Experts say repetitive behaviours, including listening to the same songs over and over again and ordering the same takeaway leave you feeling glum
Always sitting in the same spot on the sofa and ordering the same takeaway are among signs you’re stuck in a life rut. Leading psychologists warn repetitive behaviours, including listening to the same songs over and over again, leave you feeling glum.
As many as 44% of Brits prefer to stick to what they know, the study by drinks brand Dr Pepper found. This includes the food they eat, the TV shows they watch, and even what mug they drink their tea from or which cooker ring they use.
And a whopping 95% say they are a creature of habit, with 39% believing life is simpler if you do the same things all the time.
Clinical psychologist Dr Sophie Mort said: “For many of us, repetition feels good. There is quiet comfort in familiarity, offering reassurance, belonging and a sense of stability.
“The brain also favours habits because they conserve energy; behaviours become automatic, requiring very little conscious thought. This leads us to habitually reach for the same mug or settle into the same seat.
“However, the difficulty begins when routine is no longer chosen, but unconscious. When our days run entirely on autopilot, without variation, the brain receives less stimulation, days blur, and mood can begin to flatten.
“Over time, that’s when people start to feel quietly stuck, not because life is wrong, but because it has become too predictable.”
Despite our love for routine, six in ten confess they do feel stuck in a rut.
A fifth wants to become more spontaneous and mix things up a bit by embracing new holiday destinations, trying different types of food and finding a new hobby.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.