5 expert-backed ways to quit bad habits for good, ahead of National No Smoking Day

Neil McLaren, CEO of Vaping.com/uk offers this piece of advice for those wanting to break a bad habit and make positive lifestyle changes: 

“Breaking a cycle of bad habits can be tricky, so don’t beat yourself up if you struggle, find the process to be slower than you had hoped or simply give up. Be kind to yourself – remember we are all human. Having the courage to break a bad habit is the first step to success, and whilst you’ll learn new things about your own motivation, determination and willpower, you’ll also learn what coping mechanisms work for you. Finally, don’t compare yourself to someone else either. Their struggles can’t be measured against your own.”

When speaking to Vaping.com/uk, Monika Kozlowska explains what a bad habit is defined as: 

“By definition a bad habit is a regular practice or tendency (often unconscious and automatic) that isn’t serving us. This is where honesty places a part, as the same habit that one person finds hard might not be bad at all for the other. When we take time to assess how bad the habit may be, there are always so called ‘payoffs’. Whether it is the feeling of being in control or feeling good enough for a split second, for our unconscious mind it makes no sense to break this habit as in the moment it feels good – hence we feel there’s no need to stop!

When asked if we’re able to train our brains to break a bad habit cycle, Monika responded: 

“Our brain is like a muscle that responds to repetition – so we are able to ‘train’ our brain to think otherwise. It takes time and work but it is possible that a new habit will eventually become automatic to the brain- some say it takes 21 days.

Hebbian theory suggests that ‘neurons that fire together, wire together’ which means the more repetitive thoughts we have or repetitive actions we take, the stronger the new neuronal circuit becomes. And it is these circuits that allow us to eventually do things on autopilot.

However, when we are under stress, it is possible that the old circuit is favoured and we return to our old habit(s). Going back to the old habit once does not mean we can’t move on to the new habit again.”

Monika has provided 5 scientific-backed top tips on the best ways to break a bad habit cycle and how to stick to it.

• Be clear and write down how you are going to benefit from breaking this cycle – if you are not motivated enough by the benefits of making it happen, you are likely to not take enough action to do it.

• Answer truthfully: If you do nothing about this habit, what will this mean for you? Often when you realise the consequences of doing nothing, it actually prompts you to find the courage to start. 

• If you could believe anything– what would you believe about yourself that could help you break this habit? Write it down and say it to yourself as a reminder as often as you can throughout the process. Plus, don’t forget the power of repetition – our brain loves it and eventually believes it.

• Change your environment – when cues and triggers are different, it is easier for us to act differently. Believe it or not, breaking a habit is actually easier when we are on holiday / away from our everyday routine as our environment is no longer the same.

• Start small and celebrate every little win – it is so important to reward yourself for every step you take no matter how small, increasing your chances of staying on track.

Credit to https://vaping.com/uk/  for their research and expertise and supplying the above post.