Every morning, millions of people wake up, brush their teeth, make coffee, check their phones, and set out for work—often without a second thought. But how much of these routines are the result of conscious decisions, and how much is simply our brains running on autopilot? A groundbreaking international study published in Psychology & Health in September 2025 has delivered a surprising answer: the majority of our daily actions are not deliberate choices at all, but habits triggered automatically by our environment.
Researchers from the University of South Carolina, University of Surrey, and Central Queensland University set out to uncover just how much of human behavior is governed by habit rather than intention. Their method was as innovative as their findings. Instead of relying on memory or lab-based tests, they recruited 105 participants from the UK, US, and Australia and pinged them six times a day, every day for a week. Each time, participants were asked to describe what they were doing at that very moment and whether the action felt habitual or intentional.
The results were striking. According to the study, 65% of daily behaviors were habitually instigated—that is, triggered automatically without conscious deliberation. Even more remarkable, 88% of actions were carried out habitually once initiated, meaning people performed them smoothly and efficiently with little mental effort. As Psychology & Health reports, nearly nine out of every ten daily actions happen automatically, without conscious thought.
This research challenges the common perception of humans as rational decision-makers constantly weighing options. Dr. Amanda Rebar, the study’s lead author from the University of South Carolina, put it plainly: “People like to think of themselves as rational decision makers, who think carefully about what to do before they do it. However, much of our repetitive behavior is undertaken with minimal forethought and is instead generated automatically, by habit.”
But before anyone despairs at the idea of being a mindless automaton, the study offers a silver lining. Nearly half (46%) of all behaviors were both habitual and aligned with people’s conscious goals. In other words, most habits aren’t working against us—they’re actually helping us achieve what we want. As Professor Benjamin Gardner from the University of Surrey, a co-author of the study, explained, “Our research shows that while people may consciously want to do something, the actual initiation and performance of that behaviour is often done without thinking, driven by non-conscious habits. This suggests that ‘good’ habits may be a powerful way to make our goals a reality.”
The study also found that personal characteristics like age, gender, and marital status had no significant effect on how automatically people behaved. Whether a person was young or old, single or married, their tendency to act out of habit was remarkably consistent. The research team analyzed over 3,700 behavioral moments spanning activities like employment, domestic chores, screen time, eating, transportation, and leisure. Interestingly, employment and screen time alone made up nearly 40% of all reported behaviors.
One behavior, however, stood out as an exception to the rule: exercise. While people were often triggered to exercise by habit—say, heading to the gym after work—actually completing the workout required more conscious effort than other daily activities. Dr. Grace Vincent, a sleep scientist at Central Queensland University and study co-author, noted, “Exercise was the exception in our findings, as it was often triggered by habit, but less likely to be achieved purely ‘on autopilot’, compared to other behaviours.”
This finding helps explain why so many fitness resolutions stumble despite good intentions. Building an exercise habit seems to demand more deliberate effort than, say, brushing your teeth or making coffee. But once an exercise routine is firmly established, it can eventually become part of your brain’s internal autopilot—just like any other habit. Dr. Vincent adds, “If we set out to create a positive habit, whether that’s around better sleep hygiene, or nutrition, or general wellbeing improvements, we can rely on an internal ‘autopilot’ to take over and help us maintain those habits.”
For those hoping to change their behavior—whether it’s quitting smoking, eating healthier, or adding more movement to their day—the study’s insights are invaluable. The research suggests that relying on willpower alone is unlikely to succeed. Instead, the key is to harness the brain’s natural tendency toward automation by creating or redirecting habits. As Professor Gardner put it, “For people who want to break their bad habits, simply telling them to ‘try harder’ isn’t enough. To create lasting change, we must incorporate strategies to help people recognize and disrupt their unwanted habits, and ideally form positive new ones in their place.”
So, what does this look like in practice? Rather than telling someone to just try harder to exercise, the research points toward identifying specific situations—such as right after morning coffee or before dinner—where physical activity can be slotted in until it becomes routine. Similarly, for someone trying to quit smoking, the most effective strategies involve disrupting environmental triggers and creating replacement routines, like chewing gum after meals instead of reaching for a cigarette.
The study’s approach, known as ecological momentary assessment, represents a leap forward in understanding real-world behavior. Previous research often relied on participants recalling and reporting their actions after the fact, which can be unreliable. By capturing behavior as it happens, the researchers provided a far clearer picture of just how much of our lives runs on autopilot.
Of course, the study had its limitations. All data was self-reported, and the one-week timeframe may not capture longer-term patterns. The authors also note that the brief sampling windows might have missed very quick, simple habits while overrepresenting longer, more complex behaviors. Still, the findings are robust enough to offer practical guidance for anyone looking to change their habits.
Ultimately, this research arrives at a time when many people are rethinking their routines and striving for healthier lifestyles. The message is clear: sustainable change isn’t about constant vigilance or heroic self-control. It’s about thoughtfully designing the automatic systems that quietly govern most of our actions. Your future self may well thank your present self for putting those systems in place.
As our understanding of habit deepens, public health campaigns and personal wellness strategies alike may shift away from exhortations to “try harder” and toward the more effective, science-backed approach of habit formation. In the end, the brain’s autopilot isn’t the enemy—it’s a powerful ally, waiting to be steered in the right direction.
