Six Ways To Break A Bad Habit

We all have the tendency to perform an action so regularly that it can become somewhat involuntary. These actions then become habitual as much of human life is and can form patterns that are hard to break. There are good and bad habits, depending on the effects they have on you and those around you. For instance, being chronically late can be bad for you – imagine the first impression you would make for a job interview – as well as inconsiderate to others.

Overcoming bad habits, however, is hard work and cannot be achieved by simply waving a magic wand. They are easy to adopt but hard to release. Here are some suggestions that may make the road to changing those negative habits easier for you.

1. Do some introspection to expose the original cause of the habit. The habit may be something you adopted in reaction to a nervous or scary occurrence in your life and you would need to deal with that core issue before you can overcome the habit. For example, you may bite your nails because you are nervous and you may need to take steps to overcome that nervousness before you are fully able to stop biting your nails.

2. Focus on changing one habit at a time. This lessens the chances of you feeling overwhelmed by all that you have to do to break the habits.

3. Replace the habit with something not as detrimental as your bad habit is. This helps if you know the root of your habit and the triggers that set it off. For example, if you tap on the desk even in a room where it may bother others, such as the exam room, you may want to consider doodling on paper instead.

4. Meditation is a good way to overcome any ailment such as a bad habit. It helps to develop a sense of self-awareness that will enable you to notice the onset of a bad habit and nip it in the bud.

5. Write down the commitment you have made to change this habit. You do this as an oath that you make to yourself. On this sheet, note all the triggers and characteristics of the habit and the steps you will take to overcome it. This provides clarity of thought and shows you the magnitude of the change that you are about to make. You can then be able to chart a clear plan or path to the change you want to accomplish.

6. Persevere even in the face of failure. Even if you find yourself slipping into your habit again, don’t become discouraged and say it is hopeless so you won’t try. Keep trying. You may need to try another method or a different tactic but keep going no matter what.

Some people say it takes 21 days or more of consistent action to break a bad habit. This is great and it may work but, I add, take it one day at a time so that any disappointment does not completely derail you from your objective. Overcoming a negative habit is something that can only happen once you have made and stuck to that commitment. It is something that needs to be done on our road to becoming whole human beings. Good luck on your road to change.