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3 Scientifically Proven Ways to (Permanently) Break a Bad Habit.
Creating An “If-Then” Plan
It gives you an automatic response to react to your cravings and makes it easier to replace a bad habit with a good one:
- Identify the scenario that usually triggers your bad habit.
- Specify a different response to the trigger. Ideally, this should be a good habit that would replace and prevent you from falling into the temptation.
- Combine steps 1 and 2 into an “if-then” format.
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The Role Of Perseverance On Change
Bad habits don’t go away overnight. But, you can use strategies to give you that extra boost of self-confidence and self-control required to change.
Understand that sometimes you will fail and sometimes you’ll succeed. But no matter how long it takes to fail and get back up again, your patience and perseverance will soon pay off.
Practice Being Aware Of Your Triggers
Mindfulness practice helps to weaken the link between the craving and the bad behaviour:
- Next time you’re hit with an urge to do the bad habit, take a step back and be aware of the sensations of the trigger in your body.
- Take note of where you were and when the cravings started, as well as who were you with and what happened leading to it.
- Keep a short journal of your progress and take quick notes of the events that take place on the days you act on the bad habit versus the days you don’t.
Use “I Don’t” Instead Of “I Can’t”
Research has found that using the phrase “I can’t” results in decreased self-control when compared to using the words “I don’t”.
When trying to break bad habits say “I don’t [bad habit]” instead of “I can’t [bad habit]” .
The Mechanics Of Habit Formation
Our habits are driven by a 3-part loop in sequence: trigger (the stimulus that starts the habit), routine (the doing of the habit and behaviour itself) and reward (the benefit associated with the behaviour).
Each repetition of this behavior pattern, it becomes more ingrained in your brain until it eventually becomes automatic—a habit.
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Not backed up by science
While popular, researchers say there is a serious lack of evidence to back up mindfulness apps, even though they are increasingly perceived as proven treatments for mental health.
Seeking scientific validation
A handful of studies have been published on the efficacy of mindfulness apps, thanks in part to Headspace, one of the most popular apps in the field. In hopes of getting its app scientifically validated, the organization has partnered on more than 60 studies with 35 academic institutions. In the meantime, in lieu of research proving that apps work, marketers tend to draw misleading, but attractive claims.
The paradox of mindfulness apps
Mindfulness disrupts unhelpful habits. If you get distracted easily or have addictions, mindfulness helps curb these habits. But, in contrast, apps become popular and profitable by getting users lightly addicted to repetitive use. So, can an app really treat addiction, or is it inherently part of the problem? As of now, we don’t know the answer to that question.
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Set Better Goals
Be specific on how you’ll implement goals into your daily life. Examining how you’ve responded to the situation in the past and determining what you can do to avoid reverting to the old h...
Have a Better Reason For Quitting
Even if you replace a “bad” habit with a better one, sometimes the original vice will have a stronger biological “reward” than its substitute. This is where the importance of having an intrinsic motivation comes into play.
If that is the case, find as many benefits to the change as you can and try to use them as extra motivation.
Replace a Bad Habit With a Good One
The more you suppress your thoughts, the more likely you are to think about that thought or even revert back to that bad habit. Instead of trying to stop doing something, it’s easier to do something else.
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SMART Resolutions
Pick a goal that is meaningful and doable, making sure it's coming from inside you, not imposed by others.
Make specific, realistic plans for your New Year Goal using the time-tested SMART Te...
Creating a Plan
Chances are you won't just wake up one day and suddenly change your life. To go where you want to go, you have to chart out a plan.
Quitting Bad Habits
For example: If you feel the cue of smoking, replace the smoking with some other activity like having a cup of coffee.
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