What are habits? They are automatic reactions to the world around us. Why do we
develop habits? We establish habits to improve our efficiency, leaving us room to think
about or do other tasks without our brain being constantly bombarded.
On average, it takes 66 days to form a new habit but it can take anywhere from 18-254
days due to the uniqueness of each person and the type of habit trying to develop or
break.
What does this have to do with Occupational Therapy (OT)? Occupational therapy
professionals can assist you and your child in identifying strategies to develop and/or
break habits that can improve independence, health, and quality of life. For example,
you know that eating vegetables is good for your child, but your child is refusing to eat
any vegetables leaving you hopeless. Consider Occupational Therapy to the rescue!
Reference
How long does it take for a new behavior to become automatic? (n.d.). Retrieved from Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-it-take-to-form-a-habit#the-21-day-myth