November 13, 2017

Four Bad Habits To Stop Now



Hey there, friends! If you read my post on Friday then you'll find it as no surprise that throughout the awakening that I've had over the last few months I also became more aware of bad habits - some of my own bad habits but also just habits, in general, that prevent us from living fulfilled, healthy lives. Research says that it takes about 21 days for something to become a habit. When you think about it, that's not a very long time.

I always appreciate bloggers who share things that serve as a mirror. I'm hoping this is one of those kinds of posts for you. Believe me, these habits that I've included below still cause me to get tripped up and stumble over myself. I have no intention of presenting myself as a know-it-all. Far, far from it. But, through therapy and personal introspection, I know the value of mastering your own thoughts and behaviors. And isn't living a life fulfilled our goal? 

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Habit 1: SCROLLING THROUGH YOUR PHONE BEFORE BED

Why It's Bad: This is one that I struggle with every. single. day. After doing some research, though, I've discovered that this is not just a bad habit, but scientifically speaking, it's bad for you. It prevents your body from winding down and decompressing the way it should for a quality night's sleep. Research actually shows that the light given off by cell phones, laptops, and tablets prevents our brain from releasing melatonin, the hormone that tells our bodies it's time to go to bed (Business Insider). And let's be honest, no one can argue that less screen time and unplugging is a bad thing!

How To Stop: This is a hard one. Extremely hard, actually. Start by setting a small goal for yourself, take it one day at a time. Maybe you decide to put your phone away an hour before bed every night, or start less ambitiously and try for twenty minutes. Or simply set your goal that once you're in bed, you don't look at your phone anymore. Any goal is progress and with practice, over time, it will become so much easier.




Habit 2: PROCRASTINATING HOUSE CHORES

Why It's Bad: There is nothing worse than a dishwasher full of dishes just sitting there. And sitting there. Putting off house chores, for me, has a snowball effect. I put off this thing, then I put off something else, and then suddenly I have a huge list of things to do. Letting things around the house pile up just creates unnecessary stress. Life is already stressful enough!

How To Stop: As with any new habit, set a goal. Maybe you designate one night of the week as "laundry night," for example, or you say to yourself "I'm going to have _________ done by 7 p.m." Creating a to-do list is always helpful for me. Getting to draw a line through something on that list is incredibly satisfying. Start with the most daunting stuff first - go ahead and get it out of the way and then move on to less dreadful tasks. Don't feel like it all has to get done at once, either. Space it out and reward yourself when things get checked off. If you're devoting a single day to housework, don't forget the value of taking breaks. It makes you more productive and less likely to half-ass something because you're exhausted.


Habit 3: COMPARING YOURSELF

Why It's Bad: Besides, the obvious, the road of comparison leads to nowhere except sadness, insecurity, and self-doubt. As a blogger, I think this is one to which all other bloggers can relate. I've heard it mentioned tons of times in blog posts and on social media. It's just reality, though, that there are some people who seem to have everything going for them, they have their life in complete order, and they like to splash it all over social media. Am I right? But it's not just the people who do it intentionally. The ones who don't seem to do it intentionally are almost worse! They're just casually living a life on the back of their unicorn riding through fields of daisies. It's just really hard to not play the comparison game!

How To Stop: 1. Be grateful: Start with being grateful for what you do have, and don't focus on what others have or what you hope to have one day. Start a gratitude journal if necessary to help keep you focused. // 2. Do a social media detox: If you find yourself not being able to escape some of these feelings, step away from social media for a while. Or delete the people who have become a stumbling block for you. // 3. Focus on your strengths: Think about what you do well or what you've accomplished and actually write it down. Seeing a list of your awesomeness can often be a great reality check.

I want to do a post dedicated to this topic so I'm going to stop here for today. This is a great jumping off point, though!




Habit 4: SLEEPING IN YOUR MAKEUP

Why It's Bad: This one isn't as psychological as the others, but it's still valuable just the same. This is one of the first steps of skincare that my mom taught me. Never ever sleep in your makeup. Obviously, sleeping in your makeup clogs your pores and can lead to acne. After doing some research I found that it's more than just that. Makeup can hold onto pollution in the air and actually cause collagen breakdown over time. Not washing off your eye makeup can cause irritation and in worse case scenarios, eye infection. You can read more about the effects of not washing off your makeup in this HuffPost article, and this Bustle article puts it in very simple terms. Bottom line: It's just bad.

How To Stop: Simply put - just stop. I feel like there isn't a goal setting strategy for this one. There's nothing good that comes from sleeping in your makeup. If you think this is something that's going to be difficult for you, then start with convenience. Try some quick and easy makeup remover wipes to start - you can even keep these next to your bed. As you create a routine for yourself, this will become easier and, if you're like me, no matter how late it is, you'll take time to wash your face at night. Your sixty-year-old self will thank you!


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If you have questions or comments about what I shared in this post or any other post, feel free to email me! I would love to chat! julieleahblog@gmail.com
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2 comments

Unknown said...

Oh man, the phone scrolling! I can't seem to stop! I try - I'm getting better - but it's just so easy to get sucked in! I always think I'm winding down by doing it, but really, I'm just amping right back up.

PerfectlyObsessed said...

Love seeing these types of posts from you. I find it helpful to add something I associate as good to something I hate doing. For example, currently my achellies heel is dishes. I went from living at home with my parents and a dishwasher to having to do all of my dishes. My current "bribe" if you will is to let myself listen to Christmas music while I'm doing something that I feel is less than pleasant Soon enough I'm doing the dishes with a big grin on my face.