

Take some obvious examples – you have chunks of mental code for brushing your teeth, driving a familiar route, picking up your phone to check for messages, etc. That means we can do all these things in a kind of autopilot.  

What this means is that you’re going to have to carry out your New Year’s resolutions enough times that your brain knows it has the code ready to go. Whatever the resolution is, it’s much more likely to happen when your brain can slip into autopilot while it’s going on.

But there are two other switches your brain will need to make this work – one to tell it to run the chunk of code and another one to make it want to run the code. To take the first of these, you need a trigger – something that makes the brain say, ‘Hey, it must be time to run that chunk of code that handles [insert New Year’s resolution here]’.

This means you need to think carefully about what will trigger your resolution. Can you do it first thing when you wake up? Could you do it in the car on your way to work? Maybe you need to set an alarm for some time in the evening? Whatever – just be really clear about the trigger.

Then there’s the motivation. What’s in it for your brain to haul out this code and get it running? Where’s the reward? Sometimes rewards are in-built, like the endorphin rush of an intense workout, or the sense of accomplishment from completing a diary entry. Other times, they may be extrinsic, such as buying a coffee at the end of a walk, or getting a guilt-free YouTube session when the marking is done.

As the new behaviour becomes increasingly associated with the reward, just thinking about the behaviour can be enough to generate the reward activity in the brain. This leads to a kind of craving, where you become highly motivated.

Run enough times, these behaviours will be handled by a part of the brain, called the basal ganglia – a collection of structures deep within your brain. In fact, people with severe memory loss (due to brain damage) can often still carry out embedded habits as long as their basal ganglia are not affected.

Sometimes you can use existing triggers and rewards by replacing an existing habit with a new one. For example, let’s say your New Year’s resolution is to make more of an effort keeping in touch with your friends and family. At the same time, you also realise that you drink too much coffee during the day.

Think carefully about what it is that triggers your brain to think of coffee, and what the reward is from getting one. The trigger might be boredom, or a need to move around and not feel so sedentary. And the reward might be feeling refreshed or a chance to meet people when you go for a coffee. Now, use those same triggers and rewards, but switch the routine in between them so that, instead of going for a coffee, you get up and phone or text a friend.

And while we’re talking about friends and family, human connection is a powerful tool you can use to develop a habit. The most addictive platforms on social media all have one thing in common – they play on our desire for human connection. This is so powerful that it keeps drawing us back to the app. Keeps that habit going. Habit-forming organisations such as weight watchers and alcoholics also use this human approach because they know it’s effective. So, use that desire for connection to drive your New Year’s resolution. Make it involve connection with others.

Finally – and perhaps most elusively – you have to really believe that you can change. As teachers we’re sometimes better at projecting this onto our students than using it for our own lives. We know the importance of high expectations, and the powerful effect that believing in our students can have on their aspirations and behaviours. Well, that same rule applies to us. If we want to change something in our own lives, we really do have to believe in ourselves.

As we navigate the start of a new year, it's important to focus not only on personal resolutions but also on fostering wellbeing in our schools and communities. This blog was written by Aidan Harvey-Craig, a passionate advocate for wellbeing and co-creator of our SWAP Wellbeing Ambassador Programme. If you’re looking for ways to embed positive habits and create a culture of wellbeing in your school, explore the SWAP Programme to see how you can drive meaningful change for pupils, staff, and the wider school community.