We all have bad habits that hold us back in our business and personal lives. But habits don’t have to be permanent. And if you’re serious about changing your ways, don’t be intimidated by thinking it’s a matter of willpower. It’s about changing your bad habits and replacing them with new, better habits.
Steps to Changing Your Bad Habits
- Choose one bad habit to change at a time.
- Tell others how you will change your bad habit.
- Repeat to yourself daily your commitment to change your bad habit.
- Commit to daily acting out your new, better habit.
- Remind your colleagues about your habit change so they can keep you accountable.
First, choose just one habit you want to change. You don’t want to bite off more than you can chew. The habit can and often will be a habit of omission. For instance, maybe you often miss appointments or neglect your paperwork. Next, tell yourself how you’re going to replace your habit. Write it down and tell others. The more colleagues who know you’re trying to change, the easier it will be for them to keep you accountable.
Every day, take a few minutes to think about the habit you are changing and repeat to yourself (out loud, if you’ve got some privacy) your commitment to change your ways. You can also use this time to undertake the replacement habit. For instance, if you’ve resolved to improve the timely filing of paperwork, doing this daily or weekly at a regularly scheduled time is ideal. If the problem is missing meetings, it is essential to take a few minutes to check your calendar at the beginning of every day to prioritize your tasks. Remind your colleagues about your habit change so they can help keep you on the right path.
Consistency is Key
In 30 days (actually, studies say it’s really 66 days), you can replace your bad habits with better ones. Remember, it’s not about willpower or the number of days. It’s about routines and consistency.
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