6 Tips for kicking A bad habit
Whether it's chewing your nails, procrastinating, or binging on junk food, pretty much all of us have been prone to having bad habits at some point or another. Perhaps you're even indulging in one right. Now. CAUGHT YOU.
It might seem impossible to break out of a habit, but there are small alterations that you can make to your day-to-day life, to help yourself. Here, we list a few that might come in handy.
Most habits develop due to boredom or stress, but sometimes there can be a deeper, more serious underlying issue. If you feel this might be you then it's worth speaking to your GP who will be able to advise.
Trash The Triggers
If you know that certain situations trigger the bad habit, then change the situation! If you're always tempted to enter that fast food shop on your way home, alter your route; if you find yourself getting lazy when doing your homework from bed, build yourself a separate work area in your room. You'll be surprised at how much these small adjustments can cause your bad habits to fade.
Find a substitution
Try finding something that can take the place of your habit. For instance, if you find yourself sat on the sofa watching hours and hours of TV, why not go on the hunt for a great book that you can't put down? We have some recommendations here... including one about the psychology of habits!
Join forces
It's easier to break a bad habit if you've got a buddy joining you for the challenge. Pairing up with somebody else who is in the same boat as you is a great motivator, and will increase the pressure to succeed, as you don't want to let the other down; and if you're victorious in breaking the habit, you'll have someone there to celebrate with!
Imagine success
Visualise yourself having already successfully broken the habit. It's a simple exercise that will help trick your brain into believing you're already SO over it.
Be realistic
Don't expect yourself to break a habit just like THAT (imagine us passionately clicking our fingers). Going cold turkey is tough, so set yourself sub-goals that will eventually form part of the bigger goal. As an example, if you're drinking a litre of Coke a day, cut it down to half a litre instead of attempting to give it up entirely, and slowly drink less and less each week until you don't feel like you need it at all.
Don't beat yourself up
trying to break out of a habit is not an easy feat, so be fair with yourself if you do happen to slip up at times. You might feel frustrated if you fail, but simply dust yourself off and try again. At least you're doing your best, eh?
Get Habit of Help
If you'd like further support to break a bad habit, take a look through the Channel 4 list of helpful organisations.
