There is nothing wrong with having habits, however, some of them can be quite harmful or uncomfortable and you might be seeking to change them. You might have even started but somehow, you find yourself slipping back.
I hope this helps you to break free from the habits you’re struggling with.
1. Discover your Trigger
Keep in mind that identifying triggers is the first step toward creating a habit. And so, the first step toward breaking free from your habitual behaviours is also to identify the triggers that cause them.
Track your behaviour for a few days to see if any trends emerge.
- What is this habit?
- When does it usually happen?
- Is there anyone else in the picture?
- Is it immediately following another event?
Let’s say you want to stop your habitual intake of coffee every morning before going to work.
This is how the questions will help:
The Habit: Habitual Intake of coffee.
When it usually happens: On your way to work, at the coffee shop near your workplace.
Is there anyone else in the picture? : Yes, your colleagues who live next door, you go with them to the shop and each time, they get a cup of coffee, you feel obliged to get one too.
Is this following an event? : Yes, the event of meeting your work colleagues.
2. Concentrate on the reasons you desire to make a change
Why are you trying to break or change a particular habit?
Consider why you wish to stop the habit and any benefits you perceive as a result of the change for a few moments. Breaking a habit will be easier if there are specific benefits you hope to reap from quitting the habit. Make those reasons into a written list to see if you can come up with a few more that haven’t occurred to you yet.
To boost your motivation, write out your reasons on a piece of paper and post it on your bathroom mirror, working table, wardrobe or somewhere else you’ll see it frequently.
Seeing the list frequently will definitely help you remember the adjustment you want to make.
3. Replace a new habit for the old
This is something they don’t tell you enough. It is like a cheat card you can use. Instead of struggling to stop the undesired activity, you could find it easier to break the habit if you replace it with new behaviour.
So, to our incessant coffee drinking problem, instead of buying coffee, go for a fruit juice or some healthier drink.
The desire to follow the new habit grows as you replicate the new behaviour. After seeing the benefits of the new habit — increased energy and less caffeine intake— the motivation to continue doing this activity may eventually outweigh the desire to pursue the old habit. But first, for now, look for an alternative.
Also Check Out: THE 3 BEST STAGES OF SELF AWARENESS
4. Ask for help from a friend
A friend who is willing to help you on your journey never goes wrong. If you and a friend or partner both desire to change a bad habit, all the better, make an effort to do so together. It’s difficult to deal with cravings on your own. When confronted with them, though, they may be easier to deal with when you have someone to battle them with.
They can motivate you when you’re feeling down and gently remind you of your objective if they sense you’re drifting away from it.
The catch is to get a friend who will not pose a temptation to you. In our coffee scenario, asking the colleague you go to get coffee to help might not be the best thing unless they are also ready to quit that habit. The cup of coffee in their hand will pose a serious temptation to you otherwise and you will find it difficult to concentrate on your journey.
5. Expect to be uncomfortable
Whatever your objective is, better nutrition, increased physical fitness, or another lifestyle change, preparing yourself to feel uncomfortable is one of the most effective strategies to break undesirable habits. It will definitely happen, your body will fight the new change you are making. But, you will find that with these tips, you will be able to work around that.
Conclusion
If you want to know more about habits and how to break or change a bad habit, I will be glad to introduce you to a good book I read about habits. It’s called Atomic Habit by James Clear. You can also read more on how to break a bad habit from his website. Click here to read. Make sure you don’t just read alone but put everything into practice and your future will be very proud you did.
Thanks for reading!
xoxo!
