What is the 21-day program?

The "21-day program" mentioned by Andrew Huberman refers to a system for habit formation that he discusses, which is designed to be performed over the course of 21 days. The approach involves selecting six new habits that you aim to perform every day for 21 days, with the expectation being to complete only four to five of those habits each day. The rationale behind this system is to focus not on the specific habits themselves, but on developing the habit of consistently executing a set of actions daily.

The program is split into two phases:

• In the first 21 days, you work on embedding the six chosen habits into your routine, with the understanding that it's okay not to perform all six every day.
• After the initial 21 days, the subsequent period is used to assess whether these habits have become automatic without trying to acquire new habits.

The method also involves the concept of habit "chunking," where behaviors are compartmentalized into smaller, more manageable units. In this case, the habits are segmented into two-day increments as a means of pacing the habit-formation process.

Dr. Huberman also mentions that it's important to note that if a habit is missed on any given day, one should not attempt to overcompensate the following day, but rather resume regular activity without penalty. After the 21-day period of intense habit formation, the subsequent time is designed to gauge how well these behaviors have been integrated into one's lifestyle and to identify which habits have become reflexive.

This 21-day program is presented as one of the structured systems for habit formation and habit breaking based on the neuroscience of habit development 1 2 3 4.