A habit is defined by 3 things

  1. trigger: an internal or external stimulus
  2. routine: fixed set of behaviours
  3. reward: some reinforcement
Trigger Routine Reward Context
feeling stressed grab jacketinvite colleaguego outsidelight a cigarette feeling connected /relaxed feeling Smoking
feeling tired walk to kitchenmake coffeepour a cupadd lots of sugardrink coffee caffeine /sugar /hot beverage /5 min meditation Coffee

Why is this model useful? It helps looking at habits in a clear way. It enables us to reason about how to create / change / break habits.

(src: Book: The Power of Habit)