Instead of using these setbacks as an excuse to give up, view them as a chance to understand what went wrong and how to do things differently in the future. Lapses are perfectly normal when trying to change behaviour. Another option is to seek professional help.Ĭommit to breaking your habit over the long term and expect some slip-ups. Come to the ReachOut Forums to hear from others who are trying to change. Share your plan with others and ask them not to engage in the habit around you. But those things may be more interrelated than you. Set a challenge with a friend to break a habit together. To break an old habit, start a new one Many of us want to break bad habits. It’ll be much easier to break a bad habit if you have the help of a support network. Try to understand what needs your bad habit satisfied and then meet those needs with a healthier activity. Clench your fists instead of biting your nails, or go for a short run rather than smoke a cigarette. ![]() Research has shown that replacing unwanted behaviours with other activities is an effective way to break a bad habit. Give yourself milestones along the way and track your progress as you go. No matter what your solution is, set a date as a goal for when you want to be completely free of your habit. What does success look like and how will you get there? Going cold turkey might work for some, but starting small and ticking off bigger and bigger achievements along the way may be a safer approach. Once you’ve identified the problem, focus on the solution. Awareness provides the foundation for change. Use a journal to monitor your habit for a week or a month by taking notes. When, where, why and how do you engage in your habit? How often do you do it? It’s crucial to understand your behaviour if you want to change it. What are the upsides of changing? What are the downsides of continuing the behaviour? Keep this list with you in case you need to look at it for motivation. ![]() To successfully break a habit, it’s important to identify why you want to change. These regular ‘rewards’ will inspire you to keep at it. After making small changes towards breaking your habit, reward yourself! Use the money, time or energy you’ve saved from opting out of your bad habit to buy or do something nice for yourself. Harness the power of positive reinforcement to build on your gains.
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