From procrastinating to smoking, nail biting or spending too much time in front of Netflix, we all have bad habits that we could stand to lose.
But these everyday addictions can be hard to break because they are so deeply wired into our brains.
So, what can we do to help break these bad habits for good?
According to one expert, your success lies in one simple word – “don’t.”
Speaking to Today, psychologist Amantha Imber says that habits are so difficult to quit because they are hard wired through default behaviour and that trying to go against this means the brain has to work incredibly hard.
As such, the easy thing to do is go back to the default behaviour and continue with your bad habits.
However, by using the word “don’t” - either in conversation or as self-talk - Imber suggests that you can take complete control of your behaviour.
“If we say ‘I don't eat sugar’ rather than ‘I can't eat sugar’ we internalise this and that is how we truly act,” she said.
“Say you’re trying to eat less junk food for example, rather than saying you can’t have fries with your burger say you don’t have fries with your burger.”
The psychologist also claims that research has shown people who say “don’t” rather than “can’t” are 50 per cent more likely to stick to behavioural change and that it is effective because it allows for choice over restriction.
Imber also revealed that removing temptation in the first place is another great way to try and ditch unhealthy habits.
“For example, if you're trying to reduce your social media use, delete the Facebook app from your phone,” she suggested.
Lastly, she added that willpower is often strongest in the morning so if you’re trying to make changes it’s easier to do so early in the day rather than the evening.
Want to hit the gym more? Then avoid putting it off by waking up earlier and getting your session complete before work.
