I think you might mean "habits". "Habits" are behaviors that are repeated regularly and tend to occur subconsciously. Here are some synonyms and their analyses:
1. Routines
- Meaning: A sequence of actions regularly followed. For example, “Her morning routine includes exercise, reading the news, and having a cup of coffee.”
- Usage difference: “Routines” often imply a set of activities that are part of a daily or regular schedule. They can be more about the order and pattern of actions. In contrast to “habits,” which can be individual behaviors, “routines” usually involve multiple steps or actions that are grouped together. For example, a bedtime routine might consist of several habits like brushing teeth, reading a book, and setting an alarm.
2. Customs
- Meaning: Traditional and widely accepted ways of behaving or doing things in a society or group. For example, “In some cultures, it's a custom to take off your shoes before entering a house.”
- Usage difference: “Customs” are more related to cultural or social norms. They are habits that are shared and expected within a particular community. In comparison to an individual's “habits,” “customs” have a broader scope and are passed down through generations or within a group. They often carry a sense of tradition and propriety.
3. Practices
- Meaning: The habitual or customary performance of an action or set of actions. For example, “Regular meditation practices have been shown to reduce stress.”
- Usage difference: “Practices” can refer to both personal and professional habitual behaviors. It's a more general term that can cover a wide range of activities that are done repeatedly. In contrast to “habits,” “practices” might imply a more conscious or purposeful repetition, such as a religious practice or a professional work - related practice.
4. Patterns
- Meaning: A repeated or regular way of doing something. For example, “His spending patterns showed that he had a habit of buying books every month.”
- Usage difference: “Patterns” focus on the observable and repeated nature of behavior. They can be used to analyze or describe habits from an external perspective. In comparison to “habits,” “patterns” might be more about the statistical or observable regularity of behavior, rather than the internal impulse or tendency that drives the behavior.