9 steps to eliminate bad habits

Habits are behaviors we engage in routinely. and repeatedly, without which it would be very difficult to carry out many of the tasks we do daily. In fact, if we are efficient in performing complex tasks, it is because we learned and internalized them, which allows us to perform them without thinking.

Our brain does not have to think to execute them, so we are able to carry them out routinely, without conscious effort. Therefore, we can conclude that habits are very useful for us. However, there are habits we have formed that are not as productive and are considered bad.

This is the case of the habit of biting nails, facial tics or uncontrolled movement of the feet while waiting, for example. These habits can be very annoying and unpleasant to others in social situations.

As with habits that positively help us in common day-to-day tasks, we also engage in these negative activities without making any conscious effort.; which, instead of helping us, can turn against us. Therefore, it is important to break these bad habits to improve interpersonal connections, social etiquette, and our personal growth.

How to eliminate bad habits? Step by Step

Habits are behaviors learned through extreme dedication, persistence and awareness.. The more we engage in our habits, the more they become ingrained and reinforced in our system. However, every time we try to do something different from what our habits are, they tend to weaken and the new alternative behavior gradually becomes stronger with repeated use.

Habit breaking involves a step-by-step approach. In this regard, a 9-step system is proposed to break bad habits:

Decide to change. Be aware of all the details related to those bad habits. Design strategies to help stop the habit. Replace the habit with an alternative behavior. Start slowly with the change. Persist in being consistent and tracking progress. Establish a reward system. Learn to manage lapses. Keep in mind the benefits of quitting bad habits.

1. Decide to change

The first and most important thing to break a bad habit is to decide to get rid of that bad habit.. When you think about the disadvantages of that habit, it is easier to make this decision. Just as important is to think about the benefits that will come later.

There are many people who can only do this step, but it is not common.. If you are in the majority group, don’t despair. You will achieve it if you make the decision and follow this program, so don’t stop reading.

2. Be aware of all the details related to that bad habit

To stop a bad habit you have to be aware that you have it and that only you yourself are capable of eliminating it. It is also relevant to understand what the habit you want to eliminate is and how it works.

You have to ask yourself why, under what circumstances, how and anything else that can help you make a detailed description of that bad habit. A fundamental point is Know what the environmental triggers are that cause it.

3. Design strategies to help stop the habit

With all the information collected in the previous step, you can now Be attentive and know when you are most likely to develop that bad habit before it happens. It is time to design a strategy to stop this behavior, a “stop” strategy.

When you find yourself doing a bad habit, stop doing it immediately by telling yourself “stop.” It can be helpful to write STOP on a card in colored letters and have it handy to look at when you catch yourself doing that bad habit.

4. Replace the habit with an alternative behavior

When a habit involves the use of a part of the body, it is very useful to try to occupy it with an alternative activity so that it is incompatible with the bad habit. Even if this means doing something annoying, and even unpleasant to look at, it is an important step to eradicate the bad habit.

Another option is to think about the feeling that invades you when you are going to do what you want to eradicate and think of something that helps you dispel that previous feeling. Also It may be helpful to develop skills that help you deal with the situations that trigger the bad habit. It all depends on what habit you want to eradicate.

5. Start slowly with the habit change

It is very possible that you feel like forgetting in one fell swoop about that habit that is harming you. However, develop a series of steps to abandon it progressively, otherwise you will be more likely to relapse due to the difficulty.

6. Persist in being consistent and tracking progress

Consistency and persistence are the two most fundamental measures to break the habit of intervention. If you work hard the first week, but then slack off, you won’t be able to eradicate the bad habit.

7. Establish a reward system

At some point you may feel like you can’t get it, that it’s too much for you. That’s why It is important that you establish a reward system to reinforce yourself and keep thinking about the advantages you will get when you achieve it.

8. Learn to manage lapses

Habits have a tendency to repeat themselves until they are completely broken. Since they are automatic, they tend to re-emerge. Therefore, you will have to make a lot of effort to break them completely to avoid this repetition.

9. Keep in mind the benefits of quitting bad habits

Once you have achieved your goal, remember to enjoy the benefits of your victory. Keep them in mind, because if you fall into the bad habit again you will lose them, so remind yourself frequently how much your life has improved with the effort you have made.

The more you try, the better the chances of your bad habit going away. What bad habits have you put an end to? If you are trying to get out of them, we encourage you to persist. After managing to eliminate it from your life you will feel full of joy.

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