Today, we are going to learn about 10 bad habits that you need to quit. Now, let’s begin.
- The Perfect Moment
Are you waiting for a sign from the universe? Do you need a reason to get your life moving in the right direction? Too many people procrastinate their dreams, waiting for the perfect moment to pursue their lifelong aspirations.
You wait, and you wait… but that perfect moment never comes. Because there will never be a perfect moment to start working on yourself. You’ll never receive a sign from the universe, telling you it’s time to begin a new chapter of your life. If you sit around waiting for that sign, searching for that perfect moment, your life will never change, and your dreams will never come true.
That’s why the best time to embark on any journey isn’t someday in the future… but right now. In the present. Yes, you may feel intimidated or unprepared. You may not feel confident in your ability to succeed, but you’re going to feel the same way tomorrow and the next day.
So, instead of wasting your time, waiting for the day you feel prepared, summon the courage to get started today. You might fail. You might discover you don’t know what you’re doing, or you have a lot to learn. But even if your journey starts on a rocky path, you’ve overcome the greatest obstacle you’ll face. You’ve begun your journey, and once that happens… you’ve taken one large step closer to achieving your lifelong dreams.
- Constant Scrolling
How often do you browse social media? Do you update your feed every five minutes? Are you reading and rereading the same posts 20 times? When you’re feeling unproductive or anxious, it’s easy to use social media as an outlet. You can always open your phone, scroll through a few dozen posts, and turn off your brain for a while. But this bad habit can very quickly take over your day, wasting hours of your time and stopping your productivity in its tracks.
Constant scrolling can also stimulate feelings of anxiety, envy, and loneliness, which decrease your motivation and your self-esteem. So, put your phone away. Close the browsers on your computer. And take a break from social media.
If you’re having trouble separating yourself from your devices, try using a website blocker, which limits your access to distracting platforms. Giving up social media may be a difficult transition at first, but once you cut down your scrolling, and step away from your devices, you can reclaim hours of your time every single day.
- Irregular Cycles
Do you have trouble falling asleep on time? Not everyone operates on the same sleep schedule. Some people fall asleep at 9:30pm every night. Others aren’t tired until well past midnight. Whether you’re a night owl or an early bird, it’s important to keep your sleep schedule consistent from day to day.
Let’s say you normally go to sleep at 11:00pm. But tonight, you stay up until 4am in the morning. One late night may not seem like much, but a single irregular cycle can throw off your schedule for the rest of the week. Staying up until 4 AM means sleeping until noon. You miss breakfast. You feel tired, and you skip your morning routine—all of which can damage the productivity of your day. Even worse, one irregular sleep cycle disrupts the following cycles, pushing back your bedtime and interfering with your body’s circadian rhythm.
In other words, one late night is never just one late night. Throwing off your sleep cycle can easily cascade into a much bigger problem, so be consistent, go to sleep on time, and let your stable schedule foster a more productive lifestyle.
- Oversized Ambitions
Do you have trouble accomplishing your goals? Some people never accomplish their goals because their goals are too large or complicated to reasonably achieve. If this sounds familiar, it doesn’t matter how much willpower you have. You could be the most motivated person in the world, and you still wouldn’t achieve your dreams.
Luckily, there is a solution. Replace your lofty, oversized ambitions with smaller, more concrete goals. I’m not telling you to lower your expectations. Instead, divide your dreams into smaller, digestible chunks. If you can focus on specific aspirations, you can make real progress toward your goals… and actually achieve them.
- Stressful Habits
What do you do when you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed? Whether you’re moving to a new city or just received a big project at work, something in your life is creating tension, anxiety, and frustration in your life. And those negative emotions drive you toward unhealthy habits, like snacking and overeating.
But why do people eat when they’re stressed and anxious? Unhealthy foods are short-term de-stressors. A chocolate cupcake tastes great in the moment. It may feel like your stress is melting away, but that euphoria never lasts. Instead, you may suffer long-term consequences associated with poor eating habits.
