Top 10 Ways to Break Bad Habits in Life

Breaking a bad habit can be very difficult, especially when you’ve been practicing it for a long time. However, if you have the willpower and determination to break the habit, then you’re one step closer to success. Here, we will give you some advice on the ways to break bad habits. Habits are hard to break, but hopefully after reading this article, you will find a way that works for you.

The most important thing is to make sure that your motivation is high enough to keep going. If it’s not, then you might want to reconsider before starting in on the process. You should also take care of your mental health because that can affect your body’s ability to form new habits.

People have different ways of breaking habits. Some people find it helpful to avoid the trigger or situation that causes their habit, while others distract themselves with something else to take their attention away from the temptation. It is important not to view the habit as good or bad and instead be conscious of how it makes us feel and change accordingly if we want it broken for good.

Humans are not perfect, as much as some people would want to believe. We know we should exercise, eat healthily, and get plenty of sleep, but we don’t always follow through. Everyone has habits, and some habits are bad for other people. Some habits are helpful, like laying out clothes you’ll wear to work the next day a night before or shutting off lights while leaving a room. But some habits, such as snoozing your alarm too frequently, biting nails, or drinking caffeine too late in your day, can negatively impact your health.

The 3 Rs

Breaking bad habits, particularly if you have been practicing them for such a long time, can be challenging. On the other hand, understanding the formation of habits can help the process move more smoothly. There are several hypotheses about how habits form. One of the most important concepts is the famous 3 Rs: Reminder, Routine, and Reward. What begins as a one-time oversight, blunder, or coping method can quickly turn into a full-fledged negative habit.  The good news is that breaking your negative habits is feasible, and we’re here to assist you.

Here are the top 10 ways to break bad habits, based on the 3 Rs concept.

#10. Recognize your triggers

The first important step you need to take to break a habit is identifying the trigger that makes it happen. You can track the habit for a day or two and then see if there is any trend or pattern. It’s pretty evident that if you want to sleep better, it’s important to track what you do at different times. One of the more popular tips that I have found helpful is making sure that you don’t watch TV or talk to friends after your supper since this is a good time for winding down with relaxing activities. Alternatively, reading or going for a nice walk can make it easier for sleepyheads like me. Thus, you will sleep early enough. On weeknights, you’re typically shutting off your TV and phone by exactly 9 pm. This means that it’s difficult to maintain your late-night habit since you have removed the trigger.

#9. Concentrate on why you want to make a change

Why are you struggling to change or break a habit? According to research, it’s easier if the change you’re trying is worthwhile or advantageous for you. Think about why you want to quit the habit and what benefits it might provide. List the reasons to see if you can come up with any others that haven’t occurred to you yet.

#8. Enlist the help of a buddy

Both of you can use the power of accountability and commitment to help change a bad habit or make any other positive life changes. If you had a partner or friend who also wanted to quit a bad habit, make an effort to do so together and motivate each other. Let’s say you both want to stop smoking. It is difficult for one person to fight cravings on their own, which is why it can be helpful if you quit with someone else who is also quitting. When you face such habits at the same time as someone else, they might be easier to deal with.

#7. Mindfulness is a good thing to do

The process of mindfulness will help you become more aware of your feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. The best way to do this is to carefully watch impulses related to your habit without judging or reacting to them. You may find it more convenient to instead use other strategies, such as avoiding cues or not acting on desires. These are the repetitive behaviors that you should pay more attention to and identify their triggers. Mindfulness is a powerful technique that will help you identify the consequences of your habits in your daily life. As you become more aware of these consequences, you’ll be motivated to abandon or replace them.

#6. Replacing a bad habit with a good one is a good idea

Instead of just trying to break the unhealthy activity, you may find it easier to stop the habit if you replaced it with a new one. If you get hungry at work, it’s important to have a healthy snack at your desk. For example, if you want to stop eating candy, there is no point in simply trying not to look at the candy dish. It will be more effective to keep some dried fruit or nuts by your desk (in Tupperware) for your snacking alternatives.

#5. Leave some reminders for yourself

Sticky notes, stickers, or other related visual reminders can help you remember a habit-breaking action when something triggers you. You can also use your smartphone to set your reminders or cues. Set your alarm for the next day and add a motivating note to yourself, such as “Time to turn off the TV!” or “After a relaxing evening walk, it’s worth remembering how good that felt!”

#4. Be ready for slipups

Habit changes are typically difficult, but as with anything else, it’s vital to try and find the easiest habits to break first. If you find it hard to break the old habits, know that this might just be related to the new ones not being solidified yet. Change is not easy. You need to be aware that investing in new habits can take a considerable amount of time. Don’t be discouraged if it takes a while to break old habits.

#4. Desist from the all-or-nothing mentality

Be open to some uncertainty; this is the only way to grow. It’s one thing to accept that you’re going to commit a few slipups when trying to stop a habit and come up with a plan. But it’s another story when you have to prevent feeling frustrated and look like a failure after making one little mistake. If you find yourself falling back into your old habits, you might wonder whether or not you can do it. Suddenly, you begin doubting yourself and, as a result, are more inclined to give up.

#3. Start small

Are you trying to change more than one habit? Motivation can be powerful, particularly when starting out. Projecting the image of being a better person can be extremely motivating, even when it doesn’t work all the time in the beginning. If the habits go together, quitting them at once can make the most sense. For instance, if you’re trying to quit drinking alcohol and smoking, doing so for both simultaneously may save you time & effort in the long run.

#2. Change your surroundings

Your surroundings might have a significant impact on your habits at times. Maybe you’re attempting to stop the habit of getting takeout all the time because it’s too expensive. However, the to-go menus are visible on your fridge every time you enter the kitchen. You could try substituting printouts of simple recipes you know you’ll appreciate for the meal.

#1. Visualize yourself breaking the habit

Breaking habits doesn’t have to be a physically demanding endeavor. Mentally, you can also rehearse new replacement habits. Consider yourself in a triggering event or environment, such as the morning of your performance evaluation. How would you normally react in this situation? You might find yourself chewing your nails or pounding your pen against your desk as a result of your anxiety. What would you do instead? Visualize yourself doing anything that keeps your hands occupied and helps you relax, such as deep breathing, strolling to get a sip of water, looking through old notes or files, or organizing desk drawers.

Conclusion

It is important to note that breaking habits can take a long time and isn’t easy in general. Change takes time, and patience so don’t expect it all happen overnight.

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