Five Tips to Break Bad Habits

Let’s admit we all have a number of habits, don’t we?

Some are good, others are bad and it’s just the way it is. While many of us are of the view that habits are there to stay forever, well they are not. The best thing is that with the right frame of mind and some determination, you can break your bad habits. It does not happen overnight, it takes a lot of effort, however, it isn’t impossible either.

Here are 5 tips to break bad habits.

    1. Set Small, Realistic Milestones – As they say, think big start small, start with small things by setting realistic goals. Go day by day, and bring about the change gradually instead of trying too hard.

Set Small, Realistic Milestones
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  1. Replace Bad with Good – Eliminating a bad habit for good is a very far cry, however, a better option is to think of an alternative habit. For instance, if you get angry easily, instead of letting it out on people around you, take it out in a sports activity like squash.
    Replace Bad with Good
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  2. Find Someone with Same Goals – It’s a lot easier to get rid of bad habits when you have a friend or someone trying to do the same. When no one realizes how much you have given up, it often discourages you. Having someone around to share goals helps.<
    Find Someone with Same Goals
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  3. Acknowledge Your Efforts – Set aside rewards for yourself on small steps. Ask your friends or family to present you with those rewards every time you achieve a goal. What it does is to cheer you up and keep you motivated for even bigger milestones.
    Acknowledge Your Efforts
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  4. List Everything Down and Take Action – Prepare a list of all your bad habits, find ways to counter these and finally take baby steps to kick them off.

List Everything Down and Take Action
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Whatever your goals are, make sure that you are consistent. Inconsistency is the root of failure and you need to be rock solid when it comes to your determination of breaking the bad habits.

Ms. Maryam Bibi

Psychologist
MSc (Psychology), PDCP (Clinical Psychology), Certified Hypnotherapist (NGH, USA)
Special Interest in Clinical and Counseling Psychology