5 Ways to Turn a Bad Habit Into a Good One
We all have bad habits; it’s a fact of life because we’re human. The good news is that bad habits can be changed with some discipline and work. Changing bad habits doesn’t happen overnight, but simply acknowledging the bad habit is the first step toward change.
Here are some tips for changing bad habits into good habits:
1. Keep the temptation out of sight.
If you have a problem with overeating junk food, for example, keep those tempting foods out of your home. Avoid those particular aisles at the grocery store. Step away from the snack table when you’re a guest at someone’s house. If what tempts you isn’t visible, you’ll get used to not having it, which in turn forms a good habit of not overindulging.
2. Reward yourself.
If you want to stop biting your nails, schedule a manicure or a day at the spa after 6–8 weeks as a reward, provided you stayed true and avoided biting your nails. Knowing the reward is scheduled will help you stay on track.
3. Give yourself a consequence for the bad habit.
If you have a habit of swearing like a sailor, try charging yourself a fee for every swear word that comes out of your mouth. Collect that money in a jar or piggy bank. When you haven’t contributed to it in a month’s time, take that money and give yourself a reward. Tell your friends and family, too, so they can help keep you accountable. Sometimes we’re so used to doing things that we don’t even notice when it happens. Giving yourself a consequence forces you to be more aware of your behavior and eventually eliminates that bad behavior.
4. Track your daily habits.
Whether you choose good old paper and pen or a sophisticated app on your phone, tracking your habits puts them in the forefront of your mind. It can also help you feel accomplished at the end of the week. For instance, if you’re exercising daily, mark down what you did and for how long. If you’re stopping your procrastination, mark what time you started work. If you’re unplugging more, use a paper calendar to write down when you turned your phone or computer off and how long that lasted. Visual cues that you’re succeeding in busting these bad habits can go a long way to make you feel proud and accomplished, which will…
