The definition of a habit is a behavior that is repeated daily and that is done with little to no thinking involved. We all have habits. Classification of our habits range from good, healthy habits to bad habits that can be dangerous and hinder our lives. Most people would agree that good habits are the ones we strive for. But, how can we identify which habits we have and if they are working to further us or working against us? And how can we turn our not-so-good habits into great ones that will help us attain our goals?
One way to identify which habits you have is to audit your behaviors. If you take a few minutes per day for a week to jot down your activities, then you will be able to distinguish which habits you have. Once you understand the behaviors that you tend to repeat every day, you will be able to judge which habits are desirable for you and which may not be.
Desirable habits are those that positively impact your life and help you reach your personal goals. This may take some time and self-reflection. Think about what you want to achieve. An easy way to help organize your thoughts is to make a list of goals or what you want to change about yourself. Once you’ve done so, you can classify your habits into ones that will help you get to your goal or hinder you from doing so. For instance, many people would like to improve their overall health by losing a few pounds. If that is the goal you aim for, after auditing your habits, take a good look at how you can make some changes to your everyday life to help you get there. Maybe you notice that every day at 4:00 you get hungry and end up stopping on the way home from work at a drive-thru for fries and a drink. You can change that habit by planning ahead and packing a granola bar or some fruit to eat on the way home to tide you over instead. Or you may decide that if you wake up an hour earlier, you can go on a walk before work to burn some calories.
Figuring out which habits work positively for you and which ones don’t is the first step in bettering your life. A few changes to your usual routine can make a difference and get you closer to your goals.
