Face it: everybody has bad habits. Even YOU. We all have one, two, or more things in our lives that we KNOW aren’t good for us, yet something inside of us causes us to continue. Your bad habit might be smoking or using other tobacco products. It could be drinking too much or shopping excessively. Many people have bad habits that fly under the radar of judgment, such as constantly being negative or complaining a lot. For millions of people, bad habits revolve around food and health. Some people work too much or are overly involved with their tech products. Others may take exercise to extremes or struggle with telling the truth. Constantly flirting or being unable to say no to others are also common bad habits.
A bad habit is anything you do continually, knowing it’s not good for you. For most people, bad habits start out innocently enough and become ingrained because, over time, people feel “comfortable” with them. Eventually, not indulging in the habit causes stress or frustration, and the bad habit turns into an addiction. It is estimated that today, more than half of all people have addictions—habits that may not be overtly harmful but are still detrimental.
The key to overcoming bad habits is balance and control. If you can balance and control your bad habits, they’re less likely to consume you. However, few people can manage this. So, in order to make changes, you need to learn how to break bad habits using a step-by-step process.
Steps to Breaking Bad Habits
Experts say it takes about one month to break any bad habit. Whether you’re trying to stop biting your nails or give up nicotine, it won’t happen overnight. Getting started is often the hardest part. Habits become so ingrained in our subconscious that we do them without thinking. Therefore, breaking them is only possible if you become conscious of your bad habits. Before attempting to kick a bad habit, spend a few weeks assessing how powerful the habit is.
Research shows that the brain receives around 11,000 signals per day, but only processes about 40 of them consciously. This means that the other 10,960 signals are processed automatically, without thought. To make any change, you must remain aware of the things you want to change. In other words, raise your consciousness to truly see how much you smoke or how negative you are. Begin the process of change by using your conscious mind to hold yourself accountable for your bad habits. Once you realize, recognize, and rationalize them, you can start taking control.
The first step is to recognize and take responsibility for your habits. While you might want to completely transform yourself in 30 days by eliminating ALL of your bad habits, experts advise against this approach. Instead, focus on one habit at a time.
The next step is to find a new habit to replace the old one. Your brain has been on autopilot for a while, so change won’t come overnight. For example, if you’re a smoker, you need to find a replacement habit to substitute for smoking. It can be something as simple as singing a song or snapping your fingers every time you feel the urge to smoke. This helps your brain form a new habit to replace the old, self-sabotaging one. If you tend to overeat in the evenings and want to stop, try replacing the habit with a yoga CD or another relaxing activity.
Make sure your replacement habit is a positive one, something you want to pursue long-term. It would be counterproductive to replace one negative habit with another. At first, your new habit will require effort and conscious thought, but eventually, it too will become part of your autopilot.
You should also tell people about the changes you’re making. This way, you’re accountable not only to yourself but to others as well. The people who care about you can provide support and encouragement, especially on the days when you feel tempted to regress.
Keeping a journal is another helpful strategy. Writing down your intentions and tracking your progress is a concrete way to make changes in your life. It also allows you to reflect on how far you’ve come in 30 days. Make sure to track your negative thoughts and the emotions you experienced at the time. This will help you rationalize your efforts and reinforce your commitment to change.
Another key to breaking bad habits is to think positively. It can be difficult to find something positive when you’re going through withdrawal from your habit, but it’s essential! Try using a “bait and switch” approach: allow the negative thought to pass through your mind, and then replace it with a positive thought. For example, “I hate not being able to eat chocolate, BUT it will make me healthier in the long run.” This way, you acknowledge the emotional struggle but bring the positive aspects of your change to the forefront of your mind.
Making changes is never easy. However, if you take an honest look at all your bad habits, you’ll realize that YOU created them. They didn’t create themselves. This means that, with time and effort, you can regain control of your negative habits and replace them with positive ones.
