Stuck wondering, what are some habits to break in order to make positive changes to your life? This list will make your life easier as it contains the top habits to break that you absolutely need to be aware of!
Figuring out which habits to break can be difficult when you have no idea where to even begin.
Especially when there are so many bad habits out there, some that you may not even be aware of. Or that you may have already been doing for the last couple of years.
As someone who has experience on breaking bad habits, I have a list of bad habits you need to know about!
Once you are aware of these examples of bad habits, you will have an easier time knowing what changes to make and how to stop bad habits.
This post is all about habits to break in order to become a better version of yourself.
Before getting to the good stuff, don’t forget to pin this post so you have an easier time coming back to it at a later time.
15 Unhealthy Habits To Break
1. Negative Self-Talk
Waking up, walking over to the mirror, and talking negatively to ourselves is something we have all done.
I get it, it is so easy to look at our reflection in the mirror and focus on the things we wish were different. Or things we wish we could change with the snap of a finger.
But to be honest, this does nothing but fill your mind with self-doubt, stress and anxiety. Which then leads you to have low self-esteem, make poor decisions and when gone to far, can affect your relationships with your loved ones.
Rather than focusing on the negative, shift your mindset to begin focusing on affirmations. Powerful daily affirmations that remove any and all negativity from your life.
Positive things to say to yourself:
- My body is incredible, and I am so grateful for it.
- I am doing my best and that is good enough.
- My happiness is important.
- I am proud of myself for creating the life I have.
- I am capable of achieving great things.
2. Trying To Please Others
This is one that I have absolutely been guilty of. Let’s just say that trying to please my parents by following the life they wanted for me did not end well.
It led me to forget about what I actually wanted in life and who I even wanted to be as a person. Which is something I hope does not happen to you.
Though it took many difficult conversations, I eventually broke free and began living for me.
Without even knowing it, you may be currently trying to please others. Maybe you are trying to please your partner, your coworkers, your friends or maybe even your parents.
How to stop pleasing others:
- Realize that it is happening and identify your patterns.
- Decide what it is that you want.
- Set boundaries and remind people of them when you need to.
- Understand that saying “no” is not bad and practice doing so.
- Make a plan for yourself, follow it and stick to it.
Regardless of who you are trying to please, you need to put yourself first and make your happiness a priority.
3. Bottling Up Emotions
Holding all of your emotions in and never letting them out is definitely a recipe for disaster.
The longer you hold your emotions in, the more your mental health will continue to take a toll. At least until you can no longer take it.
Being afraid to be vulnerable and fearing the judgement of others you are wanting to open up to are two reasons this is one of the hardest habits to break.
The best thing you can do is speak with a close family member or friend that you know you can confide in. Someone that you know is a good listener and that can wholeheartedly empathize with you.
You might even be surprised to find that so many people also bottle up their emotions. But that talking about what you are going through and what you are currently feeling alleviates a lot of pressure weighing you down.
4. Impulse Shopping
Retail therapy, when done in moderation can actually help improve your mood and bring you happiness. However, things can go bad really fast when you start impulse buying.
By participating in impulse shopping, you put yourself at risk of purchasing items you don’t actually need. Causing you to put a huge dent in your wallet, followed by having to say hello to financial stress.
How to stop impulse buying:
- Have a budget in place.
- Unsubscribe from emails that push products on you.
- Try a no-spend challenge.
- Make a list of what you actually need and stick to it.
- Shop with a friend who can keep you accountable.
The more you practice these techniques, the easier it will be to put an end to this bad habit.
5. Neglecting Self-Care
Participating in self-care activities should always, and I mean always, be a priority of yours. Not only is it a great way to treat yourself, but it is also a reminder that you are putting yourself first.
Though neglecting self-care is part of most people’s unhealthy habits list, it doesn’t have to be a part of yours.
Make it a healthy habit and more importantly, a promise to yourself that moving forward you will start participating in more self-care activities.
Here are some self care ideas you can start doing in this very moment:
- Treat yourself to a much deserved manicure or pedicure.
- Listen to your favorite songs and sing your heart out.
- Put soothing music on and focus your mind as you meditate.
- Cook yourself your favorite delicious meal.
- Go on a solo date and visit a new restaurant you have been eye-balling.
No matter what type of self care day you decide to have, be consistent and make it your mission to practice self care on the daily.
6. Avoiding A Consistent Routine
Not knowing what you are going to do the very next day leads to a day full of disorganization. Which means, having a day that prevents you from being productive.
Having a routine that you actually enjoy and that is easy to stick to completely eliminates this problem.
Take the time to sit down and plan out your daily routine schedule. If you are having a difficult time and are wondering, what is a good daily schedule? Here are some daily routine ideas:
- Skip scrolling through social media first thing in the morning and make your bed instead.
- Make breakfast and enjoy eating while you listen to an audiobook.
- Begin school or work with a positive attitude.
- Eat a nutritious lunch while listening to your favorite podcast.
- After coming home from school or work, take a shower to help you relax.
- Make dinner and enjoy eating while you watch your new go-to show.
- Take time to respond to any unread messages from loved ones.
- Brush your teeth and apply any self-care products you are currently loving.
- Read a book for an hour or so to help you unwind.
Before falling asleep, add any tasks you need to complete the following day to your daily routine. This will ensure you make the most out of your day.
7. Obsessing Over The Past
Everyone has at least a couple of things they have done in the past that they are not proud of. Me included.
So I totally get how easy it is to think about the past and obsess over situations that went wrong or decisions you regret.
