Some of the things you do every day might be getting in the way of your efforts to lead a more structured life. Bad habits are like slow poisons. They asphyxiate you with time but you don’t realize it until you have hit rock bottom.
Admittedly, they are hard to break but not entirely impossible. The sooner you address it, the faster you will be able to prevent yourself from sinking back into the deep dark pit of your habits. Doing so will significantly improve your work, life and relationships.
In “Million Dollar Habits” by Brian Tracy, he says: “The fact is that good habits are hard to form but easy to live with. Bad habits, on the other hand, are easy to form but hard to live with. In either case, you develop either good or bad habits as the result of your repeated choices, decisions, and behaviors.”
Waiting for the right time
Get up. There is nothing called the right time. You have to seize the day and the opportunity and make it right for yourself. If you have been waiting to try something new or simply get an assignment done, then get up and start it now.
Procrastination is a silent killer and will completely decimate your dreams right before you know it. Stop waiting to find excuses to put something off and don’t let any minor hurdle set you back on your path to progress.
“Do not wait: the time will never be 'just right'. Start where you stand, and work whatever tools you may have at your command and better tools will be found as you go along,” Napoleon Hill.
Using smartphones in bed
Using smartphones, laptops, tablets, or any other gadgets before bed can mess with your sleep. The blue light emitted from the screen can halt the production of melatonin, which induces sleep. Over time it may lead to insomnia, and morning sleepiness can halt your productivity.
Instead, try to wrap up your work at least an hour before going to sleep and switch off your phone. Do not let the notification sounds lure you out of your slumber.
Saying yes
Saying yes to everything thrown your way will only ensure that you end up with stress, guilt and unhappiness at the end of the day.
It is detrimental to your well-being to attend social gatherings you do not wish to be part of, simply to satisfy others.
Start prioritizing yourself. Stop working extra hours at work without pay in order to be in your employer’s good books.
Say yes to doing things that will benefit you in the long run, rather than taking you 10 steps behind.
Comparing yourself to others
When you compare yourself to others in terms of your career, looks, housing, salary, wealth, etc you are not doing yourself any good.
Instead, you are filling yourself up to the brim with envy and frustration, until you finally break.
Learn to address the situation from within. If you are not feeling satisfied with the career path you have chosen then it is time to pursue something new.
Work towards what brings you satisfaction, not what everyone else is doing.
“Comparison is an act of violence against the self,” Iyanla Vanzant.
Being late
Start being punctual in terms of going to school, work or any social commitment. Running late will not only spike your anxiety in the process but also paint you as an unreliable person to people at work or events.
Apologizing every time is not the key. You have to learn how to manage your time and let yourself step away from always functioning on a time crunch.
Multi-tasking
It is generally considered rude to talk on the phone while you are in the middle of a new business deal or to check your emails while you are in the middle of a family dinner.
Multitasking not only creates a bad impression but also goes on to say that you are more important to yourself than anything or anyone else.
Additionally, doing multiple tasks at the same time will only push you to make more mistakes. Research shows that multitasking shrinks your brain and lowers your IQ and erodes productivity in general.
If you can kick this habit, you will be able to take your efficiency to the next level. Get more tasks done but only one at a time.
Poor money management
As the famous saying goes, you must cut your coat according to your cloth. Ignoring financial health and spending lavishly will only give you financial stress in the long run. High stress levels can increase the risk of a heart attack besides influencing mood, appetite, job performance, relationships, and mental health.
Being in toxic relationships
In our society, toxic people are unavoidable. They can be in the form of a nasty neighbour always getting on your nerves, or a jealous coworker trying to steal all the credit for your coveted projects.
If you have a friend or partner who never appreciates you, you are exposing yourself to a toxic environment as well. You have to learn to invest your energy into the relationships that nurture you and push you towards growth.
Being around uplifting people will lower your stress, improve your overall well-being and give you that dose of serotonin.
Poor stress management
We often make the mistake of ignoring stress until it starts interfering with our day-to-day activities or manifests itself in our relationships.
Being unable to concentrate, having poor judgment or muscle aches, getting irritated too fast or biting our nails are all indicators of stress.
If you leave it unaddressed, it can cause serious health problems. This is why you must find out what is causing it, and take steps to alleviate it. You should set up boundaries, and invest time into doing anything that soothes your mind.
Sedentary behaviour
Spending more than 8–10 hours binging a show on Netflix or playing video games are bad habits you need to kick.
Being a couch potato will only lead you to feel dissatisfied or unfulfilled. Instead, try to do activities that get you moving around the house and only sit down to watch something for an hour or two.
If you want to become the person you have always wanted to be, then you have to look closely at this list and adhere to having the mindset that drives you to kick them.