We as humans always have bad habits. Actually, it is our habits that decide our future and what happens to us. So it is very important to remove or replace our bad habits with good ones.
In this article we will learn 8 steps that will help us to overcome this issue.
1. Know your 'why'
Knowing is always the first step to do or accomplish anything. In this case, you must know that:
- Why this habit is bad for you?
- How is it harming you?
- How is it affecting your future?
- Why do you want to change/remove this habit?
- …
Knowing the answers to these questions is very important otherwise after a while you may lose control and get back to it again.
2. The three part of a habit
Before we can change a habit or remove it, we must first know how it works and its exact parts. When you understand it, you will know which part of the habit you must work on to get results.
Here are the 3 parts of every habit:
Trigger
It’s called an event that activates the habit, like having a short break while working to have a smoke.
Routine
It is the actual process of doing bad or good work or habits, like the action of smoking.
Reward
What we receive or feel after doing the routine, like feeling good or relaxed after smoking.
3. Replace the routine
This was how to remove bad habits
The next step is to either remove the trigger or replace the routine. Unfortunately, we can not always remove the trigger because of different situations. In this case, we must replace the routine with something good but almost can deliver the same reward.
I had a bad routine several years ago, and I really wanted to remove it. So I read a book named power of habits. You can find it in my book suggestions list.
When I learned about the 3 parts of each habit, I just removed the trigger, and my bad routine was gone.
So how can we replace a routine? For example, If you would like to smoke after every 2 hours of work, you can replace it with drinking tea or eating something healthy.
The habit of smoking after a 2-hour work formed in your head, and it all starts with the trigger “work break,” you would have a smoke, and then you would feel better. What if you try to drink a cup of tea and relax when you want to take a break.
The reward may be a bit different but if you just push yourself to do it, you can replace the routine and get rid of your bad one.
4. Make the decision daily
Make the decision of not doing the habit for each day when you wake up. Never tell yourself that I am not going to smoke ever again. Focus on not smoking that day only.
Our minds are designed to save energy and when we make a decision for the long term, our mind starts to reject it, because it has to spend a lot of energy to fight this change every day.
But if you make the decision of not doing the bad routine every day when you wake up, your brain won’t fight it because it seems a small task that is possible.
5. Share it with supporters
It is beneficial to share your plan with your loved ones. This will prevent you from going back to your bad routine because you start to think about the plan you told the people close to you.
When you are in difficult situations you can remind yourself that you have told or promised your family or your friend that you won’t get back.
6. Close the door
being in a group of people who have the same bad routine can be very harmful. Seeing them doing the routine that you are trying to change can push you to start again.
So it is strongly suggested to stay away from these kind of groups or people for at least 70 days until you form a new habit in your mind.
7. Remind yourself why
As you go forward you will find yourself in difficult situations that may put pressure on you to break the new routine and get back to the old one.
Take a moment, speak with yourself and remember why did you start in the first place. You can even write your reasons and read them to yourself so you can remember.
8. Do it atleast for 70 days
Forming a new habit or replacing a bad one takes time. Scientists found out that it takes 66 days on average for humans to form a new habit.
So let’s take 70 days to make sure your habit sits in your mind. This doesn’t mean that you can let go after the first 70 days, and your bad routine won’t come back. You must always be careful, but after the first 70 days, it gets easier to go on.
This was how to remove bad habits
I hope these 8 steps help you to overcome your bad routine and form new ones. If you like, you can take a moment to leave a comment and let us know what is the bad routine you are fighting with.
