Out with the old and in with the new. That’s what the New Year is all about. Making resolutions to break bad habits is standard this time of year. Getting rid of undesirable behavior, however, is not easy and requires perseverance and a plan.
Whether the desire is to drink less beeer, quit smoking, eat less junk food, spend less time on the computer or stop any other negative behavior, the process is similar. The first step is to analyze the bad habit and then create a doable plan to counter the undesirable behavior. Follow these tips to gain freedom from bad habits.
A - Analyze the Bad Habit
First, it is important to determine whether the undesired behavior is simply a bad habit or if it stems from an addiction. A habit is just an acquired pattern of behavior while an addiction includes psychological or physiological dependency. Keep in mind that if an addiction is present, as is often the case with tobacco or alcohol use, professional help may be necessary.
To successfully break a bad habit, it is essential to know when, where and why it occurs. Nail biting and other nervous habits, for instance, are often totally unconscious activities. Awareness of any nervous behavior may not reach the conscious mind until someone points it out. In order to successfully deal with undesirable behavior, establish when and where it is most likely to occur.
Once the behavior has been analyzed, a plan with specific steps to counter the behavior must be developed and put into place. Breaking a bad habit is possible but takes forethought and some clever strategizing. Dealing with an addiction, rather than just a habit, will be more difficult but these tips may still be of use.
B - Beware of Habit Triggers
Controlling the environment is a key step in breaking a bad habit. Specific places or activities often trigger behaviors, both good and bad. A bad habit may be so tied to a particular place or activity that simple avoidance may be all that is needed to break the habit. For example, if continual snacking while watching TV is a problem, turn off the television and do something else.
Make breaking a bad habit easier by avoiding the places, people or things that trigger the undesired behavior, whenever possible. When quitting cigarettes, do not spend breaks or the lunch hour with smokers. Do not buy potato chips and soda pop when working toward making healthy food choices. Remove all computer games from the hard drive if the temptation to waste time playing them is just too great.
C - Create a Plan to Break Bad Habits
Recognize that each bad habit fills some need and it is imperative to replace it rather than leaving a void. Often times, neutral or even healthy behaviors can be readily substituted for a bad habit. For instance, when cutting back on soda pop consumption, herb tea or lemon water are healthy alternatives. Try chewing gum to replace sweets or take the edge off a cigarette craving.
For each instance in which the bad habit tends to occur, think of a variety of potential substitutes and test them out. Keep those that work and discard the others. Be patient but persistent. Bad habits are acquired over a period of time and may take a while to break. View temporary slips as learning opportunities rather than failure. Stick to the plan until the bad habit is no longer a habit at all.
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Crystal Marie - Crystal Marie is a wilderness-dwelling granny, quilter and freelance writer. In addition to enjoying the grandkids, she creates custom ...
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