Changing Habits
Habits.
They can be good.
They can be not so good.
At some point we need to try to change the bad habits into good habits.
This can be really hard.
Habits form after doing a behaviour repetitively for a long time. This means trying to change that behaviour can require commitment and some strategies.
But there is good news, it can be done!
Join us on Monday 30th May at 8pm (AEST) to talk about changing habits!
Start cutting back if you can, makes it a bit easier to get rid of the bad habit and then replace it with a good habit
Try to replace it with another, better habit.
What can you do to stop a bad habit?
Im really looking forward to your perspectives @FootyFan26 @N1ghtW1ng @j95 on this one. I really struggle with this. I have two that I spoke to my psychologist about 3 weeks ago and it has been a really big struggle trying to change them. I am still miles away from being successful.
Ive tried:
- being aware of the times I would generally turn to the habit for comfort
- distracting myself if I go to do the habit
- putting reminders in areas which are related to the habit
- talking to someone when I want to turn to the habit
What can you do to stop a bad habit?
Make it conscious: You need to try and notice when you do the thing. Try and think about the moment before and the feelings you're having or what else is happening, think about what doing the habit does to your feelings how do you feel after doing whatever the thing is?
Document: Add a thing in your calendar on your phone, or write a note somewhere in your diary or some other way of recording it. Again write down the feelings, what was happening directly before you did whatever the thing was. By doinng this you start pulling it out of the background thoughts and make it a conscious act again, that's important for the next step...
Switch it up: Once you're at the point where you notice the feelings or situation arrising that leads to you doing your habit, you can pick from a list of other things to do instead. A classic one is to just drink a glass of water. But there's heaps of different things you can do. This is why we have coping and distraction techniques!
When it's having negative impact on you or it no longer helps you.
When it is very bad, happens too much and has negative impacts.
Good point @j95 it actually does make me ever so slightly more chill. Kind of like popping bubble wrap
I'd just say whether it has a good impact or a bad impact on you, others around you and your physical surroundings.
Okay so I think we know the difference between good or bad, but when is a bad habit too bad to keep doing? Where do we draw the line? Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing?
How do you know when it is time to try to change a habit?
Bad habits are ones that are bad for your health and wellbeing, although they may be helpful for a short period of time in the long run they are unhelpful. Good habits are those that help your health and wellbeing.
@j95 yep absolutely! It starts out meeting a need (dealing with the feelings) and then eventually you kind of just do it even thought it might not help much or at all anymore
What kinds of habits are good? What kinds of habits are bad?
I reckon it's all about impact. A good habit might help you be healthier, save a bit of time, learn something new, or just look after yourself better. A bad one will do the opposite, it might get in the way of doing other things, hurt your wallet or your body.
What kinds of habits are good? What kinds of habits are bad?
Habits which are good help us achieve something we want to reach. Like mainting good teeth or preventing us from heart disease. Habits which are bad are things which help in the short term but have a negative impact long term. Like eating chocolate to feel better in the moment but putting on weight (story of my life).
Are there habits that are neither good or bad? Like I have this habit of crunching all the dead leaves when I'm walking along a footpath. I pretty much HAVE to do it, but i dont think it hurts me... and it definitely doesn't do anything good for me either.
