Useful human habits. Bad and good habits

Bad and good habits: getting rid of the first, starting the second April 7, 2013, 00:00 | Katya Kozhevnikova

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Have you heard what holiday it is today? World Health Day! In this regard, I propose to think about what we think about last - about health . But I won’t bore you for a long time on the topic “health is better than ill health.” I suggest we talk about our bad and good habits and think about how to get rid of the first and start the second .

A significant part of our life is habits . They make up our day, influence character, health, shape the present and future. But habit is still not destiny; we can decide for ourselves which ones we need and which ones we don’t.

What is the disadvantage of habits? Once you have them, it is very difficult to get rid of them. What's the use of them? Exactly the same: when an action becomes a habit, it does not require concentration. Accordingly, the only difference is what sign your habit has - plus or minus .

Useful habits: grow and cherish

A habit is something that is done automatically. It’s not difficult for us to brush our teeth in the morning or wash our face in the evening. And all because over the years these actions have become a habit.

Developing new healthy habits is not easy, but it’s worth the effort. After all, in the future it will be easy for you to do this. It's like getting an education - you have to work hard first in order to receive dividends in the future. It is believed that it takes about 40 days for some actions to become a habit.

So, what useful habits should you cultivate in yourself?

• Morning work-out. Few residents of big cities can boast that they get a good night's sleep. So morning is already a difficult time of day for us. And the idea that we will have to wave our arms and legs at this time is not at all encouraging. So at first you will have to force yourself. But morning exercises tones up much more effectively than morning coffee. So, once it becomes a habit, you will feel much better in the morning.
• Run. Running is very useful. And not only for the figure, but also for the heart. By the way, you don't have to run in the morning. On the contrary, it is contraindicated for so-called “night owls” to do this - the body is not yet ready for the stress, the pulse goes through the roof, and this does more harm than good. So it’s better to run at a time convenient for you and comfortable for your body three times a week. It is believed that it is most beneficial for the body to run at a low heart rate, when the heart rate does not exceed 120 beats per minute. In this rhythm, the heart trains, but does not wear out. A heart monitor will help you monitor your heart rate while running. But keep in mind that you are unlikely to be able to run right away at such a low heart rate - you will have to alternate running with walking. But within a month you will notice positive dynamics and will be able to run at a heart rate of 120 without stopping.
• Walking. In modern life there is often not enough time for sports. But no one is stopping you from walking and climbing stairs, right? If you walk up the escalators in the metro, you will also save time. At first it will be difficult to get used to this, but then you will forget that you can just stand on the escalator.
• Fruits and vegetables. A good habit is to eat more fruits and vegetables. Try to buy more healthy products in the store, and at home you will have to get creative: instead of a cake, eat a fruit salad, and for dinner, instead of sausages, make a light vegetable salad.

If you don't have the willpower to force yourself to do something, try starting with simpler actions. For example, I once hated running and physically could not push myself to go for a run. Where can we talk about developing habits? Then I started doing exercises regularly - it was also not easy, but, in any case, it was doable. And when you conquer one small peak, another one becomes closer .

Another tip is to try to link new habits to existing ones . For example, I brushed my teeth and did exercises. Or this: breakfast only after running. But I want to eat! You don’t have to waste time, but go for a run.

And, most importantly, remember: the discomfort you are experiencing now is not forever. Time will pass, and you will stop suffering because of new responsibilities, and then you will learn to enjoy them. True true.

Bad habits: trash

They say that the easiest way for us to get used to what is harmful is. “Everything I like is either unhealthy, immoral, or leads to obesity.” But the point is not that we are bad by nature. The fact is that bad habits are usually simpler than good ones . It's easier to drink beer in the evening than to play sports. It’s easier to lie down in front of the TV than to read a smart book. So we follow the path of least resistance, overgrown with bad habits like a Christmas tree - with toys.

• Alcohol. The problem with alcohol, in my opinion, is that many people associate it with celebration, relaxation and entertainment. It turns out that there is no holiday, there is no holiday, but only gray everyday life. But, you see, constantly coloring them with alcohol-containing drinks is a bad practice. To get rid of this habit, you should find for yourself and your friends other ways of entertainment and hobbies that are difficult to combine with drinking alcohol. Joint sports activities, discussion clubs, trips to museums. Regular driving can also dramatically reduce the percentage of alcohol in your life.
• Smoking. Probably, few people have illusions about smoking - everyone understands that it is a bad habit. Anti-tobacco laws are now being adopted that will significantly complicate the life of a smoker. So, if you have this bad habit, it's time to get rid of it. Myths that it is impossible to quit smoking or that it will inevitably lead to rapid weight gain, as it seems to me, are spread by tobacco companies. For many, the most important thing about smoking is not physical, but psychological addiction. A cigarette is associated with relaxation, encouragement, or other positive emotions. Try to tie these emotions to other actions. For example, if you are used to being distracted by a smoke break while working, give yourself “nicotine-free smoke breaks”: just get up from the computer several times a day, walk around the office, go outside.
• Junk food. Mayonnaise and other sauces, spices, fast food - it's actually not that tasty, it's just a habit. And if you wean yourself from junk food, it will no longer seem appetizing to you. At first, normal food may seem too bland and even tasteless, but this is only for a while. It’s the same as if you look at the bright sun and temporarily lose the ability to see in the semi-darkness. In my opinion, the easiest way to wean yourself off junk food is to temporarily limit your diet. For example, after a strict diet, fasting, or even a hike, hamburgers no longer seem so attractive.

