Everyone has bad habits. There is nothing wrong with having them. However, we must learn to break them and evolve as we grow older. Bad habits can be in all shapes and sizes. It could be something as apparent as biting your nails, tapping snooze too many times, drinking too much caffeine, and giving people too many chances despite the red flags. There is no denying that breaking bad habits is difficult. But, it is not impossible. Habits form through conscious effort. The following tips will help you overcome them.
Identify Your Triggers
The first thing that you need to do to break a bad habit is to identify your trigger. The fact is that triggers are responsible for forming a pattern. This is why you need to identify what your triggers are. It will allow you to avoid taking the same action every time and regretting it later. Track your habits and understand their patterns. Think about where the habitual behavior occurs, the time of day, how you feel when it happens, if others are involved, and whether it happens right after something else.
For instance, you might have a bad habit of binge-watching a show past midnight. Think about what gets you to watch continuously. It could be the habit of snacking late at night. By cutting down snacking, you could also put an end to staying up late.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the secret to breaking bad habits. You must be aware of your thoughts and feelings. Observe your impulses and relate them to habits without reacting to them or even judging them. As you become aware of your routine behavior, you would be able to consider alternatives. When you practice mindfulness, you recognize the patterns and are in a position to change your habits.
Replace the Habit with Something Different
Every habit that you try to break requires a replacement. You have to do something different to put an end to unwanted behavior. Not wanting to act a certain way is just not enough. For instance, if you crave sugary snacks every time you feel hungry, you could opt for nuts. Consequently, you get to fill your stomach rather than resist hunger, making it harder for you to replace the habit.
Leave Reminders for Yourself
If you are trying to break a bad habit, you need to remind yourself as you can subconsciously do the same thing every time. Use stickers and sticky notes to rethink actions. You could leave a sticker on the refrigerator to remind yourself to eat healthily or leave a message on your laptop reminding yourself to switch it off at a particular hour. Reminders go a long way in breaking habits.
Start Small
Finally, you must start small. You cannot expect to ditch a bad habit within one go. You have to be patient. It takes time to break a habit the same way it takes time to form one. Start by breaking one habit at a time and let your accomplishments motivate you to keep going.
Breaking bad habits just got a whole lot easier with our post. Follow the tips mentioned above to bring massive change into your life. Always remember that nothing is impossible and that you are stronger than you think.
