Breaking bad habits can often feel like an impossible task. However, there are several things that you can remember and do to not only make it easier to break bad habits but also keep them out of your life for good.
Here are 9 ways to break bad habits
Embrace being uncomfortable
The first thing you need to do is prepare yourself and be okay with being uncomfortable. Many bad habits exist as a way to deal with stress, anxiety, sadness, etc., and not having them available can make us uncomfortable.
Whether you want to learn how to quit vaping, stop drinking, or anything in between, be prepared not to have the comfort that you once had.
Make a plan
The next thing you need to do is make a plan. This plan can include how you will break your habit, a timeline, what to avoid, etc. It doesn’t need to be super-specific, but it does need to have enough information to set you on the right path and keep you on it.
You should also list your personality traits and the coping skills you will need to handle your journey. Breaking a bad habit can be exceptionally difficult, and you should remind yourself that you can do it no matter how tough it gets.
Know why you want to break it
Understanding why you want to break a habit will give you tremendous motivation, and help you stay on track. Your reasons can be anything you want; it’s too expensive, and you want to save for a holiday, or the habit can simply be bad for your health.
This can make the change a bit more tangible, and instead of feeling like you are trying to change for a reason you don’t agree with or change for other people, you can remind yourself that you are changing for you.
List why you can’t
Another step is to list the reasons why you think you can’t break a bad habit. Looking inward and seeing where you may fall short allows you to address these issues, which will not only help you break bad habits but also grow as a person.
For example, do you smoke a lot because you are stressed? There’s a chance you may not be the best at stress management, and therefore, quitting smoking may not be entirely possible until you are better at managing your stress.
Set realistic goals
Always set goals that you know you can reach, and stop yourself from being unrealistic. If you have been smoking for 20+ years, there is a very small chance you will be able to put the cigarettes down after one day and never pick them up again.
Instead, set short- and long-term goals that you can stick to. For example, instead of going cold turkey and not smoking at all, limit yourself to five a day in week 1, then 4 a day in week 2, etc.
Understand your triggers
Take the time to understand what triggers you to indulge in your bad habit. Is it stress, being in a certain environment, being around specific people, or something different? Knowing what triggers you will help you keep more control over your habits.
While simply avoiding these triggers is a way forward, if that isn’t possible, prepare yourself better and have alternative ways of dealing with them.
Develop replacement habits
Don’t make the mistake of trying to cut out a habit without replacing it with a different and better one. Considering many bad habits are linked to things such as anxiety and stress, you will still need a way to deal with these feelings.
Therefore, while you are cutting out your bad habits, develop new ones, too. You can choose anything you want, from reading to working out; the only goal is to ensure it is a habit that benefits you instead of harming you. For example, go for a walk in the park and spend time in nature. Listen to some music. Take up a hobby that you enjoy.
Give yourself flexibility
While you are on this journey, don’t hold yourself to a standard that doesn’t allow you to make mistakes. You aren’t going to be perfect the entire time, and one slip-up now and then isn’t the end of the world.
This is particularly true for habits that have an addictive nature, such as drinking and cigarettes. One cigarette after a few days of not smoking because the craving is too much is far better than finishing off a box later down the line. It is all about self-control, not about trying to break the bad habit as fast as possible.
Be patient
Breaking a habit you have had for several years, decades, or even your whole lifetime is not something that can or will happen overnight. It is very important not to lose sight of this. Do not become discouraged while you are trying to break any bad habits you may have.
Instead, focus on the progress you make instead of obsessing over being successful. If you typically have a glass of wine with every dinner, not having wine on one night may not be you finally succeeding, but it is 100% a sign of progress and an improvement you didn’t have before.
