A cycle that explains how habits form, as described in Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit. The habit loop has three parts: first a cue (a trigger that tells your brain to go into automatic mode, like a specific time of day or a feeling), then a routine (the behavior itself, like grabbing a snack or checking your phone), and finally a reward (the payoff that makes your brain say “let’s remember this pattern,” such as a tasty treat or satisfying feeling). Over time, this loop becomes more and more automatic. Understanding your own habit loops can help you change them — for instance, if you always get distracted by your phone (routine) when you’re bored (cue) because you crave social interaction (reward), you can try changing the routine (maybe stand up and stretch or talk to a family member) to get a similar reward without breaking focus.
Keywords: habit loop, cue routine reward, habit formation
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