This Stoptober, use our simple guide to finally break bad habits and form better, healthier habits that restore your natural potential.

As much as we try, no one is perfect all of the time. Everybody has habits that we regret but continue to do anyway because we’re human. In fact, research has suggested that the average adult will try to put a stop to their ‘bad’ habit around twice a year. It might be something as small as checking social media first thing in the morning or as impactful on your well-being as smoking.

It’s understandable to feel a bit lost when trying to go about breaking a habit that’s been a part of your life for a long time like biting your nails or smoking a cigarette. However, once you understand what steps go into creating a habit and therefore how to break ‘bad’ habits in favour of ‘good’ ones, it’s simple and achievable!

The two main starting points are to:

• Motivate yourself: List the benefits of stopping the bad habit – big and small. In what ways would stopping improve your life and wellness? For nail-biters, that could be something as simple as being able to treat yourself to a manicure. For social media users, it could be improving your attention span or sleeping better without having your phone to hand before bed. For smokers, it might be improving health, or just not having to constantly step outside during work or social events.
• Swap bad for good: Consider what ‘good’ habits could replace the bad to contribute even more to your quality of life. Perhaps it could be meditation first thing in the morning rather than browsing Facebook, or drinking a cup of your favourite tea in place of having a cigarette.

A habit is formed in three stages: the ‘trigger’, the ‘action’ and the ‘reward’. When we first start performing an action, we are consciously aware of the trigger. In smokers, the trigger may have initially been a stressful event for which only smoking a cigarette (action) could bring about relief (reward), then repeated until the habit loop is almost entirely subconscious. 

So, in order to break a habit and form a new good one, we break it down into these three achievable steps:

1. Identifying the trigger for your bad habit. Stress? Boredom? Does it happen at certain times of day or in certain places?
2. What action could go in place of the bad habit to create a new good habit? Is it something that can be done at the same times of day or in the same places?
3. What reward would the new good habit give you? Is it more appealing than the bad habit’s ‘reward’? (If not, think of a different new action!)

Try these straightforward steps with one small habit at a time, and empower yourself to tackle the bigger habits that you’ve always wished you could cut out of your routine. It’s said that it only takes a matter of weeks to form a habit; make it a good one that rejuvenates your mind and well-being!

Reconnect with life’s pleasures. Reward yourself for prioritising your health and restoring your natural potential. 

Natural Fit can support you in your newfound habit-forming skills to make our invigorating exercise and wellness ethos part of your rejuvenation process. Celebrate your efforts in our revitalising spa and café.