We usually associate bad habits with pleasure, so it seems that after giving them up, the quality of life will inevitably decrease and a bright, cheerful life will turn into a dull but useful existence. In fact, it's the other way around. When we give up bad habits, it turns out that there are a lot of useful reasons for joy in life. In addition, we feel better and do not experience remorse and torment for ruining our own health.

Together

Practice shows that it is better to give up bad habits and cultivate good ones in parallel , since these processes are interconnected. For example, you usually don’t want to smoke after an active run. Sports hobbies, such as yoga, change a person’s taste preferences to healthier ones (tested from personal experience). And if you know that you need to get up early in the morning and do some exercise, you'll most likely refuse the offer to skip a couple of cocktails.

Happy Health Day to you and a healthy lifestyle!

What habits do you have? Which ones would you like to give up, and which ones, on the contrary, would you like to get?

Katya Kozhevnikova , etoya.ru

How does a habit appear?

Anyone can train themselves to automatically move. But first you have to consciously set a goal.

For example, a person wants to learn how to cook soup. For this he will be very attentive the first time. Select a pan. Carefully chop the vegetables specified in the recipe. Fry some of them in a frying pan. Throws everything into the pan in a certain sequence.

Consciousness will work very actively. But if a person continues to prepare soup every day, then after a while all movements will occur automatically. At the same time, he can think about anything, listen to music or watch TV. The subconscious mind will not allow you to make mistakes in mechanical movements.

The hardest thing is not to acquire, but to get rid of habits. A person must again actively connect consciousness. Bad and good habits obey his will.

What is a habit and where does it come from?

Habits are not called second nature for nothing. In psychology, this definition means a characteristic form of behavior that does not require volitional and mental effort from a person.

In another way, we can say that this is a tendency towards something that has become permanent for a person. In social science, a habit is an unconscious automatic pattern of behavior that manifests itself under repeated conditions.

Humans are thought to engage in two forms of behavior:

• goal-oriented - it requires effort and control from us, forces us to think and make informed decisions, but it is easy to change if the goal changes;
• habits - such actions do not require mental and psychological costs, but it is very difficult to change an established way of life, even if a person has such a goal.

If the same action or reaction occurs under the same conditions, then a habit is formed. At the same time, a person experiences joy, peace and satisfaction. If without this action the consciousness feels uncomfortable, then the habit has already taken root. The most annoying thing is that good habits, as a rule, are more difficult to learn than bad ones.

We learn many inclinations in childhood, looking at our relatives. The fragile child's psyche cannot yet consciously filter what is worth remembering and what is better to ignore. Therefore, it is so important that the environment sets the right example for the child.

It is impossible not to touch upon the physiological side of this phenomenon. It turns out that a habit is formed neural connections in brain structures. That is, often a person simply has no choice: he becomes hostage to a certain algorithm. And therein lies the main danger. After all, when you try to violate the chosen model, the brain begins to protest in every possible way, provoking anxiety and discomfort.

Bad habits

These actions, developed over the years, can poison the life of both the individual himself and his loved ones. And it also happens that a habit harms not the owner himself, but his environment. Vivid examples:

• loud laughter;
• inability to listen to others;
• sharp rise in voice;
• caustic remarks.

However, all of the above cannot cause physical harm, only moral harm. It's easy to get rid of this if you want.

What is a bad habit? This is the opposite of useful. It brings a lot of trouble and makes the life of its owner unbearable, even if he does not notice it.

Adverse habits

The most dangerous habits are:

• smoking;
• gluttony;
• alcoholism;
• obsession with toxic substances, drugs, pills;
• gambling addiction.

Such habits can kill a person. They quickly develop into an addiction and a disease that needs to be treated in hospitals under the supervision of professional doctors.

These problems may appear due to a weakened mental state or problems with the nervous system.

Among the indecent habits are the following:

• nose picking;
• aggression;
• nail biting;
• groundless jealousy;
• constant yawning;
• frequent delays.

