Mind+health

With habits, context is all

Running for charity is good for the cause and good for your health, too

Trying to adopt a new habit, or get rid of an unwanted one? Wait until you’re in a new environment – such as being away from home, starting a new job or moving house. Habit researcher Professor Wendy Wood, a psychologist at the University of Southern California, has found that, often, when a habit’s usual context is ‘disrupted’ it can provide the opportunity for a new routine to be instilled. The perfect excuse for a holiday, we reckon…