* This is a parterned/ Collaborative post
It is very easy to slip into a bad habit. You could take a drag on a cigarette at a party and end up with a two-pack a day habit. Bad habits can be anything from smoking to biting fingernails, and breaking those habits isn’t always easy.
We all fall into bad habits from time to time, but that doesn’t mean that we have to be stuck there. It can be so important to learn how to get out of a bad habit and it can make a difference between behaviour that affects your whole life and feeling free. You have to learn the difference between something you do for fun, such as playing Centurion Slot once or twice a week, and something that consumes you, like going to the Bingo six times a week because you’re addicted to the play. Harmful habits are those that you can’t break as easily, but with our six tips below, you’ll get there!
Bad habits can be anything. We are all on different paths and find ourselves turning to various ways of coping. From smoking, lack of sleep, over working, eating unhealthy or just not ever practicing self care. These are all bad for our physical and mental health and one thing I always say and Stand by is that everything needs balance. Eating a balanced diet, getting more sleep, finding a healthy work routine and just finding what works best for you. These things will vary for each person.
No.1 Avoid Your Triggers. If you want to break a habit, you need to identify what the triggers are and learn to avoid them. If a night with friends going out is going to send you on a spiral of drinking, scaling back nights out for nights in will be a better idea. You want to be able to have fun without drinking too much, and if you can’t and your habit is getting out of hand maybe seek some professional help to guide you
No.2 Replacement Helps. Replacing a bad habit with a good one is a smart idea. It’s a bad habit to stay up until the wee hours of the morning, so consider putting yourself in a bedtime routine that gradually sees you going to bed earlier and earlier. A good nights sleep is good for your health and productivity so although it may seem like a small habit, it’s one that makes all the difference to break
No.3 Make It Too Hard. Habits are something you do mindlessly, and making them harder will help. If you bite your nails, add a nail polish that tastes gross and you’ll soon stop biting them as much. Gloves can stop it, too, and it will mean that you have healthier, prettier nails in the long run. I suffer from anxiety so one of my bad habits is picking my head and making my skin sore and bleeding. I wear fitted gloves to stop myself from doing this and it does start to change your mindset as you become more mindful.
No.4 Remember Why It’s Bad. Habits are good (like eating well and exercising) and habits are bad (such as smoking and taking drugs). Concentrate on WHY your habit is so bad, and you’ll hopefully stop practicing the bad ones. You’ll feel more positive when you concentrate on the harm you could be causing to yourself and feel like changing it. It’s harder said than done but it is possible if you really are willing and committed!
No.5 Hold Strong. When you are trying to get rid of a bad habit, you need to be resilient about it and don’t give up. It can take time to get over it, so don’t hate yourself for not managing it instantly. You need to give yourself the right time to get through your bad habit and break it completely once and for all. No one will ever say “It’s easy” because we all go through different things in life and turn to habits as a way of coping. Be gentle with yourself, you’re doing the best you can
No.6 What’s Underneath. All habits have a deep root, and whatever it is that sits behind your trigger needs to be considered. There is usually a deeper issue with a bad habit, and once you learn your “why”, you can eliminate it.
Thank you for reading. Are there any bad habits you are working on? If so, how are you tacking them and how are you holding up?
Stay wonderful!
Hannah Louise
•4 years ago
Some really good tips here so thank you for sharing! I’m one for picking/biting my nails but i’ve never tried the horrible tasting varnish so i’ll have to give it a go!
burstsofautumn
•4 years ago
I’m glad you found it useful!! 🙂 I hope it works for you. I always find having my nails nice makes me feel so nice so it’s definitely worth trying to keep your nails nice x