Breaking Bad Habits for Better Living

Bad habits are hard to break, but you can always make positive improvements with some planning and support. Most people are aware of the bad habits they would like to break, and many have probably tried and failed in the past. If you’re planning to break a bad habit, keep reading for some tips and tricks that might help:

Focus on one habit at a time.

It’s hard enough to try and change one thing at a time — why make it harder by trying to do multiple things at once? Instead, focus on one bad habit and commit to changing that first before moving on to another area of your life that needs improvement.

Make a plan

Don’t get too caught up in it being perfect or having every detail figured out before starting the change process. A good plan will be realistic, have measurable goals and have an action plan for how those goals will be achieved so you know what needs to be done next when there are obstacles along the way.

Remove temptation

Identify triggers for your habit and avoid them as much as possible. Triggers can range from environmental cues (like seeing an empty wine glass) to emotional triggers (like feeling lonely). Once you know what situations lead to indulging in your bad habit, try doing something else — like going outside for a walk.

Understand that setbacks happen

Don’t expect perfection right away. A significant mistake people make when trying to change their behaviour is they expect themselves to be perfect from day one — which leads to frustration when they don’t achieve this goal right away (which rarely happens). Instead, give yourself time to adjust so that change can occur naturally over time instead of trying too hard too quickly and giving up because things didn’t go as planned right away (which also rarely happens).

Rewards your success

Pick a reward that works for you. It’s important what you choose brings you joy and will encourage you to continue to make better choices. It could be anything from a piece of chocolate, a coffee date with a friend or a relaxing massage or beauty treatment. Once you’ve chosen your reward, write it down on a piece of paper and keep it in a place where you’ll see it every day — like on your fridge or bathroom mirror — so that you can draw motivation from it whenever you need it most!

Enlist the help of a friend

Someone that might also have a similar habit to break could be a great support person. You can help each other through the process and stay accountable for your progress. You could also join an online community or message board where people share tips and advice on how to stop doing things they’re trying to quit.

Remember to be patient with yourself. Take small steps towards breaking your negative habits until they become second nature for you to do daily.