BREAKING bad habits is something many people struggle with their entire lifetime. If you’ve ever tried to quit smoking then I’m sure you can relate.
We all have our vices but if yours is an addiction to online shopping, partaking in workplace gossip, or if you can’t stop counting how many ‘likes’ you get on Facebook or Instagram, then the time is now to bite the bullet and stop.
Here are ten bad habits you need to give up today.
BITING YOUR NAILS
Also known as ‘onychophagia’, biting your nails is a common habit to relieve stress that affects approximately half of children aged 10-18, but also, let’s admit it, lots of adults.
Anxious nailbiters often do it without even realising and in some cases can leave themselves with infected cuticles and bleeding fingernails. Not only is it unhygienic and gross, but it can also be very painful.
How to quit? Try using a clear, bitter nail polish that tastes disgusting — you’ll be less inclined to put those fingers anywhere near your mouth!
SMOKING
Because smoking stopped being cool a long time ago and by 2020 cigarettes will cost $40 a packet in Australia. Ouch.
Giving up the cancer sticks is hands down the best decision you can make for your health. It is frequently cited as one of the toughest habits to break but with some strong willpower, nicotine patches or Allen Carr’s Easy Way To Stop Smoking, it can be done.
CUTTING THE END OF OTHER PEOPLE’S SENTENCES OFF
This is a tough habit to break, but acknowledging and realising that you do it is a step in the right direction. Commit to being a better listener and learn to wait your turn, you’ll instantly be a lot more likeable!
NOT RECYCLING PROPERLY
By now you really should know exactly what can and can’t be recycled. One of the most commonly confused items is the takeaway coffee cup. In Victoria the lid can be recycled, but most cups cannot be as the technology is not yet available to process the cup’s material which is a mix of paper and plastic.
Head to the Eco Recycle website to educate yourself about what can and can’t be recycled.
TYPING WITH TWO FINGERS
It astonishes me that throughout my entire primary and secondary education, I was never taught how to touch type. It was a skill I had to acquire on my own which I randomly did through an ancient MS DOS computer game I somehow found on my grandmother’s computer.
If you’re still punching away at the keyboard with just your two index fingers, enough is a enough. There are lots of resources out there that will teach you how to touch type. Try a free online course like TypingClub and you’ll be bashing out words in no time at all!
DRIVING EVERYWHERE
If you find yourself constantly driving everywhere even if it’s to just go to the store at the end of the street, then you really need to learn to leave the car keys at home every once in awhile. Walk, or better yet get a bicycle and get some fresh air — you probably need the exercise!
BINGE DRINKING
According to the Annual Alcohol Poll 2017 conducted by the Foundation For Alcohol Research Education, 44% of adults in Australia drink to get drunk, which is up from 37% the previous year.
If you’re a male who regularly drinks in excess of seven standard drinks in a night or you’re a woman consuming over five standard drinks, then you should really be thinking about the consequences this has for your health and your relationships.
Learning to drink in moderation isn’t easy but you can start by teaching yourself what exactly constitutes a standard drink. If you’re really struggling with a binge drinking problem, there are lots of resources out there to help you quit. Check out DrinkWise for an excellent list of services available throughout Australia that specialise in alcohol abuse.
BEING LATE
Are you always the one to arrive an hour and a half late to a dinner reservation? Or perhaps you’re constantly fifteen minutes late to work because you are hooked on the snooze button? As a reminder, it’s really disrespectful to always turn up late and force others to wait for you, because it sends the message that their time is less valuable than yours.
Do you really want to lose out on a job opportunity that you are perfect for purely because couldn’t get to the interview in time? I didn’t think so. Train yourself to go to bed earlier, start placing your alarm on the other side of your bedroom so you have to get up to turn it off, and always allow extra travel time for unforeseen circumstances!
STRESS EATING AND SHOPPING
Neither of these things are going to fulfil you in the long term and both will just damage your self-esteem and your wallet. Try signing up for yoga or get a massage as an alternative way to deal with stress.
Talking to someone also always helps and it might be that you need professional help to deal with whatever is causing you stress. Many common reasons for counselling are covered by Medicare and you might be eligible for a rebate.
NAGGING
Do you constantly harass your loved ones or roommates about nitpicks things at inappropriate times? Then you’re probably a “nagger”, and nobody wants to be that person. Learn to pick and choose your battles — you really can’t win them all.
By Isabel Thomson-Officer