We all have habits, some good and some bad. We develop these habits for a number of reasons. In our daily life, we come across many people who inspire us with their good habits and some make us aware of our bad habits. Before we learn how to rid gid of bad habits and replace it with good habits, first let us know what is a habit?
What is a Habit?
A habit is a learned activity that, over time, becomes reflexive. Typically, the behavior is prompted by a particular circumstance. As part of your morning ritual, you may instinctively clean your teeth before going for breakfast.
A habit may be beneficial, detrimental, or neutral. A healthy habit could consist of daily stretching for 10 minutes or meditating when stressed. Nail biting and texting while driving are examples of unhealthy habits. Neutral behaviors include consuming the same brand of cereal every morning and traveling the same route to work.
Instinctive activities, such as breathing and blinking, do not qualify as habits because they are not learnt.
What are the bad habits that we should be aware of?
There are many different types of bad habits, so it would be difficult to list them all. However, in this article I will discuss five of the most common types:
The first bad habit that we should be aware of is procrastination. When you put off tasks or work that needs to be done, this can lead to increased stress levels and a feeling of being overwhelmed.
The second bad habit is not saying no to people who ask you for favors or take up your time. This can lead to resentment and anger if it becomes too much for you to handle.
The third bad habit is not getting enough sleep at night; this can cause an increase in stress levels as well as an inability to focus on tasks during the day because your brain just isn’t refreshed enough from sleep.
The fourth bad habit is eating too much junk food. While it may make you feel good for a short period of time, the side effects are increased stress levels and a decrease in self-control which can lead to bad habits.
The fifth bad habit is not doing exercise or not focusing on fitness. Its not that only fat or overweight people should do exercise. Even if you have a slim or average body still exercise is essential for you.
We will discuss in details how to get rid of these 5 habits in the section below. So keep reading.
Why do we develop Good or Bad habits?
We develop habits because they are a way of making sense of the world. They are a way to quickly react to stimuli and they save us time and energy.
The idea that we develop bad habits because they make sense is not new. It was first proposed by Aristotle in the 4th century BC.
Aristotle said that habits develop because we have a need for them to be helpful in solving problems. For example, if you are running late for work and have to wake up early every day, then you might develop the habit of waking up at the same time each morning. This makes sense because it saves you time and energy.
How to get rid of Bad Habits?
Bad habits can be difficult to break. They take time and effort, but the good news is that there are ways to get rid of them.
IDENTIFY THE CAUSE
The first step in getting rid of a bad habit is to identify the cause. There are many hidden causes that might lead someone to develop a bad habit, such as stress or anxiety.
Once you have identified the cause, it is easier to find a solution that will work for you.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PLAN
The best way to break a bad habit is by telling someone else about it. If you know someone is doing the habit, tell them what your plan is to break it.
BE CONSISTENT
In order to break a habit, you will need to be consistent. Consistency is important in breaking any bad habit because it takes time to develop a new routine that replaces the old one.
You don’t always have to break those bad habits all at once. Instead, try breaking a habit for one day or week and then move onto another habit.
REPLACE WITH A NEW HABIT
Breaking a bad habit often means learning new ways of doing things, or simply replacing one bad habit with another good one. For example, when you feel like biting your nails, try playing with a stress ball or silly putty instead.
If you find yourself snacking when you’re bored, you might not want to watch TV or play games because of the automatic response to the feeling of being bored. Instead, try reading a book or working on a craft project instead.
CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOUR/ENVIRONMENT
The two most common ways to break a habit involve changing your behavior and/or the environment around you. The most effective way to break a habit is to change your behavior. The new behavior will only become second nature if you do it consistently for long periods of time. A change in the environment around you can also help, but it’s not as effective as changing your own behavior.
REWARD YOURSELF
Another way to get rid of bad habits and replace them with new ones is to figure out the rewards you get from doing it. These are things like feeling good, the rush that comes with it, or some other physical benefit. Once you know what your reward is, you can decide if it’s worth the time and effort to deal with the triggers that lead to it.
PRACTICE FOR 21 DAYS WITHOUT EXCUSE
The best way to build Good Habits is to create a new routine for yourself that will help you form the new habits that are replacing the old ones.
To get any new habit into your daily routine you need to practice for 21 days consistently. This will make it a habit, which then needs to be reinforced on a daily basis. It may take 3 weeks or more to develop the new habit and it requires repetition, so say yes to every opportunity that comes your way.