How to Break Bad Habits That Hold You Back

Every one has natural desire to succeed in their life, whether its about career, health or personal goal. They usually think they are not doing well in their field due to their daily bad habits. The small daily habits like procrastinating, thinking negatively, overthinking a lot or spending hours on social media all these habits drain your time, energy, and self confidence.

In this article I will share some of the effective tips that how you can break your bad habits and move closer to your goals.

Identify the Habit That’s Keeping You Stuck

In order to change you should observe yourself honestly, that you are wasting your precious time in other areas where you should not to be doing.

If you don't accept this then improvement is not possible. First of all you will have to understand which one or two habits have crept into your daily routine that preventing you from growing.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Which habits is wasting my energy and time?

• Am I regularly following the same pattern which is harmful?

• Is that habit activated in a particular mood or situation?

Once you know clearly what the problem is, only then can you take control of it.

Understand the Habit Loop

Any habit does not form randomly. Every habit works in a loop, this can be understood by this example. Say you wake up in the morning refresh yourself and instead of scheduling your work or routine you sat down and spend hours mindlessly on your phone. As you getting dopamine you will form this habit and each day you will do the same.

Every bad habit works through a loop called: cue (trigger), routine (habit), and reward (result). If you want to break your habit, you will have to understand this cycle deeply.

For Example:

• You feel stressed (cue)

• You immediately pick up your phone and start scrolling Instagram (Routine)

• You feel a little relieved (Reward)

This loop repeats over and over again. Therefore, if you just try to change the routine without any reason and without understanding the reward, then the habit will not break. You will have to understand what the trigger is, and which healthy option can replace that reward at that moment.

Replace the Habit Instead of Removing It

In order to get rid of the bad habits you need to replace it will other good habits. As when you want to change a bad habit like scrolling late night on your phone you need to replace it with other habit this way your mind will adapt it.

Say suppose you scroll late night on your phone instead of scrolling you can set a time that I will sleep within 11 PM this way your mind sets a deadline and if you do the same repeatedly you will successfully replaced the habit.

Tips:

• Replace your bad habit with a positive habit that takes you in a good direction.

• Make small changes in the beginning like taking a 5 minute walk or reading a page of a book daily.

Start Small One Change at a Time

When you want to break a habit you should set realistic practical approach focusing on one habit at a time. Often people try to change many things at once to achieve their goals, which results in overload and burnout. If you want your changes to be sustainable, start with small steps.

Start with a simple, manageable goal:

• If you want to break procrastination, start working for 10 minutes every day without any distraction.

• If you want to be involved in physical activity, take a 5 minute walk on the first day.

Track Progress and Stay Accountable

It is important to track the progress of your habit this way you will confident and it will drive further to achieve more in your field. If you track your habits, you can understand your growth better and see what you need to improve. This will motivate you and you will get closer to your goal.

Start with a simple, manageable goal:

• Write down your goals and track them daily.

• Tell a trusted friend or family member about your progress.

• Journal your daily actions, such as spending some time each day reviewing your habits.

Conclusion

Breaking bad habits can be a challenging process, but if you understand your habits and effectively replace them, you can unlock your growth. Patience and consistency are the keys to this process. Each small step can get you closer to your goals, and one day you will see that your bad habits have been completely replaced by better, productive habits.

Remember you can change your life just by taking control of your habits. So, start small, stay consistent, and keep moving forward