Some bad habits come to us without knowing them like a bad habit. Later we will struggle to change it. When a habit is new you are doing it consciously or intentionally, and you do it more times it will become automatic ie., without your knowledge, you are addicted to some bad habits. Many bad habits aroused mindlessly and are triggered by the context rather than any desire.
Disrupt the habit by changing the situation.
If there is a habit you would like to change first of all try to evaluate the situations in which it most often occurs. Try to change the particular context to a different environment and make it a new feeling. Suppose any alternative activity can be arranged while watching the TV show and eating too much by rearranging the room or sitting in a different place; again anything that alters the context can help.
Distort a habit by changing the method of execution.
So if the situation cannot be changed, try to change the way the habit gets executed for example while eating too much try the other hand for eating that is not dominant. It will make the behaviour a little harder to do and might not be in the comfort zone. Thus it may help to throw away the habit.
However, to conquer the behavioural demons first need to be aware of how they work, and apply the most effective strategy.
Pay attention to why you want to change
Think of why you want to change the behaviour. It was told that it is easy to change behaviour if it is beneficial to you. It is better to note down the reason for the change and display it wherever you see it regularly.
Checking this note can keep the change you’re trying to make firm in your mind. If you are tending to fall back to the habit, these notes remind you why you want to keep trying.
Enlist a friend’s support
If your friend or partner also has some bad habits to be changed, try them together. This will help to motivate and take control of each other.
Make it a point to cheer each other’s successes and encourage each other through obstructions.
Replace the habit with a different one
You might have an easier time breaking a habit if you replace the unwanted behaviour with new behaviour, instead of simply trying to stop the unwanted behaviour.
Say you want to stop eating junk foods, instead eat healthy snacks.
When you repeat the new behaviour, the lust to follow the new routine generates. Eventually, after you see rewards from the new habit —the urge to keep doing this behaviour might outweigh the desire to pursue the old habit.
Substituting harmful habits, with more positive ones develops a lot of benefits.
Visualize yourself breaking the habit
Replacement habits can be prepared mentally also. Visualize that you are breaking the bad habit and how it benefits you a lot. Imagine how biting your nails in a meeting and how much irritation others having on that and also in the next meeting you are not doing the same thing and how others react respectfully to you etc. Practising visually can help it become more familiar when you face a situation in reality.
Practice self-care
Self-care is an important tool to be more confident and be aware of what to do and not to. It is very essential to prioritize your wellness while breaking a bad habit. This will boost the chances of success along with making you overcome the challenges.
Self Caring includes:
Restful sleep
Eating nutritious meals
Physically active
Give time for hobbies, relaxation, meditation, music etc. that help to raise your mood.
Motivate yourself with rewards for success
As it is a difficult task to break a habit. If you have done something to change and you reach somewhere it is necessary to appreciate yourself and give awards it will help to boost up your confidence level and have a tendency to change it completely.
Give it time
Giving sufficient time is important to break a habit, even though it was told that it will take 21 days for a habit formation it may change according to the context and the nature of the habit and your mindset it makes take more or less time to break an unwanted habit.
Breaking unwanted habits can be difficult, especially if you’ve been engaging in them for a long time. Also try to understand the formation of a habit will help to repose the process.
Inspired to create a habit-building journal. The blog is a constant source of positivity.