How to Form Better Habits and Break Bad Ones

If you’re like most people, you probably have a few bad habits that you’d like to break. Maybe you keep hitting the snooze button on your alarm, or maybe you can’t seem to stop mindlessly scrolling through social media. Whatever the case may be, bad habits can be tough to break. But don’t worry—it’s not impossible. With a little bit of effort and perseverance, you can kick those bad habits to the curb for good.

Here are a few tips on how to form better habits and break bad ones:

1. Figure out why you want to change. 

The first step in changing any behavior is understanding why you want to change it in the first place. What’s your motivation for breaking this particular habit? If you can’t come up with a good reason, it’s going to be that much harder to stick to your resolution. 

2. Set realistic goals. 

When it comes to breaking bad habits, baby steps are key. Don’t try to go cold turkey—it’s not sustainable in the long run, and you’re more likely to give up if you’re constantly feeling deprived. Rather than vowing to never eat fast food again, start by cutting back from three times a week to two. Then, once you’ve accomplished that, you can work on reducing it even further. 

3. Create a support system. 

Habits are easier to break (and better ones are easier to form) when you have a supportive network in place. Let your friends and family know about your goals so they can help hold you accountable. You can also join a relevant online community or sign up for a class or workshop related to your goal—anything that will help keep you motivated and on track. 

4. Make it easy on yourself

If there’s something standing in the way of you accomplishing your goal, get rid of it! If smoking is your bad habit and you always have cigarettes within arm’s reach, get rid of them—or at least move them out of sight so they’re not so tempting. If possible, try to create an environment where healthy habits are the default option—for example, if you’re trying to eat healthier, make sure your kitchen is stocked with healthy food options rather than junk food.. 

Conclusion

Bad habits can be hard to break, but it’s not impossible. With a little bit of effort and perseverance, you can kick those bad habits to the curb for good. Use these tips to figure out why you want to change, set realistic goals, create a support system, and make it easy on yourself—and before you know it, those bad habits will be a thing of the past..