Losing your bad habits isn’t easy, but it’s easier if you have some guidance and support along the way. Here are ten of the most common bad habits and some ideas on how to quit them.
Before you start quitting habits, however, make sure you have an effective system in place to deal with any unwanted habits that may pop up as you replace them with new ones, otherwise you’ll be back where you started before long!
1. Overspending
When it comes to debt, overspending is a major culprit. We pick up this bad habits by comparing ourselves to others we see online, except that we aren’t making as much as they are, and we know little about them.
Take some time to consider how you spend your time and money—and if it makes sense for you moving forward. Learn to live according to your means and never spend more than you make.
2. Laziness
There’s a lot of research out there about what makes successful people different than unsuccessful people. One thing that’s consistent across almost all of these studies is that successful people are disciplined, focused and dedicated to their goals.
This isn’t a particularly interesting conclusion; however, when you look at some of these traits in greater detail, interesting things begin to emerge. For example, one study done by Dr. Roy Baumeister found that successful entrepreneurs were able to circumvent self-control problems related to laziness and self-indulgence. If you’re going to accomplish your goals, you can’t afford to be lazy; but if you want success even more than slothfulness, why is it so hard?
3. Talking about others
Criticizing others is toxic to your life. All it does is bring you down and make you more prone to making mistakes yourself. Instead of ranting about others, focus on self-improvement .
There are better ways to spend your time than feeling angry at other people. In order to have a better life, stop making excuses for why you aren’t better and stop wasting time trying to tear down others who do have something good going for them. It’s just not worth it!
4. Being late
A growing number of psychologists, philosophers and neurologists are in agreement that establishing new good habits is easier than trying to eliminate old ones. So instead of focusing on bad habits to stop, focus on good habits you want to start.
One easy way to do so is by deciding on a specific time each day when you’ll work toward self-improvement — think of it as your daily appointment with yourself. For example, getting into bed at 9 p.m. every night gives you nearly two hours each evening to sit down and read a book or two (or three!) before turning off your light for sleep.
5. Not saying no
It’s easy to say yes to things you really don’t want to do. When someone asks you for help or a favor, even if you really shouldn’t do it, your natural inclination is often to say yes. After all, who says no? It can be hard to say no when someone is pressuring you for a reason; but saying no can lead to resentment and bad feelings in your relationships with friends and co-workers.
Saying yes too often will lead to burnout from over commitment and bad feelings from those who feel like they are not important enough to have a no come out of your mouth.
6. Gossiping
Stop talking trash. Gossiping is not just bad for your social life, it’s also terrible for your health. Research shows that people who gossip are more likely to have heart attacks and strokes than those who don’t engage in idle chit-chat.
If you have a problem with gossiping, seek counseling—this is especially important if it’s hurting your relationships with others or negatively impacting your professional life. It may be difficult to quit—just know that it’ll be worth it in terms of both your physical and mental health.
7. Using your phone at the dinner table
Studies show that using your phone at dinner can negatively impact family interactions. One study out of Penn State University found that children whose parents used a phone at dinner time had less empathy than children whose parents didn’t use their phones.
Additionally, another study by researchers at San Diego State University and Purdue University found that college students who sent more than 110 texts per day reported lower levels of satisfaction with their relationships. If you’re looking to improve both your self-awareness and your relationships, it might be worth making an effort to put down your phone during mealtimes.
8. Avoiding exercise
Let’s be honest: exercise is not fun. As human beings, we have a tendency to avoid doing things that aren’t enjoyable. The problem is, staying sedentary for long periods of time can have dire consequences in terms of both our physical and mental health.
If you don’t think you can stick with an exercise routine, try exercising for shorter periods throughout your day. Committing to 15 minutes a day—even if you do it five times a week—can make all the difference when it comes to your long-term health.
9. Ignoring your medical issues
Some of our worst habits don’t only affect others, but ourselves. Ignoring your medical issues is something we all tend to do; it’s always easier and more convenient to leave things be than go out of our way and take care of them.
After all, if a doctor doesn’t specifically tell you that you have a certain condition or ailment, then why would you worry about it? Unfortunately, just because we don’t think something is wrong doesn’t mean it isn’t—and sometimes these little problems turn into big ones that could have been avoided. So listen to what your doctor says!
10. Staying in bad relationships
Sure, a relationship is about mutual support, but that doesn’t mean you can stay in an abusive one. If you’re willing to give your partner another chance after they hurt you (or vice versa), that’s one thing. But if your relationship never feels right or it doesn’t seem like things are getting better over time, it might be best to move on.
After all, self-growth means leaving unhealthy relationships in your past and moving forward with new knowledge. If it doesn’t feel like growth, then why are you in it?
