Everyone has habits. Some of them give you a sense that you have your life in perfect harmony; others make you think that your "Are you still watching?" screen on Netflix is out to get you. Good habits and bad habits are the angel and devil sitting on your shoulder, fighting over who's going to control your daily life.
Let's dig into this quaint, seemingly old war and try to make sense of what makes them unique, all amidst having a good laugh about it.
Good Habits: The Personal Cheerleaders for Your Life
Good habits are like that one friend who is always five minutes early, has his life sorted, and still goes to the gym. You know, the person whose mere existence makes you feel you have failed in adulthood. But don't hate good habits. They're there to level you up.
They Make You a Productive Person
Good habits are the road to not just productivity but to faking your way through the supposed-to-know-how-to-do-life act. Habits, such as waking up early, exercise, and making your bed each morning, turn you into that Pinterest human from afar. Heck, add a green smoothie to your morning routine, and you might even feel like you're thriving despite the smoothie tasting like grass.
They Improve Mental Health
Ever meditated, maybe kept a journal, or taken a daily walk? These small healthy habits can give the brain some breaks from all that doom-scrolling on social media and endless parades of to-do lists. Good habits help to counteract stress, manage attention, and give you that zen vibe-just like when you just got out of yoga class-whatever.
They Make You a Role Model
Suddenly, all those around you will start seeking life advice because of the good habits you begin adopting. You know, because you are flossing your teeth regularly, which, honestly, makes you an adulting legend.
Bad Habits: Your Lazy Inner Couch Potato Now bad habits?
Oh boy. These are the sneaky little gremlins that make you say, "I'll do it tomorrow," when in your mind you mean to say, "I'll never do it, but let's not talk about that right now." They don't care about your goals, dreams, or that list of New Year's resolutions you wrote down and then promptly lost.
They only want you to stay snuggly in mediocrity, binge-watching another season of that show you've watched twice already. Bad habits are like energy vampires. Procrastination, avoidance of exercise, and eating too many snacks (yes, even if they're "healthy" snacks—kale chips, anyone?) leave you drained and unmotivated. No sooner than you know it, you have three hours on TikTok pass and the laundry hasn't folded itself.
They Stress You Out
Bad habits like procrastination or poor sleep habits build stress faster than the deadline you didn't know was due… tomorrow. Stress looms over you like a dark cloud as you try to complete a week's worth of work in one afternoon.
They Make You a Master Procrastinator
Bad habits, however, have a way of making procrastination look like a form of art. Cleaning the whole fridge becomes a priority over the actual work avoided. Not to forget this classic lie you tell yourself at 2 a.m.: "One more episode." Spoiler alert: it's always more than one episode.
How to Break Bad Habits and Build Good Ones (Without Crying)
Not easy to break bad habits, but doable. Now, the kicker: you don't have to go full Zen monk overnight. Here are a few tips to start swapping out your bad habits for good ones:
Start Small (Rome Wasn't Built in a Day)
Want to become the kind of person who runs marathons? Run around the block first. Baby steps ensure that habit-building is less scary and easier to stick with. On top of that, you avoid being in an awkward situation when you try to do too much and end up winded after 10 minutes of running.
Reward Yourself
I mean, it turns out we're all kind of big kids. Reward yourself with something fun when you complete a productive activity. Task accomplished? Have a snack or catch up on some guilt-free YouTube. Just don't let that "reward" turn into three hours in an internet rabbit hole.
Create a Routine (But Keep It Fun)
Routines are the pillars of good habits. But that does not mean to become bored. Mix it up a little! Try something new or mix up the order or, better still, have some fun music. Your good habits will feel less like a chore.
Which side would you like to take on, then?
Who will come out on top in this final battle of good habits against bad habits? Who wins? Well, it just depends on which side of the fence you feed. Spoiler alert: It is oh so much easier to cave into those undesirable habits, but building up the right ones is worth all the effort in the long run. Remind yourself: all about balance, not perfection. We're not going for perfect here (I mean, who needs that? Bo-ring. Just try to tip the balance in favor of good habits a smidgen, and before you know it, you'll be crushing life at least pretending to do so!
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