Breaking Bad: Kicking your unwanted habits in the New Year

First things first, let’s address the elephant in the room. Everyone talks about building habits but breaking them - that’s a novel zone. Grab your warm comforter, and your hot coco and find your favorite spot - it’s time to explore the art of habit-breaking.

We all have habits that we aren’t proud of, the ones that have overstayed their welcome. Midnight food-binging, watching one more episode, procrastinating that workout since the beginning of 2023, and many others. But now it’s time to burn that old story and write a new one. Breaking a habit might feel like a daunting task but we have the lowdown on how to kick those habits without breaking a sweat. (or maybe just a little)

Breaking a habit is like untangling old earphones - it’s time-consuming and frustrating. But it can be quite rewarding. You did not just stay up till 3 AM on one random Monday. You built that habit over time by pushing your bedtime to watch one more episode, read one more chapter and text your crush for another hour. You need to be patient while kicking these habits and reward yourself for small wins too.

When you build a habit, you start small, track it consistently and increase the intensity or quantity as you go. Breaking a habit works in the same way - only here you reduce the bad habit and replace it with something better.

Step 1 - Recognize the habit that’s hampering your day.

Step 2 - Identify the source of the habit.

Step 3 - Reduce your interaction with that source and replace it with something better.

Midnight snacking can be replaced with fulfilling dinners and healthier snacking options like fruits. Late Netflix episodes can be replaced with screen time reminders and keeping your devices away from your bedside. Procrastination on important tasks can be reduced by incorporating rewards for yourself and adding the tasks to your daily schedule. Having a blueprint of your day could also help.

Remember, it's all about progress, not perfection. Slip-ups happen, and that's okay. Relax, take a deep breath, identify your errors and try again. Add these small doses of goodness into your life as you break your bad habits and move forward on your journey to wellness. We’re cheering for you!