When you are reflecting on the past, do it in a healthy way. One where you think about specific situations or decisions and how you can turn them into learning lessons.
Rather than focusing on the negative, use this time to figure out how these lessons can be used to improve yourself.
After all, thinking about your past should never disturb your peace. Instead, it should help you practice gratitude, set new goals and be kinder to yourself.
8. Putting Your Health On Hold
When you are constantly on the go and keeping busy, you may forget to prioritize your health.
If you don’t get yourself checked out, the chances of having to deal with unnecessary health issues increases. Which can be all kinds of bad.
Every year, be proactive and schedule any necessary doctor appointments.
Here is a list of some doctor appointments to make every year:
- Primary care doctor
- Gynecologist
- Dentist
- Optometrist
- Dermatologist
Seeing your providers helps you detect any health issues and allows you to cure them in time. Or at least prevents them from getting worse.
Like I always say, your future self will thank you.
9. Bad Hygiene
What happens if you have poor hygiene? Having bad hygiene can lower self-esteem, cause health problems and even push people away from wanting to be around you.
If you are not already aware, it is actually very common for people to not know the proper hygiene practices.
Luckily, there are plenty of good hygiene practices you can start doing today.
Good hygiene habits that will improve your appearance and have you feeling your absolute best.
Hygiene practices to follow daily:
- Brush teeth at least twice a day.
- Floss at night.
- Take a shower.
- Apply deodorant.
- Wear clean clothes.
- Wash face morning and night.
At the end of the day, there is a reason why the saying, when you look good you feel good, exists.
10. Constantly Being Alone
Being an introvert myself has allowed me to understand why people enjoy being alone.
However, it starts to become an issue when you find yourself having a little too much “me time” constantly. I’m talking about finding yourself always being alone day after day.
Because if you really think about it, we as humans are meant to socially interact with others.
Make it habit to reach out to your family and friends and schedule social gatherings at least a couple of times during the month.
The great thing about social gatherings is that they don’t have to be a huge event. Even something as small as running errands together or meeting up to grab coffee counts.
11. Forgetting To Set Goals
Not having any goals set makes it difficult to know what exactly to works towards. Which can cause you to feel as if you don’t have any sense of direction.
Setting goals to accomplish throughout the year helps you have a better understanding of where to shift your energy to.
Make a list and include both short-term and long-term goals.
Examples of short term goals:
- Learn a new recipe.
- Exercise a couple of days throughout the week.
- Eat breakfast every morning.
- Wake up with a positive attitude.
- Give yourself a compliment daily.
Examples of long term goals:
- Learn a new language.
- Expand your friend group.
- Make a career change.
- Become a better listener.
- Improve time management skills.
After completing your set of goals, continue improving yourself by creating a new list of goals to take head on.
12. Surrounding Yourself Around The Wrong People
The people you surround yourself with plays a huge part in the decisions you make.
If you are constantly surrounded by the wrong people, the chances of making bad decisions are higher. Or even worse, these people can hold you back from becoming the best version of yourself.
Want to start having a more positive mindset? Surround yourself around those that bring an abundance of positivity everywhere they go.
Want to create the perfect morning routine? Surround yourself with people who have mastered the art of creating routines.
Pay close attention to those around you. It is always better to befriend those that you can learn from and that are willing to help you grow.
13. Staying Silent With Your Partner
When it comes to a relationship, it takes a lot of effort in order for things to work.
One very common issue amongst many relationships is not communicating with your partner. Rather than talking things out, you give them the silent treatment instead.
Always keep in mind that your partner is not a mind reader. So they won’t know what you’re thinking unless you actually tell them.
Instead of staying silent, work towards being honest about everything currently clouding your mind. A big tip I have here is to make sure you are in the right mindset.
Meaning, if you are worked up, take time to cool off and gather all your thoughts. Once you feel you can communicate with your partner calmly, talk to them.
14. Binge Watching Shows
Don’t get me wrong, I have been guilty of binge watching shows plenty of times. But it’s because of this that I know how unhealthy it can be.
Constantly binge watching shows back to back takes precious time away from you being productive.
Stop yourself by setting a limit to how many episodes you watch daily. You can also choose to set a timer if you prefer. Once the timer goes off, you stop watching tv.
When you’re not watching a show, use this time to participate in productive activities such as:
- Go on a hike.
- Put a puzzle together.
- Do some stretches.
- Take a relaxing bubble bath.
- Clean your home.
The more you do this, the easier it will be to create the perfect balance between watching your favorite show and being productive.
15. Not Getting Enough Sleep
On average, 7 to 9 hours of sleep is what you need to ensure you wake up well-rested ready to take on the next day.
Not getting adequate sleep impacts your ability to concentrate, affects your decision making skills, puts you at risk for having health problems and the list goes on.
When deciding on a time to fall asleep, make sure that you are giving your mind and your body enough time to fully rest. Again, you want to aim for at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.
Before going to bed, avoid any type of screen time. If you didn’t know, phones emit a blue light that can disrupt the natural production of melatonin. Which is the hormone in your body that regulates sleep.
So ditch your phone and instead read a book, journal about your day, meditate or do some breathing exercises to decompress.
This post was all about habits to break today to instantly improve your life.
Knowing how to break bad habits is difficult when you don’t know where to start.
Rather than giving you just 10 bad habits to get rid of, you now know of 15 habits to break today.
As well as helpful tips on how to break a habit and ultimately how to get rid of bad habits for good.