Healthy Habits
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Stress & Mental Health€0 · freeunder 30 min

Healthy Habits

Healthy habits don't come from good intentions – they come from repetition. Neuroscience is clear on this: a habit is anchored once the behavior runs automatically – without a conscious decision. On average that takes 40 to 60 repetitions, not 21 as is often claimed.

Why a self-chosen habit sticks harder The decisive difference between imposed and self-chosen change is autonomy. Anyone who chooses for themselves which habit to build – 'stretch for 5 minutes every morning' or 'take a 10-minute walk at lunch' or 'eat an apple daily before coffee' – has more motivation from the start. The offering provides structure: reminders, a calendar, a progress indicator. The decision of what to build stays with the individual.

What the platform delivers that willpower cannot Willpower is a depletable resource. Anyone who has to decide anew every day whether to do the exercise gives up after two weeks. Anyone who has built in a trigger – a reminder at 8:55 a.m., before the first meeting slot begins – eventually acts automatically. The offering supports this process with progress feedback that doesn't punish an occasional lapse but shows how much has already been built.

How to put it in place

  1. 1
    Define the habit
  2. 2
    Link it to a trigger
  3. 3
    Configure reminders
  4. 4
    Check in
  5. 5
    Reflect after 40 repetitions

What you need

Effort
under 30 min
Cost
Free
Duration
~6 Wochen (40 Wiederholungen)
Setup
5 min
  • Individual
  • Scientifically grounded (~40 reps)
  • Reminders & calendar
  • Visible progress

Eligible for funding: up to €600 tax-free

As part of a structured workplace health process, this measure is tax-free under § 3 no. 34 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) up to €600 per employee per year — BGF-Kompass supplies the process. Certified offers (e.g. from Upfit) are additionally subsidised by statutory health insurers under § 20b SGB V.

Health-insurer funding & tax: how to apply →

Adopt it for your company

Register for free — and the measure is ready to go in your cockpit: invitation, feedback survey and appointment are already set up. First cycle, first numbers for the boss.

Start for free now

Rather take a look first? To the live demo →

Contributes to

Reduce stress levels

Measure the impact with

COPSOQ – Psychische Belastung

Related best practices

Not sure where to start? 5-minute self-check →

BGF-Kompass covers German workplace health promotion (BGF): funding paths, figures and legal references (e.g. § 20b SGB V, § 3 No. 34 EStG, the statutory-health-insurer prevention guidelines) apply to Germany.