Making Habits, Breaking Habits

“An accessible and informative guide for readers to take control of their lives” (Publishers Weekly).

Habits are more powerful than willpower—if you know how to make them work for you.

How long does it take to form a new habit? Say you want to go to the gym regularly, learn a new language, make new friends, practice a musical instrument, or use your work time more profitably. How long should it take before these become part of your routine rather than something you must force yourself to do?

The unexpected answers are found in Making Habits, Breaking Habits, a psychologist’s eye-opening examination of one of the brain’s most powerful processes. Drawing on the latest research, Jeremy Dean explains why seemingly easy habits, like eating an apple a day, can prove difficult to form, and how to take charge of your brain’s autopilot to make any change stick.

Witty and intriguing, provocative and practical, Making Habits, Breaking Habits shows how behavior is more than just a product of what you think. It is possible to bend your habits to your will—and be happier, more creative, and more productive.

“Making changes does take longer than we may expect—no 30-day, 30-pounds-lighter quick fix—but by following the guidelines laid out by Dean, readers have a decent chance at establishing fulfilling, new patterns.” —Kirkus Reviews