They are not as harmful as the previous ones, but nevertheless they spoil relationships between people.

Useful human habits

A person who succeeds in life has a number of useful skills that have been brought to automaticity. They serve him in order to achieve what he wants.

The most useful human habits:

• Go to bed early and rise early. A normal person needs at least six hours of sleep a night. People who wake up earlier, when the brain is in the active stage, manage to get much more things done than sleepy people.
• Eat right. An active person builds his diet in such a way that the body begins to work for him. Vegetables, fish, meat, fruits, dairy products provide health and longevity. You need to develop good habits and don’t stop when passing fast food, don’t look through the window. It is advisable to avoid carbonated water.
• The ability to give thanks. This habit is difficult to develop. Positive emotions, a smile given to another person, are returned doubly. Having done something nice for someone else, a person realizes his importance and remains satisfied with himself for the whole day.
• Get rid of envy. Being offended by others because they succeeded is one of the most bad habits. You need to learn to be happy for people. And achieve your goal.
• Live in the present. Planning ahead is very useful, but you need to remember how fleeting existence can be. What can be done today - clean your shoes for the morning in the evening, prepare clothes, pack your bag, prepare food, stock up on groceries - should not be postponed until the next day. There is no point in constantly thinking about the past or dreaming about the future. This limits your own capabilities and nullifies good habits.

• Positive thinking is the most useful skill anyone can develop. Any situation, even the worst, can be perceived as an obstacle that makes the one who overcame it stronger.
• Education. You need to study at any age. The main thing is to make it a goal in itself to learn something new in a day.
• Exceed the plan. It’s good when a person can do everything that he has written down in advance in his actions for the day. But it is better if he is able to exceed his own expectations and create useful habits from this.

Good and bad habits of the smartest people on the planet

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These geniuses are a strange people: the most gifted people in the world indulge in both creativity and drunkenness with depression with equal obsession. The best representatives of humanity talk with presidents, control minds and set fashion trends, but, having lost their temper, they burn their masterpieces, jump from windows, or can easily cut off an “unnecessary” part of the body (Van Gogh’s ear or William Burroughs’ finger are examples of this).

What is going on in the heads of these eccentrics? Let's figure it out.

Traditionally, intelligence level is determined by IQ (Intelligence Quotient). On the IQ scale, intelligence levels are divided approximately as follows:

• 100 points - average intelligence;
• 115 points - above average;
• 140 points - genius;
• 160 points - extraordinary genius.

Let's look at the habits and characteristics of people with high IQ levels. So, what are people with outstanding mental abilities famous for?

Positive Habits of Great People 1. Overcome Challenges 2. Set Specific Goals 3. Read a Lot 4. Have Good Self-Control 5. Reflect on Thinking Bad Habits of Great People 1. Drink 2. Use Drugs 3. Stay Up Late 4. Suffer from Anxiety Attacks

Positive Habits of Great People

1. Overcome difficulties

Examples? Please, they are known to many:

Albert Einstein (IQ - 160) did not speak until he was 4 years old.

Bill Gates (IQ - 160) failed his first business.

Thomas Edison (IQ - 145) conducted more than a thousand unsuccessful experiments when creating his famous light bulb.

Benjamin Franklin (IQ - 160) was expelled from school at age 10.

Beethoven (IQ - 165) suffered from self-doubt and low self-esteem.

2. Set specific goals for themselves

Yes, outstanding people always know exactly what they want. But how can we, mere mortals, achieve such determination? Follow suit. Students at one university were given the task of preparing and submitting a project in 4 weeks. As a result, 43% of young people who did not even write down the assignment completed the project on time. Among those who formulated the task in writing, 64% completed it. And of those guys who not only wrote down the task, but also shared it with friends, as many as 76% successfully completed the project.

Be clear about what you want. Write down your goals and don't be afraid to share them.

• Why does living without a goal always lead to success?

3. They read a lot

Someone might think: “So what? Only your eyes spoil you, bookworms.” Unfortunately, this opinion is widespread in the modern world, so let us briefly remind you of the benefits of reading:

• reading improves verbal skills;
• increases concentration;
• helps to better formulate thoughts;
• improves memory;
• improves writing skills;
• improves problem solving skills.

15 minutes of reading every day will enrich you by more than 1 million words per year.

• Daily routine: advice from famous entrepreneurs

4. They control themselves well.

The degree of self-control of people with high IQ is clearly visible in... statistics on teenage sex and age at loss of virginity. Yes, you heard right - the likelihood of losing virginity at an early age directly depends on the level of intelligence: it is 5 times higher in people whose IQ level is less than 100 points.

