Everyone has habits. These are things that we learn through repetition that become something we do without thinking and sometimes without realising. These bad habits can hold us back and prevent our success.
Bad habits are easily formed but so easily broken. It takes commitment to breaking your bad habits. However, breaking bad habits gets easier with time. When they are broken or replaced with good habits you may not miss your bad habits.
Causes Of Bad Habits
There are many causes of bad habits. But bad habits are personal, and you need to look at yourself for the causes of your bad habits. They could be the results of stress or boredom. For example, some people smoke more when they are stressed, others may eat unhealthy snacks because they missed breakfast.
To break a bad habit, you must look at yourself. What triggers your bad habit? To break your bad habit, you may need to change other habits. For example, get up earlier to have breakfast to prevent unhealthy snacking.
How Long Will It Take To Break A Bad Habit
It can take only 21 to make a new habit but a lot longer to break a habit. Studies have suggested it can take anything from 2 months to 6 months to fully break a bad habit.
The time it takes to break a bad habit depends on several factors. These include how long you have had the habit, how much support you have, how much motivation you have and what you get from the habit.
Bad habits are personal, and your journey will also be personal. Don’t worry or feel like a failure if it takes you longer than others to kick a bad habit.
Believe In Yourself
One of the most important things when breaking a bad habit is to believe you can do it. Even if you are trying to break a habit you have failed to break before, believe this time will be different. Self-doubt can cause you to fail before you have even begun. You can do it.
One At A Time
Changing a habit is a big thing. So don’t take on too much. at a time. Bad habits are formed individually and so need to be broken individually. Focus on one bad habit at a time and if it helps break the habit up into smaller habits. For Example, if you want to break a habit of procrastination, break it up. Stop procrastinating about a specific thing such as doing the laundry. Once you no longer delay doing the laundry you can stop yourself procrastinating about other things.
Keep Going
Habits are hard to break and often people slip up. If you slip up, don’t give up, you can try again. Don’t blame yourself and get angry with yourself. There is no easy fix to breaking a bad habit and it will take time. Accept you will have slip-ups but you can do this.
Seek Help
When you are breaking a habit, there is no shame in asking for help. This could be professional help such as a support group or your GP. Particularly if this is a dangerous habit. For example, your GP could help you to cut down on alcohol or to quit smoking.
Alternatively, you can ask your friends and family for informal support. They may not have the same habits to break but they will be there to offer emotional support and encouragement. If they know you are cutting down on caffeine, they will offer you alternatives to coffee.
It’s Not All Or Nothing
Sometimes you can’t break a habit overnight and you haven’t failed if you can’t quit cold turkey. If you need to start small, do it. If you can’t give up smoking overnight, try cutting down instead. Breaking a habit gradually is still breaking a habit.
Keep note of how you are doing. If you are breaking a habit gradually, it may help to see how far you have come. That way you can focus on your achievements and not your failures.
Breaking Bad Habits
Breaking bad habits can be difficult. It takes time and effort. But with perseverance, you can do it.
