7 Methods for Breaking a Habit

A Methods for Breaking a Habit. We all have habits, some of which are beneficial and others which are detrimental. To break a habit, it is important to establish a goal, write down your objective, and choose a replacement behavior. Recognize and understand your triggers, as one habit is linked to another aspect of your daily routine. The most important details are to consider when and why you do the thing you want to stop doing, make notes to yourself, seek assistance and support from others, form a collaboration with someone who has the same goal, make a list of daily affirmations, and reward yourself for progress at regular intervals. These steps can help to integrate your goal into your subconscious and keep you focused and motivated. Of course, following these steps is no guarantee of success, but if you persevere, you will succeed.

We all have habits, some of which are beneficial and others which are detrimental. These are learned behaviors that happen almost automatically. And the majority of us have a habit we'd like to break or develop.

A new behavior takes about four weeks for most people to become routine, or habit. The steps below can help you establish a new behavior pattern.

1. The first step is to establish a goal. You should try to phrase your goal as a positive statement, especially if you are trying to stop or break a habit. For example, instead of saying "I will quit snacking at night", say "I will practice healthy eating habits". You should also write down your objective. Putting it on paper helps you commit. It can also help if you tell someone you trust about your goal.

2. Choose a replacement behavior. (If your goal is to form a new habit, your replacement behavior will be the goal in and of itself.) When attempting to break a habit, this step is critical. If you want to stop a behavior, you must replace it with a superior behavior. If you don't, the old pattern of behavior will return.

3. Recognize and understand your triggers. Behavior patterns do not exist in isolation. Often, one habit is linked to another aspect of your daily routine. In the snacking example, the trigger could be late-night television or reading. While you're watching, you reach for a bag of chips. Many smokers automatically light up after eating. Consider when and why you do the thing you want to stop doing.

4. Make notes to yourself. You can accomplish this by leaving yourself notes in the locations where the behavior typically occurs. You can also leave a message for yourself on the mirror, refrigerator, computer monitor, or any other place where you will see it frequently. You can also have a family member or coworker repeat a specific phrase to you to remind you of your goal.

5. Seek assistance and support from others. This is self-evident. With assistance, any task becomes easier. It works even better if you can form a collaboration with someone who has the same goal as you.

6. Make a list of daily affirmations. Write your phrase or sentence ten times a day for twenty-one days in the present tense (as if it were already happening). This process helps to integrate your goal into your subconscious, which not only reminds you to practice the new behavior, but also keeps you focused and motivated.

7. Reward yourself for progress at regular intervals. Concentrate on your goal one day at a time, but reward yourself with a small treat after one, three, and six months. The rewards don't have to be big or expensive, and you should try to make them related to the goal in some way. This provides you with both an incentive and additional motivation.

Of course, following these steps is no guarantee of success. Depending on the habit, it may take several attempts to finally change it. But if you persevere, you will succeed. Best wishes.