Bad Habits, we all have them. But are your bad habits affecting your life? Did you know the worst bad habits can hurt you physically and mentally keeping you from reaching your goals?
Bad habits can affect relationships, work, and health.
Nonetheless, it is imperative to let go of bad habits and move forward to a better version of yourself. However, the question isn’t should you do this, the question is “How can I get rid of my worst habits as soon as possible?”
With that in mind, here are some bad habits you should consider getting rid of now and some alternative choices to help you be the best you can be today and always.
What are Habits?
Neurologically speaking, your brain loves to automate things in your life. Your brain doesn’t care if these automations are good or bad because your brain really wants to make your life easier. And let’s face it, the bad habits are often easier to keep up with.
A habit is a feedback loop in your brain where there is a stimulus or trigger and your habit is the reward.
Changing bad habits can be downright hard. Like going for the chips every time you sit down to watch television or eating sugary foods right after dinner, hard.
Yet, if we want to change these habits after they are formed, it can take a lot of willpower and sometimes replacing the habit with something else.
#1 Bad Health Habits
Bad health habits can affect every aspect of your life. If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything. If you are always feeling ill, you can’t live the fulfilling life you have dreamed of. So it is best to stay on top of your health and be the healthiest version of yourself, you can possibly be.
Below are some bad health habits to kick right now:
- Not exercising
- Watching T.V. for five hours
- eating too much sugar
- smoking
- drinking too much
- eating processed food
- eating too much fat
- snacking
- drinking soda
If you want to kick a bad health habit you can try changing one thing at a time. It is likely your brain will push back because your brain likes to automate things and is used to you eating chips on the couch every night or any other bad health habit. That is why it is often hard to change a habit.
Yet, if you find the source of your habit and tackle it, you are more likely to succeed.
For example, if you do not exercise and you don’t feel you have time, try setting your alarm five minutes early tomorrow. Make it easy and obtainable. Find a short Youtube workout video (I like this one) and complete it.
Five minutes of exercise is better than “no minutes” of exercise. So start small and as you go add more time. The following week, find a seven-minute workout you can do at home. You don’t have to go anywhere. Just get up and get moving!
Continue adding time as you are able to handle more exercise. If you add two minutes per week, you will be at 11 minutes by the end of the month and almost 20 minutes by the end of the second month.
#2 Snacking Habit
This is often difficult to change. I found myself in the habit of grabbing a crunchy snack right after I put my kids to sleep. I would grab something like baked Cheetos and head to the couch to watch my show. I realized I was feeling sluggish in the morning, yet I was still craving my deplorable crunchy foods every evening.
How I changed: I decided the Cheetos probably were not the best option and I started looking for something healthier. I found carrots or popcorn to be a great alternative and I still got the crunch I was craving. So try swapping out your chips (fill in any junk food you eat) with a healthier alternative. I also use a bowl instead of grabbing the entire bag so I have less temptation to overeat.
Nonetheless, the source of my daily snacking was a habit I had formed. I want to reward myself with food after a long day and veg out on the couch watching my shows and relaxing. This is understandable for any adult, but by finding healthier options I still felt satisfied and it was not as difficult to change as I intended.
Eating and drinking are always tough ones to change. If you are struggling with drinking, seek help and as always, consult a doctor before changing your exercise or diet routine.
Check out my Goal Setting Planner available now in the Printable Shop!
#3 Bad Mental Health habits
Mental health is just as important, if not more important, than physical health. These go hand-in-hand.
Many of us are just getting by as we wait for our giant full cup to tip over in the form of a meltdown, snapping at family, or running away from our problems.
If you are suffering from mental health seek professional help, yet if you are dealing with any of the following, you can learn to change the habit:
- overthinking
- anxiety
- fear
- negative thoughts
- low self-esteem
- self-doubt
- low confidence
Have you heard of brain plasticity? Basically, it is the foundation of current brain research exploring the possibility that you can change your brain. So if you have picked up some negative mental health habits or you are always craving drama, it is possible to flip the switch and get rid of these negative health habits. (disclaimer: If you have severe mental health issues, please seek professional guidance).
If you are always having negative thoughts, try placing some positive affirmations on your mirror in the morning and saying them over and over. You will see over time, you will start reverting back to your positive affirmations instead of always seeing the negative in the situation.
Keep a gratitude journal and write down things you are grateful for each day.
If you have low self-esteem and are often doubting yourself, keep a journal of your good qualities. Tell yourself you are worth each and every day and refer back to your “good quality” list any time you start to doubt yourself. Get rid of negative, toxic people in your life that make you doubt yourself.
If you often feel anxiety and overthink things, try 5 minutes of meditation daily. You will start to see the calming effects come through.
Keep a journal of your worries and fears. Once you release these feelings through journaling, you will be able to let go of the worry and fear. Also, check out this post I wrote about mom anxiety (but anyone can use these tips).
#4 Productivity Bad Habits
- procrastination
- sleeping in too late
- staying up too late
- not tackling important tasks first
- self-sabotage
- laziness
- trying to accomplish too much
- distractions
If you are not as productive as you would like to be you can learn to pick p some productivity habits.
Try keeping a daily block planner of the things you want or need to get done.
Here is the trick… Instead of only writing down a “to-do” list, write down and account for every minute of your day. Even watching television.
If you account for every minute, you are living with intention.
Try block scheduling to help you keep track of tasks that need to get done. For example, 10-11 AM make phone calls. Then plan rest times throughout the day, meal times, exercise, and relaxation.
Try this method for a few weeks and see how much more you accomplish.
#5 Life Bad habits
- excessive video games
- excessive social media/Facebook
- perfectionism
- being too hard on yourself
- Being a people pleaser
- not asking for help when needed
- time management
- worrying about what others think
Let’s face it… Most of us participate in at least one of the above. If you do not, kudos to you!
If you are finding you spend most of your time playing videos games, try joining a group or making plans so you are forced to break the pattern.
If you are always on social media and it is affecting your life negatively, try deleting Facebook or Instagram off your phone and only use it on your computer. This makes it hard to get on and keeps you from scrolling constantly.
If you are a people pleaser, try learning how to stop caring what others think. Find self-worth in other ways such as volunteering. Learn to say no and ask for help when needed. You will be surprised at how people are willing to help, especially if you don’t often ask for things.
Worst Bad Habits I Can Get Rid of Now Final Thoughts…
If you participate in bad habits frequently, it is best to get rid of the worst bad habits that are affecting your life in a negative way. Learn how to set positive goals and use effective time management strategies.
Learn to let go of negative habits gradually and take things one day at a time.
Know your worth and let go of negative, toxic people that are bringing you down.
You can achieve your goals and get rid of bad habits. You’ve got this!
Related Personal Development Posts:
- 25 Best Micro-Habits to Start Your Year Off Right in 2022
- 5 Best Tips on How to Build a Relationship with Yourself (#2 is a Must)
- The Art of Goal Setting
- Am I Missing Out on Life and What to do About It: The 10 Step Guide to Happiness
- How to Be a Soothing Presence
- How to Make Life More Manageable- The Complete Guide