ABC Science By science reporter Belinda Smith
4th January 2021
Welp, after what felt like the longest year ever, it's 2021. And with the new year often comes resolutions — maybe more so this time round.
Perhaps you want to lose some of those "corona-kilos" or simply maintain the good hygiene behaviours drummed into us during the pandemic.
There are ways to develop good habits — and make them stick — that are backed by scientific evidence.
And it all begins — where else? — in the brain. But first: what even are habits, and why do we need them?
We Really Are Creatures Of Habit
A substantial chunk of daily life is made up of habitual actions. This is the stuff where once you get going, you pretty much run on autopilot.
A classic example is driving to work (back when regular commuting was a thing). You might remember getting in your car and then suddenly, you're pulling into your office's car park.
But the first few times you drove to work were a different story. They required more brain power: planning and memorising the best route to your destination, paying attention to your surroundings and thinking harder about your actions and their consequences.…