Interestingly, each additional IQ point increases the likelihood of maintaining virginity as follows: for guys, one point is equal to a 2.7% chance, and for girls - 1.7%.

According to statistics, 87% of undergrads have had sex. Let’s compare this figure with the indicators of the best universities in the world:

• Harvard - 59%;
• Princeton - 56%;
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - 51%.

The figures illustrate the truly ironclad endurance of students at leading universities.

• When to use sex to increase sales?

5. Think about thinking

When listing the strange habits of great people, one cannot fail to mention metacognition - the knowledge of one’s own knowledge and thinking process. Doing this exciting activity develops critical thinking and cognitive skills (comparison, analysis, deducing the general and the particular).

Intellectuals are famous for these positive characteristics. Now let's talk about the vices inherent in the smartest people.

• Is it worth fighting procrastination, or a guide to orderly distraction

Bad habits of great people

1. Drink

Studies have shown that smart children have a greater tendency to drink alcohol at an adult age than their peers. According to statistics (collected in the USA), people whose IQ is below 75 tend to drink alcohol only a few times a year. People with an IQ exceeding 125 points take a bottle once a month or more often.

2. They use drugs

The British Cohort Study once tested IQ in children aged 5, 10 and 16 years. Thirty years later, subjects were asked whether they had used drugs in the past year. Here are the results: Men with an IQ score above 107 were twice as likely to use illegal substances as their peers. Women whose intelligence was above 107 used drugs three times more often than their peers.

3. Go to bed late

In 2005, a study was conducted in which more than 20 thousand students took IQ tests. Ten years later, the study was developed - subjects were asked to share their preferences about sleep: usual bedtime, duration, etc.

As you may have guessed, bedtime also depends on your IQ level. Typically, people with an IQ below 75 go to bed before midnight, while people with a high IQ (125 or above) stay up well past midnight.

Of course, no one would put this little thing on a par with problems such as alcoholism and drug addiction, if not for one thing: regular lack of sleep increases the risk of heart disease and obesity, as well as the likelihood of depression.

What can I say? Get enough sleep, geniuses, humanity needs you!

• Daily routine: how to increase your own productivity with a to-do list?

4. Suffer from anxiety attacks

According to a 2012 study, people with high IQs experience significantly more worry and anxiety in their lives than people with lower IQ scores.

Don't forget that chronic anxiety leads to depression, neuroses and bad habits.

Addiction to alcohol, drugs and periodic nervous breakdowns in public will not make you smarter: you should not take everything too literally.

Take care of yourself and enjoy high conversions!

Based on materials from entrepreneur.com
16-12-2013

Getting rid of bad habits

It was already mentioned earlier that any acquired skills can be fought. The main thing is to be patient and include consciousness in the work.

It is easier to acquire bad and good habits, but this does not mean that you cannot get rid of them.

What will you need?

• Time. You cannot make an action automatic and then eradicate it in a couple of seconds or hours.
• Determined attitude.
• All willpower.
• Control over your own behavior.

Working on skills

The habit will not go away on its own. To do this, a person must surround himself with the right conditions. Remove the irritant, the trigger, which may arouse the desire to repeat habitual actions.

A striking example: a person wants to eat less, but it is difficult for him to overcome himself. He is obliged to visit all confectionery shops and sweet shops, remove the basket of sweets from the table, and remove junk food from the refrigerator. You can ask your family to refrain from demonstrative eating of some foods.

By refusing to buy junk food, a person begins to save money. Soon you may develop more useful habits - saving the amounts that were previously spent on groceries.

Constant and vigilant control over oneself. If you rely on someone, you may never get rid of a bad habit. The brain must receive orders from a person in order to process them.

A simple notebook in which a person will write down all achievements can make the task easier. It will be a second reminder of the need to control yourself.

If an individual bites his nails, then after each time he must note the date of this process in a notebook. Day by day there will be fewer entries.

Incentives are everything

Stimulus control techniques have been successfully used in various fields, for example, to treat insomnia.

People suffering from insomnia are instructed to go to the bedroom and go to bed when they feel tired. If after this they cannot fall asleep, they cannot stay in bed - they must go to another room and occupy themselves with something. When they feel sleepy, go back to bed.

After some time, a person begins to associate the bed exclusively with sleep, and not with any other activity. Once people develop this habit, they instantly fall asleep in their bed because they now associate it with sleep.

Another example of omnipotent stimuli is food. The book Mildness Eating contains evidence that shows how small cues from the world around us greatly influence our behavior.

If you take a big spoon, you eat more. If you eat from a large plate, you will eat more. If you place a bowl of candy on the table near you, you will eat twice as much.

Well, everything is clear with incentives, but can you use them to educate yourself and build good habits for yourself? Easily.