Bad habits can interrupt your life and prevent you from accomplishing your goals. They can jeopardise your health – both mentally and physically – and waste your time and energy.

To break a bad habit, start by keeping a log of the following for at least a week:

    • When does your bad habit actually happen?
    • How many times do you do it each day?
    • Where are you?
    • Who are you with?
    • What triggers the behaviour?

The next step is to analyse the data and look at what your usual triggers are, for example, do you do it when you’re anxious or bored? Once you realise when and why you are biting your nails, cracking your knuckles or engaging in any other bad habit, the next logical step is to find a not-quite-as-annoying temporary or permanent replacement for it.

Join forces with somebody. How often do you try to diet in private or maybe you “quit smoking” but you kept it to yourself? That way no one will see you fail, right?. Instead, pair up with someone and quit together. The two of you can hold each other accountable and celebrate your victories together. Knowing that someone else expects you to be better is a powerful motivator.

Surround yourself with people who live the way you want to live.

Fine yourself for each offense. Use the “swear jar” method for your fines or pay your friends R2 each time they catch you doing that thing you want to stop doing – and don’t forget to also reward yourself for beating your habit every day.

Another tactic involves placing a large rubber band around your wrist. Every time you become aware that you are engaging in a bad habit, pull the rubber band back and allow it to snap back so it creates a discomfort.

Visualise yourself succeeding. Whatever the bad habit is that you wish to break, visualise yourself crushing it, smiling and enjoying your success.

Go slow and make tiny changes. For instance, if you go on smoke breaks in your office’s parking lot, the parking lot itself can become a cue to smoke. Switch your surroundings. The 20-second rule can help too: wait 20 seconds before engaging in the bad habit. For example, move junk food to the back of the pantry. You might just find that the craving has stopped and you don’t need your bad habit any more.

Breaking bad habits takes time and effort, but mostly it takes perseverance. Most people who end up breaking their bad habits try and then fail multiple times before they eventually succeed.

 

Sources
www.jamesclear.com
www.lifehacker.com
www.webmd.com