4 Habits To Break Before The New Year And How To Do It

New Year is practically here. And as always, you’ve probably already made a mental list of goals for 2021 that includes the habits you need to break.

We wish you luck, but we know that with the same speed that you did, it is possible that you will miss it. Missing each of the things that you put on your list of future habits to quit and achievements to achieve is as classic as saying that you start the diet on Monday.

But do not worry. If this year you are determined to fulfill your commitments to yourself, to be a renewed person full of good energy by 2021, we will teach you to break bad habits and start January on the right foot.

Bad habits to break before the New Year

A habit is a behavior that is repeated very frequently in our day to day life. They can be good or bad things. Bad habits are those that threaten health and quality of life, bringing negative results.

1. Stop smoking as a primary habit that you must break

Tobacco use kills 8 million lives a year, according to the WHO. Furthermore, smokers are among the most vulnerable to disease. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cigarette smoking is linked to around 80% to 90% of lung cancer deaths.

Smokers are 15 to 30 times more likely to die from lung cancer than non-smokers. Therefore, those who stop doing so reduce the risk. Kidshealth recommends seeking support from family and friends, as well as following some steps to quit tobacco use:

• Set a date to start the process.
• Discard all cigarettes.
• Wash clothes and everything that smells of tobacco.
• Analyze why you smoke and remove any connection to it.
• Replace cigarettes with something else, like mints or carrot sticks.

2. Dodge clutter

Accumulating things attracts dust and is the perfect place for unwanted visitors like mites, which brings us allergies. Allergies are an extreme response to certain substances. In the case of dust, the symptoms are usually respiratory.

To get allergies out of your life, remove excess accumulated things in boxes, magazines, newspapers, table decorations and items that may have mites. Clean frequently, use blinds, set up and shake your bed well.

3. Avoid eating late

On vacation it is usual to get up late and skip breakfast or go to bed very late and eat some snacks during the morning watching series. Let’s not talk about sugar-laden afternoon snacks.

We have all eaten after hours. Studies indicate this habit is associated with weight gain and a metabolic alteration that can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

4. Procrastination is a habit that you must break

Procrastination is putting off any planned activity by making excuses. It happens because you want to avoid situations that generate some kind of stress at all costs. This affects emotional health.

To put procrastination aside, it is recommended to use mindfulness  and become aware of the situation. Procrastination is the act of deciding to do nothing, knowing that in the long run it will be worse. In addition, it is suggested to divide the task into several phases or sections to make the process more bearable.

How to leave bad habits behind for the New Year?

Humans are made of habits. Every day we repeat almost the same patterns in some things. Therefore, leaving them is not easy. It requires a lot of discipline, effort and dedication. To get them out there are strategies.

First identify why. Look at the reasons that make you fall into your bad habit. It can be stress, hunger, or an automatic response to some external stimulus.

Then interrupt the triggering processes. Change something in your routine. The important thing is that you don’t feel the reason behind the bad habit. Break away from those automatic processes. If you know that stress from the sound of the street makes you bite your nails, change rooms or find out how to isolate the noise.

The next thing is to replace one habit with another. If your habit is lip biting, you can find another activity that is beneficial to your health and that interferes. Start exercising, reading, chewing on carrot sticks, apples, or mints.

In general, learned behaviors are what make up our day to day. They will continue in the depths of the subconscious moving the gears. But for our well-being it is always good to leave the bad behind, unlearn to learn and start over.