Changing Habits - Aram Connection

When people think about habits it can be confusing. Are habits activities that we put in place to be healthy? Or are they patterns we feel the need to break? Maybe a little bit of both.

“Bad habits” are the ones that can be frustrating. Maybe you have a friend who has tried to quit smoking or drink less coffee. They will often share how hard it is for them to change their behavior. Even when they know their health is being negatively impacted, stopping a habit is still a challenge.

For example, getting enough sleep is a good habit to have. Being able to sleep well, and sleep enough, can be linked to maintaining both mental and physical health. However, nighttime habits like screen or smartphone use can compromise good sleep.

Determine Why You Want to Make a Change.

Start by identifying the reasons you want to sleep more. It can make it easier to improve sleep if you know why improving it matters to you. Maybe you want to have more energy to get through the work day. Or maybe you would like to feel rested enough in the morning to do something good for yourself, such as meditate, read, or exercise.

When people tell us why we should do more or less of something it may not be enough to get motivated. In order to substitute a better habit for a negative one, it helps to be excited about how you want to feel different in the future.

Maybe you’ve established that on days when you feel rested you experience less anxiety. Anxiety can create a great deal of disruption in people’s lives. Work meetings may feel more stressful, or you might feel irritable or on edge. Identifying that you would like to feel less stressed can help you get going.

Set Realistic Goals

Take a look at when you find yourself staying up too late. Is it to catch up on “me time” or to catch up with the latest show on Netflix? As you work on creating a good habit, changing everything all at once may result in a sense of failure.

To implement your new habit you could start by setting back your screen time incrementally. Try gradually scaling back your screen time before bed by 15 minutes each week. Taking it slow can help make the change more manageable. Going forward one step at a time can help you monitor how your rest is improving.

Be Flexible

There will be days that incorporating your new habit will be challenging. Family parties and work deadlines may make winding down harder at night. Be good to your self. Tomorrow will present another opportunity to work at getting more rest and reducing anxiety in the process.

Your Support System Matters

Other people may not want to make the changes you are. Respect their choices and look for reassurance from people who can help you look at your overall goal of reducing anxiety. Substitute that screen time with a phone call to a friend or a short walk around the block. Remember, building a new habit takes time until it becomes a part of your routine. Be patient and keep it up!

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