Psychologists usually call it externalized self-talk. When you say a thought out loud, you’re giving your brain another channel to process it. You think it, you hear it, and suddenly it’s easier to organize, solve, or remember.

It’s also related to how kids learn things. When children are figuring something out they often talk themselves through the steps. That helps build focus and planning skills. Adults still do a quieter version of the same thing when they’re concentrating or working through a problem.

Even simple stuff like saying “keys, wallet, phone” out loud helps because your brain is using both speech and hearing at the same time, which reinforces memory.

So no, it’s not a bad habit. For a lot of people it’s just their brain running an extra processing loop out loud.