11. Start small.
Trying to break several bad behaviors at once? When you first decide to modify unhelpful habits, the idea of your improved, new self can be a strong motivator.
This is occasionally effective. If the habits are related, it can be simpler to handle them all at once. For instance, stopping drinking and smoking at the same time could make the most sense if you always do those two things together.
12. Plan for failure.
We all make mistakes occasionally.
According to Steve Kamb, “Making mistakes, skipping workouts, eating unhealthy meals, or sleeping in doesn’t make you a horrible person. It makes you more human. Greetings from the club.”
When trying to alter behavior, lapses are entirely normal. Consider these losses an opportunity to learn what went wrong and how to go better in the future rather than a reason to give up.
So instead of punishing yourself for a mistake, prepare for it. We all stray off course, but what sets great achievers apart from everyone else is how quickly they get back on.
13. Give it time.
It’s a widely held misconception that it takes 21 days to form or break a habit. But from where does that number come?
Realistically, according to specialists, it takes at least 10 weeks (or 2 to 3 months) to stop an undesirable event. Of course, certain behaviors may be harder to break than others.
There are various factors that affect how long it takes to quit a habit. These consist of:
- how long you’ve practiced the habit
- the emotional, bodily, or social demands it satisfies
- whether you have support or assistance in quitting
- the positive effects it has on your physical or emotional well-being
It can be beneficial to reevaluate your strategy if a few weeks have passed and you don’t feel like much progress has been achieved.
14. Think of your progress to master your skill.
Your routines may become old with time and stop providing you with the benefits they once offered. Reflection is the cure for this; set aside some time to assess your performance and adjust your goals as necessary.
You might have become used to working out three times each week and found them to be a little monotonous. It could be time to add a fourth session or push yourself to accomplish a heavier lifting target than you previously did.
15. Practice mindfulness.
Developing your mindfulness in daily life might assist you in becoming more conscious of your activities as opposed to operating “on autopilot.” Being mindful is paying attention to what you are going through right now and going through it without trying to avoid or judge it. With time and effort, mindfulness can develop into a positive habit that can help you break bad ones.
