We all have habits, some good and some not so good or bad habits. These are behaviours that we’ve learned and that appear almost automatically. And most of us have a habit we’d like to break or one we’d like to develop a new habit or break the bad habits.
For most individuals, it takes about four weeks for a new behaviour to become routine or habit or to break bad habits.
The following steps can make it more comfortable to establish a new behaviour pattern or habit or to break a bad habit.
Table of Contents
1. The 1st step is to specify your goal to Break a Habit
Especially when you are trying to stop or break habits or bad habits, you should try to phrase your goal as a positive message. For example, rather than expressing “I will stop snacking at night”, say “I will practise healthy eating habits”. You should also write down your goal or habits. Committing it to write helps you to commit. It can even help if you tell your goal to somebody you trust.
Take a few minutes to think about why you want to break the habit and any benefits you see resulting from the change. Explain to yourself as well as someone who is more trustable for you.
For added motivation, write your justifications down on a piece of paper and keep them on your fridge, bathroom mirror, or another place where you’ll see them regularly.
2. Decide on substitute behaviour to Break a Habit
If your goal is to form a new habit then your substitute behaviour will be the goal itself. This step is very essential when you are trying to break a habit or bad habits. If you want to stop manners, you must have a special behaviour to put in its place. If you don’t, the old behaviour practice will return.
Say you want to stop reaching for candy when you’re hungry at the workplace. If you simply try to avoid the candy dish, you might fall back into your old habit when you can’t resist hunger. But obtaining a Tupperware of dried fruit and nuts to keep at your desk gives you another snack choice.
As you replicate the new behaviour, the impulse to follow the new routine develops. Finally, after you see rewards from the new habit — more energy and less of a sugar crash — the urge to keep doing this behaviour might outweigh the desire to pursue the old habit or the bad habits.
3. Learn and be conscious of your triggers.
Behaviour patterns don’t exist alone. Often, one habit is associated with another part of your traditional routine. For the sample, in the snacking example, the trigger may be a late-night television show or reading. You automatically grab a bag of chips or pack foods while you watch. Many individuals who smoke automatically burn up after eating. Think about when and why you do something you want to quit.
4. Post reminders to yourself to Break a habit
You can do this by leaving yourself reminders in the places where the behaviour usually happens. Or you can leave yourself a note on the mirror, refrigerator, computer monitor or some other place where you will see it regularly. You can also have a family member or co-worker use a certain phrase to remind you of your goal.
Here are a few opinions:
- Want to break the bad habits of drinking soda with every dinner? Try leaving small stickers or notes on your refrigerator that you’ll see when you go to reach for a can.
- Trying to recall to turn off lights when you leave a room? Write a note for yourself on the light switch or door.
- Want to start keeping your keys in a fixed place so you stop losing them repeatedly? Leave a dish for your keys in the first place you’ll see it when you come back home.
5. Get help and support from somebody
This is kind of noticeable. Any job is easier with support. It works even better if you can form a partnership with somebody who shares the same goal.
A friend can still offer support even if they don’t have any bad habits they want to break these habits. Consider telling a trusted friend about the bad habit you’re trying to break. They can inspire you in times of doubt and gently remind you of your goal or aim if they notice you slipping back into old habits.
6. Write daily commitments/affirmations
Write your phrase or sentence in the present tense (as if it were already occurring), and write it ten to fifteen times a day for twenty-one days. This approach helps make your goal a part of your subconscious, which will not only remind you to rehearse the new behaviour but also retains you focused and motivated.
The practise involves simply observing motivations that relate to your habit without judging them or reacting to them.
As you become more aware of these regular behaviours and the triggers that lead to them, you may find it easier to consider other alternatives, such as avoiding reminder cues or not acting on the urges.
7. Reward yourself for making improvements at set time intervals
Focus on your aim one day at a time, but give yourself a small treat at one, three and six months after following successfully. The rewards don’t have to be big or costly, and you should try to make it something that’s associated in some way with the goal or aim. Doing this kind of reward provides you with both incentive and extra motivation.
Following these steps is no guarantee of the success of the course. Depending on the habit it may take various tries to finally make the change. But if you stick with it, follow these steps, and you can do it. Good Luck.