There are many ways to break bad habits. Some people try to change their entire lifestyle, while others focus on breaking a specific habit. Here are three methods that can help you break bad habits:
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Set small goals. When you first start working on breaking a bad habit, it’s important to set realistic goals. If you want to quit smoking, for example, don’t try to quit overnight—start by trying to cut down from cigarettes every day by smoking fewer cigarettes. If you want to stop eating junk food, aim to eat healthier foods for one week instead of quitting all together.
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Reward yourself for breaking the habit. This is especially helpful if the habit is something that you find hard to resist, like cigarettes or junk food. Tell yourself that after you’ve successfully broken the habit for a certain period of time (e.g., one week), you can then indulge in your favorite thing (cigarettes or junk food) without feeling guilty. This will help make breaking the habit easier and more enjoyable.
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Find an accountability partner. If someone else is also trying to break a bad habit, it can be much harder not to follow through with the plan when both people are working towards the same goal. Having an accountability partner can help keep you on track and ensure that you don’t give up easily when it comes time to break the habit again (and again and again).
