BitHabit is an app that was developed to support people’s wellbeing through small actions that can be easily incorporated into everyday life. The app was developed as part of the StopDia project, where the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland was responsible for developing the technology and improving the user experience. The other partners in the project were the National Institute for Health and Welfare THL and the University of Eastern Finland, which led the consortium.
VTT’s experts have been responsible for the technical development of BitHabit and the design of the application’s functionalities. Elina Mattila says she was involved in studying how people have used the BitHabit app in the StopDia study and analysing its usage data. He has subsequently been involved in other projects where the application has been further developed.
BitHabit’s small actions have been developed during the StopDia project, with input from a wide range of experts in different fields, including exercise, nutrition and behavioural scientists. The actions are designed to support the theory of habit formation: they should be small and easy to relate to situations that occur frequently in everyday life.
The formation of habits is a complex phenomenon that depends a lot on the nature of the act. According to Elina Mattila, a simple habit such as drinking a glass of water before lunch can be established in less than a month. More complex habits, such as regular jogging, can take up to a year.
“Habits are also sensitive to changes in everyday life; for example, an illness can easily break an exercise habit,” Mattila adds.
The importance of promoting well-being
Mattila stresses that people’s well-being must be promoted through a variety of means.
“People are motivated by different things, and life situations vary, so it is important to have low-threshold tools to monitor and improve well-being.”
BitHabit’s philosophy is based on the idea that lifestyle changes and wellbeing consist of small actions that take root naturally in everyday life and improve wellbeing one step at a time, without major changes.
BitHabit offers a new approach to lifestyle changes. Instead of trying to change people’s lives once and for all, the app helps them to adopt small but significant habits that will improve their well-being gradually and permanently.