Making and breaking habits
Habits. A regular, behavioural tendency or practice, especially one that is difficult to give up.
I have many habits, some good, some bad. I always make my bed in the morning, but also pick at my nails when I'm bored or nervous. According to a 2018 study, it can take anywhere between 18 and 254 days to make or break a habit.
Over the university summer break, we have roughly 100 days until we have to start studying again. Surely that is enough time to lose a few bad habits, and gain a few new good ones. Therefore, I have decided to create a list of various habits I would like to add to my daily routine:
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Don't go on my phone first thing in the morning: I have a bad habit of picking up my phone and scrolling on social media as soon as my alarm goes off. Instead of this, I want to replace this with stretching, writing my to-do list for the day, and making my bed.
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Eat three full meals a day: I often find myself constantly snacking during the day and skipping breakfast, which are unhealthy habits I want to break.
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Go outside more: Whether it is for a walk along the river or beach, a picnic with friends, or even just sitting outside in the sunshine reading a book; going outside often is a great habit to acquire. And staying active and increasing your vitamin D levels are just a few of the benefits.
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Journaling: I also want to start journaling more regularly, as it is one of my current favourite hobbies. Journaling can improve your mental health and reduce stress levels.
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Focus on the positives: This is something I have always wanted to improve, as it can be difficult to see past the negatives. However, there are so many positive aspects of each day; and it is up to me to go looking for them.
Hopefully this list inspires you to better your life a little by breaking any bad habits and starting a few new ones in the next few months. To finish this article, I will leave you with this quote:
"Habits are like the atoms of our lives, each one is a fundamental unit that contributes to your overall improvement.""Atomic Habits", James Clear