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Bad Habits – Part One

Introduction

I can just imagine your thoughts when you read the title to this article, not just bad habits, but part one as well.

Bad habits can have an effect on your health,  that is fact, as regards to part one, I have no less than twenty five articles on bad habits.  As you can quickly realise that could easily equate to twenty five articles, let alone reduce them to just a few parts.

My aim is to give you insights into the large number of bad habits, which we can easily acquire.  However I will also give an insight into how these can be avoided.

To avoid getting this subject out of control I have divided it  into four parts.  Due to the complexity of the subject and to avoid this dragging on for a number of weeks, I hope to keep each part to a sensible length, at least below two thousand words, but I cannot guarantee this.

Have looked at all the parts I notice that smoking, alcohol and drugs frequent a number of sub articles, have left these in as I consider that they are important in that particular context.

Parts one to three will look at various types of bad habits, part four will concentrate on how to avoid and break them.

Let us then examine the six topics which I have put in part one.

Addictive Bad Habits


Are addictions really bad habits? Well, according to the habit model of addiction, they are. 

People who smoke cigarettes often feel persecuted, and while smoking isn’t illegal, it’s frowned upon by society. It used
to be that you could smoke anywhere, but now it’s banned in many places.

Many people have given up their bad habits, but the truth is, they’re still addicted in some way. 

Nicotine in smokeless tobacco is just as addictive, and sleeping pills can be so addictive that you need higher and higher doses to fall asleep. 

Alcohol can be a bad habit if you drink to excess, and drugs can have devastating effects. Even legal drugs like pain pills can be dangerous if you get into the habit of taking them. 

If you have an addictive bad habit, you need help to get over it.

Your brain will still go into that addictive mode if you’re exposed to the sights, smells, or sounds of your addiction, and it’s no wonder that people struggle with them for years.

Bad habits in the workplace

Everyone suffers when bad habits run rampant in the workplace. Habits like tardiness, absenteeism, and poor paperwork can make for an environment that’s unproductive, unfriendly, or even unsafe. That’s why it’s so important to recognize these habits in yourself and take steps to correct them.

Tardiness is one of the most noticeable bad habits in the workplace. People may be late to arrive, late back from break, and late back from lunch. Not only does this put them at risk of losing their job, but it can affect the productivity of the whole team.

Another bad habit is absenteeism. Many companies now lump together sick days, personal days, and vacation days into one set number of days off. This can make it easy to fall into the habit of taking days off wheneveryou feel like it, leaving you without any days off when you really need them.

Bad habits can also creep up when it comes to paperwork. People may not properly account for their expenses, not keep receipts required by their company, or fail to accurately record mileage on their company cars. On top of this, some people have an aversion to paperwork altogether, and have bad habits of not filling out jobsite reports.

Keeping your workspace clean can also help you get more work done, but many people have bad habits when it comes to keeping their desks and offices neat. If your desk is full of half-empty pop cans and crumpled up fast food bags, it won’t help you get anything done.

Finally, people often get into the bad habit of losing things. This could be important paperwork, critical contracts, or even tools. If you don’t pay attention when you lay down your tools, you may not remember where you put them when it’s time to clean up.

If you want to make an impression at work, it’s important to get a grip on your bad habits. Good habits are what will make you succeed, so be sure to keep an eye on the habits you bring to the table.

Bad Habits in Sport


Sports can be a blast to play and watch, as long as you don’t let bad habits get in the way.

To be successful in any sport, you need to develop the right habits that will help you win. That includes taking care of your body – smoking and drinking don’t mix well with sports.

Smoking can affect your breathing and alcohol can dehydrate you and slow your coordination. It’s important to stay hydrated, but be sure to avoid alcohol – there’s usually plenty of water and electrolyte-rich drinks to choose from.

Another bad habit athletes can fall into is not getting enough sleep. After a hard practice or game, it’s tempting to stay up late, but if you push yourself too hard, it can take you out of the game.

Stretching and warming up are essential, even for pros, but bad habits can take over and people will jump into their sport without any preparation. This can lead to injury and exhaustion.

Safety equipment is a must for any sport, especially in professional sports. Not using proper safety gear can be a dangerous mistake, and even if you’re an amateur, you should be careful about it.

For example, golfers should wear golf shoes instead of slick dress shoes, and bikers should always wear a helmet.

Finally, remember to be a team player. If you try to take all the glory, your team won’t have your back. Working together as a cohesive unit can help you achieve great things.

So, suit up and leave your bad habits on the bench – sports can be a great way to have fun and make a living.

Financial Bad Habits

Having good financial habits is essential, but it’s all too easy to slip into bad ones. Many of us don’t have enough money to buy whatever we want without a second thought, so we have to be mindful of our purchases and stay on top of our finances.

Credit cards are especially dangerous; it’s easy to get your hands on several Visas, Mastercards, Amex, and even retail store cards, and before you know it you’re maxed out and can’t make the minimum payments.

Borrowing from relatives might seem like an option, but it’s just another bad habit – they may be willing to help at first, but eventually the money will run out and you’ll be on your own. The same goes for borrowing from friends; it’s a strain on the relationship that can be hard to come back from.

Making a budget and sticking to it is key. Writing it down on paper or in a spreadsheet can help you stay organized and ensure that you have everything accounted for.

The same goes for paying your utility bills – don’t get into the bad habit of relying on the grace period, or you could end up without lights or water. And when it comes to your checking account, keep all the paperwork – deposit, ATM, and debit slips – until it’s recorded in your account, and make sure to reconcile it regularly.

