At times, unhealthy habits don’t seem to want to go down without a fight. For this reason, getting rid of them can take longer than you’d like. They often tempt you at every corner and appear in the most irresistible ways, so remaining focused is key. Some examples of unhealthy habits you may be trying to get rid of include not getting enough sleep, succumbing to the common empty calorie snack attacks, or being a couch potato instead of staying active. No matter what it is that you’re battling with, you should rest assured that it is possible to get rid of that habit. You’re going to find five ways you can distract yourself from indulging in your unhealthy habits below.
Meditate
Have you ever sat down and tried to focus your thoughts on a single thing, or better still nothing? If not, this could be a step towards distracting yourself from the unhealthy habits you’re battling with. Meditation may seem as though it’s only for yoga lovers, but it is something that almost anybody can benefit from. Meditating can also help you get the hang of your mind and the way it works. This should enable you to control your thoughts better especially when they drift towards things like having one too many drinks or eating a whole cake at midnight. Some benefits of meditation in case you didn’t know include reducing stress, age-related memory loss, enhancing self-awareness, promoting emotional health, and helping you sleep better. Meditation is also capable of helping you fight addictions such as alcohol and substance abuse as you can learn how to avoid triggers by refocusing your attention. However, if you find that you’re still struggling to break these unhealthy habits, perhaps consider looking into private rehab centers that could help you recover. If you’ve never meditated before, you can start by sitting or lying comfortably, closing your eyes, focusing your attention on your breath and how the body moves, or focusing on a single point.
Replace it With Something Positive
In addition to the above, another way of distracting yourself from indulging in unhealthy habits is by replacing it with something positive. This could mean listening to motivational talks, reading inspiring quotes, or watching a positive movie. Seeing as everyone is different, it’s important that you find a positive replacement that works for you. The end goal should be to distract yourself with something that makes you feel good and doesn’t have a negative effect on your mental, physical, or emotional health.
Another idea is to pick up a hobby which helps you better a skill you already have or learn a new one. If you’re stuck on ideas regarding a positive and healthy hobby, you could get up to; some include dancing, cooking, volunteering, traveling, reading, and writing. Hobbies such as these give you time to clear your head and redirect your thoughts to ones you want to focus on. You may also find peace as well as some form of satisfaction when you indulge in activities that you enjoy and make you feel relaxed.
Get an Accountability Partner
You should try not to underestimate the power of an accountability partner in just about anything in life. They are like police that can help keep you on track as well as make sure you’re focused on your goals. When looking for an accountability partner, remember to choose someone who doesn’t have the same weaknesses as you and will be consistent enough to monitor you. By doing this, you may have more luck, and they might make for a better partner. Also, note that it’s important to talk to your accountability partner in times of weakness. If, for instance, you’re tempted to fall back into some unhealthy habits, call them and make them aware that you’re having a weak moment. By doing this, they should be able to help you out and keep you on track. In addition to the mentioned, accountability partners can also keep you motivated and give you subsequent ideas regarding how to stay focused.
Focus on Your Goals
When tempted to indulge in unhealthy habits, keeping your goals ahead of you is key. For this reason, you should think about writing out your goals and putting them somewhere visible so that you can continuously refer back to them whenever you need to. Some ways to do this include typing them up and putting them on the wall, writing them down in a notebook you use on a regular basis, or setting reminders on your phone. If you still find it difficult to focus on your goals after this, try removing any obvious distractions even if it means distancing yourself from friends, measuring your goals, surrounding yourself with good people, and as mentioned above, meditating.
Join a Support Group
No matter what your unhealthy habit is, you can most likely find a group of people out there struggling with something similar that can help you out. The thought of opening up to a group full of strangers may be nerve-wracking, but you shouldn’t be ashamed as it’s a place you can be vulnerable as you’re all struggling with similar things. Consider asking around or checking online to find a support group to join. This should give you a platform to vent, find comfort, and also find practical solutions to your challenges. You may even find that by listening to others or being more vocal about your unhealthy habits that you’re able to overcome them much faster. If you aren’t comfortable talking about it, then perhaps consider joining an online support group and creating an alias to shield your identity.
Unlearning behavior that you’ve become so accustomed to can be very difficult. However, if you resolve to make more of an effort to redirect your thoughts and avoid things that may leave you prey to temptation, it could be a much faster process. Additionally, applying some of the distractions mentioned above and adding some of your own may also go a long way.