We Asked The Experts Why It’s So Hard To Kick Unhealthy Habits (And How To Form Better Ones)

Falling into bad habits is nothing to be ashamed of – the important thing is doing something about it.

Bad habits are a part of life. Usher even wrote a song about them! Overeating, using our phones too much, mindlessly scrolling late at night, and not getting enough exercise are all pretty common – and while it’s normal to experience these behaviours from time to time, it’s important to recognise that they can be really unhealthy for us and lead to longer term health problems.

So how can we kick our bad habits to the curb? And how can we form good habits to replace them? To find out, we spoke to psychologist Dr Marny Lishman about how to end our unhealthy relationships and make good habits stick.

Why is it hard to break bad habits?

One of the reasons it can be so hard to break a bad habit is because, most of the time, we don’t even realise we’re forming it.

“The habits that we’ve made or that have been formed are a result of some sort of positive reinforcement, reward, or reaching a goal,” says Dr Lishman. “So we just continue doing it to the point that we don’t even think about it anymore.”

Often, we’ll start to feel the effects of an unhealthy habit before we actually realise it’s a problem. If you’re feeling unusually sluggish or tired during the day, for instance, it might be a sign that you need to eat more veggies, which are full of vitamins and minerals that give us long-lasting energy.

Add healthy things to your life

Breaking a bad habit is a lot easier if you gradually replace it with a healthier one.

“In terms of getting rid of a habit, you don’t want to deprive yourself – that means you’re taking away something, so it’s almost a punishment,” says Dr Lishman.

“You’re better off building new, healthier habits that are adding incentives or rewards so you’re getting pleasure out of it.”

Learning to cook a delicious new healthy recipe will make it easier to eat better than restricting your kilojoule intake. You can also try switching to healthy snacks rather than a sugary treat when the 3pm slump hits or limit yourself to takeaway or eating out once a week. And when you order, try to do it before you get too hungry so you don’t go overboard with multiple starters and desserts. If you’re lucky enough to live close to the restaurant you’re ordering from, consider walking to pick up your food.

Set measurable goals

Instead of trying to kick a bad habit all at once, it can help to break it down into small, manageable steps and goals.

For instance, If you’re trying to reduce your screen time, set a time limit on yourself every night. If you’re trying to cut back on alcohol, aim to have one less drink each week. Start with something so small it’s impossible to fail and do it until it becomes routine. You’ll be more motivated to keep at it if you set yourself up for success early on and you can build upon these successes over time.

It can also help to tell someone what your goals are – especially if it’s someone who isn’t afraid to hold you accountable if you slack off.

Don’t give up!

It’s important to be patient and forgive yourself if you slip up.

Dr Lishman says there’s no “correct” amount of time it takes to break a habit, and you don’t have to nail it right away.

It’s okay to slip up or take a day off. Just remember what your goal is and why it’s important to you – you’ll be way less likely to let a little slip up spiral into a week of unhealthy behaviour.

“Most of us will take a step back or go back to old behaviours,” says Dr Lishman, “but if you’re kind to yourself and realise that’s part of the cycle, you can get back on track and slowly build a new behaviour.”

Ending your unhealthy relationships is a process, but the rewards for our health are worth the effort.

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Find out how Queensland Health can help you #DumpTheJunk and end one of your unhealthy relationships with junk food, sugary drinks, inactivity, and screen time here.

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(Lead image: Bruce Mars / Unsplash)