On average, it takes between two and eight months to change your habits, for instance, if you aim to reduce screen time. Photo: 123rf.com
A new year brings new resolutions, whether it’s getting back into exercise, eating a healthier diet or cutting screen time. And, according to a theory that has been around for decades, it supposedly takes 21 days for these new behaviours to become routine and take root in our daily lives. But is this really the case?
The origin of this theory dates back to the 1960s, when the American plastic surgeon Maxwell Maltz hypothesised that his patients needed at least 21 days to get used to their new appearance and form a different “mental image” of themselves. This observation features in his famous book Psycho-Cybernetics, which has become a bestseller and a reference in the world of wellness.