For example, stress eating can cause emotional distress, creating feelings of guilt or shame. It also cultivates bad habits, motivating a sedentary lifestyle and an unhealthy diet. So, if you eat when you’re stressed, there are better ways to manage your negative emotions. Instead of burying your stress in sugary foods, try expressing your feelings in a private journal.
You may discover that journaling decreases your stress and soothes your anxiety without impacting your physical health.
- Persistent Tardiness
Are you late for everything? Many people struggle to keep appointments and meet deadlines. They’re always running 10 or 15 minutes late. They’re never finished when they’re supposed to be, and they’re constantly apologizing for their tardiness.
Tardiness is a frustrating habit that annoys the people around you, but it impacts more than your relationships with other people. It also impacts your relationship with yourself.
Think about it. You spend every day running 15 minutes behind. You never have enough time to finish your routines or make healthy meals. You feel frazzled and guilty each time you miss an appointment or a deadline. In other words, tardiness infuses stress and chaos into your life. When you’re racing against the clock, you may feel out-of-control, like your responsibilities are slipping through your fingers. You’re constantly rushing from place to place. You never have time to breathe or relax.
If this sounds familiar, it’s time to change your schedule. It’s time to nip your tardiness in the bud. Start your day 15 minutes earlier. Simplify your schedule to give yourself a little breathing. Practice showing up 5 or 10 minutes early. Whatever technique you use, it’s important to change the pace of your schedule. That way, you can regain control of your lifestyle and find time to rest and relax.
- Unproductive Fixation
Do you fixate on things you can’t change? Do you obsess over your weaknesses and flaws? Too many people worry about and criticize things they have no control over. For example, you may dislike the sound of your voice, even though your voice is a core characteristic of who you are. You can dislike your voice all day, every day; but no amount of criticism is going to change how you sound.
So, don’t waste your time obsessing over things you cannot change. Instead, direct your attention toward the things you can. Think about aspects of your life you can change, like your career or your relationships.
You may not be able to change the sound of your voice, but you can always affect the decisions you make and the life you live.
- Hitting Snooze
Often, a stressful day begins with a stressful morning. Instead of waking up on time, you hit the snooze button once or twice, until suddenly you’re running late. You jump out of bed, rush through your routine, and hurry out the door, feeling tense and anxious.
But what if you had woken when you were supposed to? What if you had resisted the urge to slap that snooze button?
Your snooze button can be the difference between a crazy, stressful day and a calm, efficient routine. By giving yourself a few extra minutes in the morning, you can engage with new, healthy habits. You can stop to enjoy a nourishing meal or a moment of silence. In other words, reclaiming a few minutes of your time allows you to control your morning. Live the way you want to… instead of racing against the clock.
- Emotional Decisions
Do you make impulsive or irrational decisions? Most people rely on their emotions to make big and small decisions. You get swept up in the moment, and you choose whatever option feels the most rewarding at the time.
But a few hours later, you may wish you did things differently. To avoid making choices you regret, set aside a few moments to think through your options. If someone asks you for a favour, for example, spend at least 5 minutes asking yourself,
“is this the right decision for me?”
“Do I really want to do this?”
If the answer is no, don’t be afraid to turn someone down. You may feel guilty in the moment, but thoughtful and honest decisions can spare you from a lifetime of regret.
- The Deep End
Do you have great expectations for your life? Are you ready to make your dreams a reality? Many people confidently throw themselves into their passions, determined to achieve their dreams; but they rarely ever find success. Instead, they experience failure.
They lose hope, and they give up on their aspirations. Why? Because they’re diving into the deep end before they’ve learned how to swim. Every journey, personal or professional, requires humility and patience. As badly as you want to dive into the deep end, you need to spend time in the shallows, building up your confidence and mastering the basics. So, don’t get ahead of yourself.
It’s exciting to imagine yourself accomplishing great things, but no dream is achieved overnight. If you stay humble and patient, you’ll get there… but it’s going to take time. Patience is not just the ability to wait, but the attitude you show while waiting.
credit: TopThink
