6 tips to dealing with unhealthy habits

6 TIPS TO WORKING AROUND COMMON UNHEALTHY HABITS

Ever wonder where unhealthy habits stem from? Often, they stem from and form part of our stress coping mechanisms.

You see, what we must be conscious about is the fact that, yes, every day, we will be exposed to some form and degree of a stressor: whether predictable or unexpected. While we can categorize stress as good stress (eustress) and bad stress (distress), we tend to develop and pick up certain habits that help us cope with it and hence before we know it, we develop habits that become part and parcel of our coping mechanisms and at times, if we are indeed honest with ourselves, some of those coping mechanisms are unhealthy habits.

Unhealthy habits present themselves in so many ways. These include: overindulgence in fast food, swearing, drinking too much coffee (Wait … does that count too?), taking too much alcohol that exceeds, our limits (Frequently? Daily?), watching too much television and procrastinating on important tasks in the process, not getting enough sleep. I could go on and on.

So, what can we do to get out of this rut of unhealthy habits, when we notice them creeping in? Below are some suggested tips that you can use to help you try to keep any unhealthy habits in check.

Tip 1: Developing conscious awareness

The first step is having that conscious awareness that you maybe having a certain habit that does not serve you. Just that simple step of acknowledging it is so important.

Tip 2: Be kind and compassionate to yourself

Accord yourself some self-compassion. Always remember that most unhealthy habits developed as a way of helping you cope and deal with the stress in your life.

Tip 3: Journal

Begin to make a conscious effort to journal and document how the unhealthy habits make you feel after engagement; what was going on prior to you indulging in the habit? This can be effective in helping you notice certain patterns that lead you into engaging in the unhealthy habit. Sometimes it’s the recognition of the ‘no value’ add when you write out how it makes you feel after indulging, that makes and creates a yearning in us to want to refrain from the habit.

Tip 4: Strategize a new healthier habit that can take up the place of the unhealthy habit.

Begin thinking of a different habit that you can replace the unhealthy habit with. Then, set cues in your environment that can enable the development of the new healthy habit that you would like to see.

Example 1: If alcohol addiction is one of your unhealthy habits. Write a list every time you over-indulge (I’m a proponent of having it in moderation). Write another list of how you feel when you are off the alcohol or when you have it in moderation. Reflect on which list outweighs the other. Think and strategize ways you can overcome your urge to overindulge. Maybe have herbal tea instead? Be gentle with yourself when you slip up and overindulge and begin a fresh again.

Example 2: If unhealthy eating habits are an issue. Say it’s an urge to always have fast food. Begin to strategize ways you can prepare some of the things you like to eat out, at home, but using healthier ingredients and replacements.

Example 3: If you are not happy with ‘not exercising’ and want to take it up and develop exercising as a habit, set up SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals to guide you. Be Specific. Choose an exercise that gives you enjoyment and fulfillment and lay out some specific expectations about it, e.g. Walking for 30 minutes each day, playing tennis with a friend for 1 hour 3 times a week. Make it Measurable. Have a system in place that helps you measure your progress. You can journal about it, take progress photos, use certain APPs to track your progress, etc.  Make your exercise goal Attainable. Don’t set out an unrealistic expectation of yourself, like say doing a 5km run when you haven’t run in months. Set out an attainable goal.  Make the exercise Relevant. Find out your reason to exercise and make it worthwhile, that will keep you on track and keep you motivated to keep going daily. Is it a fitness milestone you are trying to achieve? Is it a few pounds you are trying to lose? Is it for health reasons? Have a reason to keep at it frequently. Lastly, make sure it is Time-bound. Have deadlines set that outline clearly when you would expect to see the results you want from the exercise regime you are working on.

Tip 5: Set up cues in your environment that enable the development of the new healthy habits you want to see and attempt to replace the unhealthy habits you want to see.

Example: If you want to watch less television and read more. Have one or two books lying on the couch too, that will act as reminders of the new habit you want to develop, rather than having them stashed away somewhere in a different room, where there are no cues or reminders that are making it easy and more obvious for you to want to develop the new habit.

Tip 6: Engage in mindfulness practice and mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness living and mindfulness meditation has changed my life. A mindfulness practice helps a lot with stress reduction and empowers you with tools to learn how to respond to situations rather than react to them. Mindfulness meditations also help with calming you down and helps you develop more positive approaches to dealing with worrying thoughts and feelings. With time, I have found the urge to work at and keep working on improving and replacing my unhealthy habits with healthy habits. That said, I am still a work in progress.

Finally, I leave you with a FREE guided mindfulness meditation on overcoming unhealthy habits. https://bit.ly/freeguidedmeditationonunhealthyhabits

Be well,

Carol