Don’t worry, we’ve all got them… all got what? Those pesky, unhealthy habits that we just can’t seem to shake, of course! And it could be anything, from staying up too late to eating too much junk food to smoking and much more.
The problem is that although we know these things are bad for us, quitting them is a big challenge, and one that can seem like too much to deal with a lot of the time. The good news is that it’s not impossible. The trick to quitting unhealthy habits is to take a creative approach to things, and really make some positive changes in your life. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what we mean – read on to find out more.
Substitution
One great idea to quit unhealthy habits is to substitute that habit for something else (something healthy, or at least healthier) rather than just stopping cold turkey, which can lead to withdrawal and misery and often just takes you right back to the beginning. The idea here is that you’re not exactly depriving yourself (which is the main problem with going cold turkey) and instead you’re replacing the habit with something less harmful.
A good example would be if you’re trying to quit smoking – you could try vaping with Lost Mary as a bridge to help you quit cigarettes as vaping is generally seen as less harmful than smoking is. Or perhaps snacking is your nemesis, in which case you could replace the cookies and chips you habitually reach for with something healthier like popcorn (air popped, of course) or, even better, fruit. You’ll still get the satisfaction of eating something, but you won’t feel guilty about it!
Get A New Routine
One thing you’ll generally find is that habits are tied to routines, so if you’re able to disrupt your routine in some way, that’s going to help you break free from the habit. Here’s an example; your alarm goes off in the morning but you have a habit of hitting the snooze button multiple times before you get out of bed, which can make you late, rushed, stressed, and you’re not actually getting good sleep between snoozes. You know you shouldn’t be pressing snooze, but it’s a habit, so you do it without thinking.
That’s why it’s best not to focus on not hitting snooze, but instead try to change your morning routine, and set your alarm to go off to a different noise or song, or put the alarm in a different place – or even plan something exciting to do first thing that’ll make you get up quicker.
The point is, by giving yourself a fresh start, you’re changing the patterns that keep those unhealthy habits locked in, and eventually you’ll find you’ve forgotten all about them.
Make It Harder To Do
This is a fantastically effective trick – make your unhealthy habit more of a hassle to do than not do! The harder it is to indulge, the more likely it is you’ll stop doing it, and that’s going to mean your mind stops thinking of it in terms of reward, and actually tries to ignore it instead.
Let’s go back to snacking, as it’s something a lot of people struggle with. If you’re trying to cut down on snacks, what about keeping those snacks on a high shelf, behind other things? You’re not hiding them, but they’re not within easy grasp, and you’ll have to make an effort to get them if you want them. Or you could go further and not buy them at all – it’ll be hard at first, but eventually you’ll forget all about them and be healthier as a result!
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