How to build powerful microhabits for your wellbeing – and keep them — SkimNews
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- Eli Susman, a US psychologist, published "Micropractice: a science-backed approach for calm, clarity and joy in 30 seconds or less," arguing that extremely brief wellness exercises can replicate the benefits of longer ones when done consistently.
- A study Susman previously published found that a 20-second daily self-compassion hand-on-belly, hand-on-chest meditation significantly reduced stress and improved mental health after one month compared with finger-tapping exercises.
- A large meta-analysis cited in the book found that slow breathing exercises reduced stress, depression, and anxiety at roughly equal effect sizes regardless of practice duration, contradicting the "more is better" wellness mantra.
- A study of surgeons found that 90-second stretches every 40-60 minutes during the workday improved mental focus and reduced physical pain, illustrating that micro-dosing movement works.
- Susman's habit-formation framework recommends anchoring each micro-practice to a conspicuous existing cue (e.g. waiting for espresso), articulating the reward, tracking progress, and permitting two "emergency skip days" per week to avoid shame spirals.
- A forthcoming study by Susman found that a single 15-minute video teaching these habit-formation tips vastly increased the likelihood that participants would practise the self-compassion meditation over the following six months.
Why it matters: For readers who have abandoned wellness routines as too time-consuming, Susman's research offers an evidence-backed alternative: studies cited in the book show 20- to 90-second interventions match the mental-health returns of longer ones, and his forthcoming work links a brief habit-formation video to sustained six-month adherence — making self-care achievable in the gaps that deadlines and family life already leave open.
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