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Experts who spoke with the Courier-Post identified five
steps for breaking bad habits.
Here’s what you’ll need to do if you’re trying to
give up behavior that’s making you unhappy or interfering with your
relationships, productivity or health.
▀ Become aware of your habit. Before you can break a
bad habit such as compulsive shopping, chronic lateness or forgetfulness,
you have to become aware of when you engage in the behavior and whether
there is specific pattern to it.
▀ Determine the source of your bad habit. A bad
habit could be your reaction to an undesirable circumstances or a symptom
of medical or mental condition, said behavior experts. Once medical
causes have been ruled out, review your journal for patterns that can help
you detect circumstances and conditions that trigger your behavior.
▀ Change your thoughts. Once you identified that
it’s your dislike for your job causes you to be late for work or that you
shop excessively because you feel you lack power over other areas in your
life, you can begin to change the way you view your triggers and your
chosen coping skill, said Cohen.
Also, spending money excessively actually gives you
less, not more control over your life. “You may ask have to ask yourself
what you are going to do when you can’t pay your mortgage, but you have
this beautiful outfit,” said Marlton-based life coach Lisa Kincaid. “It’s
accountability, accountability, accountability.”
Kincaid suggests keeping track of all the long and
short-term goals you aren’t able to accomplish because you lack the cash
to do so.
▀ Consciously change your actions. Write down
options at your disposal for responding to the circumstances or situations
that trigger your bad habits. For example, if you find yourself rushed
because of poor planning, you could call ahead and reschedule an
appointment. Or, you can estimate any task on your to-do list will take
15 minutes longer to accomplish than you anticipate. If snapping at
people is your coping skill, try taking 10 minutes during the morning to
journal all your negative thoughts and worries, so they don’t sneak up on
you.
▀ Set up an accountability system. Tell a good
friend or family member that you are working to address certain behaviors
and have them monitor your progress. But let them know you are there to
help you remain mindful of your goals, not judge your progress. Seeking
out a life coach or joining a support group working to address similar
behavior can also help you remain on track to breaking a bad habit.
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