With the right habits, you can make your life much less stressful and more productive.

Inconsiderate bad habits

Some bad habits can be pretty thoughtless. When people don’t take into consideration the feelings of those around them, it can lead to a lot of trouble. In the kitchen, for example, you might find someone drinking from the milk jug or juice carton, not realizing that someone else might not be comfortable drinking after them.

Or they might open two-liter bottles of pop and leave the caps off, causing the soda to go flat. Or they might open up a can of soda and not finish it, leaving it for someone else to finish. In the refrigerator, they might take food out and leave it on the counter to spoil, or they might stand there with the door open, letting all the cold air out. If the refrigerator is an older model, they might not fill up the ice cube trays, leaving them empty in the freezing compartment. 

And then there’s the freeloaders, who take food without being offered any, or take more than they’ve been
given.

When it comes to the bathroom, some people are guilty of hogging it, not giving others enough time to get ready. And let’s not forget the classic bad habit of men leaving the toilet seat up, which can be a real hazard for women who don’t expect it. 

And when it comes to cars, it’s inconsiderate to borrow someone else’s and not put gas in it, or to
leave the windows down when you know rain is coming.

If you take the time to think about other people’s feelings each day, you’ll be less likely to engage in inconsiderate bad habits. You’ll find that you’re appreciated more when you’re able to control your behaviors
and curb your bad habits.

Medical treatment for bad habits

Can bad habits be cured through medical treatments? Some say yes; they’ve had success in overcoming their addictions with the help of science. 

There are many treatments available for those who want to break their cravings, like nicotine replacement options for smokers. Patches are a popular choice, as they can be stuck on the skin and forgotten
until the end of the day – ideal for those with morning cravings. Nicotine gum is also a great solution if you need something to do with your mouth. Just chew it for a while, then place it between your cheek and gum and the nicotine will be absorbed into your bloodstream.

Nicotine lozenges work in a similar way. There are also nicotine nasal sprays and inhalers available on prescription. The spray delivers an instant hit of nicotine, while the inhaler gives users an experience
similar to smoking, helping to wean them off their bad habits. 

However, you can’t cheat when using these treatments – smoking while wearing a nicotine patch can lead to a dangerous spike in blood pressure.

Prescription medications are also used to help people quit their bad habits. Zyban has been used to stop smoking for a few years now, and it’s also an anti-depressant that helps eliminate the urge to smoke. Chantrix, or varenicline, is another medication that can help, as it eases withdrawal symptoms and makes smoking less enjoyable afterwards.

It’s even more effective than Zyban, plus it can help with alcohol addiction too. For opiate addiction, methadone has been used for over thirty years to control withdrawal symptoms from quitting drugs like
heroin and morphine.

Although drug treatments of bad habits have their issues, they can be beneficial too. Many treatments have helped people to stop addictive behaviors, but it takes more than just the medication and a lot of
determination.

Conclusion for Part One

Think that these six articles will give you a lot of food for thought in the way that you look at any bad habits that you may have picked up over the years.  If there are only one or two that you realise that you have, try to get rid of them and see how you feel.  Not forgetting others whom that habit could also affect.

The next article which will be posted on Monday will be Bad Habits – Part Two

Stay healthy

Stuart

https://healthyyouonline.com


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8 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for your post on bad habits, it seems that at every corner or area of our lives, we must do our best to cultivate good habits because it can be so easy to get into bad habbits and continue in this pattern can rob us of so much that we can accomplish or life has to offer. The seem way bad habbits started it can stop as well. It is all up to us to recognize this and begin to work towards good habbits or positive change.

  2. Hi,

    The section on addictive bad habits struck a chord with me. It’s sobering to think about how addictions can manifest in so many different forms, from smoking and drinking to prescription medications. The reminder that breaking these habits often requires help and support is important.

    The part about bad habits in the workplace was also quite eye-opening. Tardiness, absenteeism, and poor paperwork can really have a significant impact on not only an individual’s career but also the overall productivity and atmosphere of a workplace. It’s a wake-up call to be more mindful of these behaviors.

    Inconsiderate bad habits may seem small, but they can really have a big impact on relationships and day-to-day life. It’s a good reminder to be mindful of how our actions affect others.

    This has given me a lot to think about. I’m going to start by identifying a few bad habits in my own life and work towards breaking them. Thanks for sharing this valuable information! Looking forward to Part Two. Stay healthy too!

    • This is most helpful, many thanks, as I was proof reading all four parts I picked up a number of bad habits that I have.  It is surprising that we do not always realise what bad habits we do have.

  3. Hey thank you for this amazing information packed post!

    We all know to well how bad habits really can effect life in a negative way. They can certainly get in our way of achieving success so for that reason it is essential to try to tackle them step by step!

    This post perfectly summed up everything about these habits! I have quite a few which I am trying to work on to fix!

    Thank you again and have a great day!

  4. Your website is great. I really liked the depth of your knowledge about health issues.

    But I want to point out two issues that I think you might want to revisit.

    The headings on the menu has got content which is not relevant to your health website. There are pages titled Affiliate Disclosure and another one is Copyright. People are coming to Living a Healthier Life website for helpful health solutions.

    The second issue that you might want to look at is the use of visuals. Find a couple of high definition pictures and blend with your words in the article.

    Besides those two issues, your content is very informative.

    • Raymond, many thanks for your comments, regarding Affiliate Disclosure and Copyright they are a legal requirement for my site, but I do take your point.

      Totally agree with your comments regarding the use of visuals, something that I hope to address in the future.

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