how many days does it take for a habit to break
While we know it's possible to break a habit, the task often feels insurmountable when we face the challenge by ourselves. One popular claim is that a habit can be broken in only 21 days, an idea that seems to reference Psycho-Cybernetics, a 1960 self-help book written by cosmetic surgeon Maxwell Maltz. Other vernacular accounts very from 72 hours to two weeks. But how long does it really take to break a habit? We got a reality check with a few experts in the fields of psychology, brain and behavioral sciences, and, of course, self-help.