A habit is something we do regularly, often without thinking about it. From brushing our teeth each morning to picking up a coffee on the way to work, habits shape much of our daily lives.
Some habits support our health and wellbeing, while others can work against us. The challenge is that once habits become established, they can be difficult to change. Research suggests it is often easier to create a new habit than break an existing one.
Repeated behaviours form strong neural pathways in the brain, making those actions feel automatic. Building new pathways is often more effective than trying to eliminate old ones altogether.
Why habits matter
This is one reason habits are so powerful. Because they become automatic, they require less mental effort. That frees up brain capacity for other tasks, helping improve focus, productivity and decision-making. Good routines can also reduce stress. Knowing what comes next in your day creates a sense of structure, control and stability.
Most people know the basics of good health. Regular exercise, a balanced diet and sufficient sleep all play a key role in maintaining good health and reducing the risk of chronic disease. The difficulty is not knowing what to do. It is turning that knowledge into consistent action.
For employers looking to improve workforce wellbeing, helping staff build healthy habits can be a simple and effective place to start.
Building better routines
James Clear’s bestselling book Atomic Habits outlines four key principles that help positive behaviours become lasting habits. Successful habits are obvious, attractive, easy to do and satisfying to complete. The more a habit meets these criteria, the more likely it is to become part of everyday life.
Clear also recommends several practical strategies to make new habits easier to adopt. One of the most effective is to start small by focusing on manageable steps towards a larger goal. He also advocates using implementation intentions, which involve deciding exactly what you will do, when you will do it and where it will take place. For example, committing to five minutes of stretching before lunch each day.
Another useful technique is habit stacking, where a new behaviour is attached to an existing routine. Someone might practise a balance exercise while brushing their teeth each morning, using an established habit as a cue for the new one. Tracking progress can also be highly effective. Simply recording whether a habit has been completed each day helps build consistency and provides a sense of achievement that encourages people to continue.
Creating dedicated time to discuss health habits at work can be valuable. Employees can be encouraged to identify a small number of realistic goals and develop a personal plan for achieving them. Five new habits is often a good place to start.
Here are some simple ideas that individuals can consider:
- Create a list of healthy lunch options near the office. When time is limited, people often default to familiar choices. Having a plan makes healthier decisions easier.
- Schedule movement into the working day. This could be a short stretching routine, a brief walk or a few simple strength exercises.
- Build activity into your commute by getting off public transport one stop early, cycling part of the journey or parking further away.
- Use technology more efficiently. Tools such as AI can help automate routine tasks and free up time for healthier habits.
- Set a realistic bedtime and work backwards through your evening routine to ensure you are ready for sleep at the right time.
- Prepare food in advance. Preparing ingredients ahead of time can make healthy lunches much easier during the week.
- Carry a water bottle and refill it regularly throughout the day.
- Use existing routines as triggers for new habits. Brushing your teeth is a perfect example because it already happens at a consistent time every day.
- Add one piece of fruit to your lunch. Small changes are often the easiest to maintain.
Healthy habits do not need to be complicated. In fact, the simpler they are, the more likely they are to become part of everyday life.
How employers can help
Employers can also play an important role in creating an environment that supports positive behaviour. Small organisational changes can have a significant impact over time.
Some examples include:
- Ringfencing ten minutes each day for movement, whether that is climbing stairs, stretching or completing a few simple exercises.
- Providing fresh fruit in the workplace each week.
- Encouraging walking meetings where appropriate. These can boost creativity and productivity while helping people move more.
- Creating opportunities for colleagues to exercise together after meetings or at the end of the working day.
- Providing alarm clocks to encourage employees to leave phones outside the bedroom and reduce evening screen time.
- Introducing a screen-free hour each week where staff are not expected to respond immediately to emails and can instead focus on reading, walking, exercising or other wellbeing activities.
The power of small actions
The most successful wellbeing initiatives are often the simplest. They focus on small actions that can be repeated consistently rather than dramatic changes that are difficult to sustain.
Habit building takes time. Research suggests it takes around 66 days on average for a behaviour to become automatic. That is why aiming for small, realistic changes is usually more effective than attempting a complete lifestyle overhaul.
Over time, those small actions accumulate. A daily walk becomes a regular exercise routine. Drinking more water becomes second nature. Going to bed earlier starts to feel normal rather than a challenge.
The result is not only improved health in the short term but lasting benefits that can support wellbeing, energy levels and productivity for years to come. Small habits may seem insignificant in isolation, but together they can create meaningful and lasting change.
Claire Small
Claire Small is the Chief Clinical Officer and Co-founder of Pure Sports Medicine. As well as delivering expert Physiotherapy programmes from Pure Sports Medicine’s Kensington Clinic, Claire is also an Honorary Lecturer and Examiner at Queen Mary University of London, Invited Lecturer at UCL and Kings College in London and University of Bath, and a national and international lecturer on manual therapy, spinal, hip, and pelvic pain. Claire’s written career includes being a journal reviewer for Manual Therapy and Physical Therapy in Sport, and The British Journal of Sports Medicine.
