15 Strategies to Help Break Any Bad Habit in Just 66 Days
Breaking bad habits isn’t easy. In fact, it can feel almost impossible. After all, they’re called habits for a reason! These behaviors often become second nature, so we often barely even notice we’re doing them. But it’s time to take control and hit reset! With the right mindset and a solid plan, you can tackle any habit and usually turn things around in about 66 days. Why 66? We can explain this magic number and then tell you all about how to make that change stick! You’ll be free from your bad habits in no time!
How Long Does It Take?
There is considerable debate about the time required to break and establish a new habit, but a recent study found that it typically takes 66 days. Substituting old negative habits with new positive ones can help reinforce the change within yourself, but you must be willing to see it through to see effective change.
What Do You Want To Change?
If you want to change something, you must be able to pinpoint it and understand the mechanisms behind what causes the behavior, action, habit, etc. Work on your self-awareness and reflect on the specific things you want to change or modify. Having a clear objective in mind can help you achieve the goal and solidify the change you want to see.
Learn What Triggers You
After you identify the habits and behaviors you want to change, you can start to identify what triggers them or causes you to exhibit that behavior. This helps you develop ways to avert them with more positive behavior, actions, and responses. Start keeping a journal to track the cycles and patterns of things that trigger your unwanted behavior.
Define your Goals
Something you can do to help yourself break a negative habit is to set goals for yourself that are clearly defined and attainable. If you know exactly what the bigger picture is, you can then begin to break it down piece by piece and draw a clear path to achieve it. You can set smaller milestones that make the overall goal seem less daunting.
Replace it With a Better Habit
One of the best things you can do to break a bad habit is to put a new one in its place that makes you feel much better and is more valuable to your life. If you want to stop smoking, instead, start eating clean fruits and veggies to curb your cravings. If you want to stop watching so much television, replace your TV time with reading, games with friends and family, or a new fun hobby that can substitute the habit you want to break.
Support from Others
Having a community of people you trust and love can greatly impact your ability to break a bad habit and solidify new ones. If you have the support of people who want the best for you, they can help hold you accountable and remind you why you want to be better in the first place. Lean on your friends and family for support, encouragement, and discipline.
Commit To Change
One way to break a negative habit is by truly committing to cutting it out of your life. Giving yourself reminders throughout the day can help in many ways. Life can be busy, and it’s easy to simply forget that we are trying to implement change, so setting reminders on your phone or Post-it notes can be a great way to ensure we stay conscious and committed to the change we want to make.
Utilize Meditation
Meditating helps you sit still, get quiet, and hear what is going on within you. Doing so helps you become more aware of your habits, triggers, behaviors, and what drives them. Awareness is the first step in changing, so meditation (or even being mindful and present with yourself in silence) can assist you in breaking your negative habits and implementing new ones.
Celebrate Your Wins
Celebrating yourself and your small wins is a great way to reinforce to yourself that success comes after you work for it. Hitting even the little milestones can be a big deal, especially when you’re trying to replace old, negative habits with new ones. This can also help motivate you to keep making progress.
Stay conscious of how far you’ve come
Regularly assessing your progress can maintain motivation and facilitate essential adjustments to your strategy. Dedicate time each week to evaluate what’s working and what’s not and narrow in on areas that need improvement. Doing so will help you stay focused and sharp in your approach to change.
Patience Pays
Overcoming a habit requires time and determination. Setbacks may occur, but it’s crucial to remain undeterred. It’s worth noting that, on average, breaking a habit can take about 66 days, so patience and consistent effort are key. Every day brings you one step closer to achieving your objective. The small, repeated acts of dedication will be what yield the best results for you.
Don’t be too hard on yourself
Perfectionism can significantly hinder the process of breaking a habit. It’s crucial to steer clear of a mentality where it’s all or nothing or thinking there’s no room for trial and error where one mistake is perceived as total defeat. Rather, treat any setbacks as chances to learn and persist in your efforts. It’s the regularity of actions over time that results in enduring transformation.
Be Prepared For Mistakes
When you are attempting to change an engrained behavior, you are likely to slip up every now and then. Habits are hard to break! Be prepared to make mistakes and think about how to get back on track. It can be helpful to write down a contingency plan for when those mistakes happen. Then, you can take it out and read exactly how to fix your mistake and start back on the path toward breaking your bad habit.
Get Professional Help
Some habits can be almost impossible to break on your own. If you have tried to break your bad habits and have not had luck, consider getting professional help. A therapist or doctor may be able to give you more tips and tricks to help you break your bad habits once and for all. Asking for professional help may be the best thing you do to finally change your bad behaviors!
Involve Your Family and Friends
Breaking a habit becomes much easier when you involve your family and friends. By sharing your goals with them, you become more accountable, and you also gain a support system to cheer you on throughout the process. They can offer encouragement, help you stay on track, and even remind you of your progress when you feel discouraged. Having others in your corner turns a solo challenge into a team effort, making success feel more achievable and just makes the whole process of breaking a habit a little bit easier.
