The Good, The Bad: The Habits

Let’s talk about habits. They’re more common than you think! Bad and Good. We’re going to go through some habits that I have personally as well as ones that I want to create.

First let’s start with the most common one:

Biting Your Nails.

This is my worst habit, and also the fourth most common bad habit in America – according to Google. So don’t worry you’re not alone if you do this. I’ve had this habit for years, and for a while, it stopped because I was getting my nails done on a routine basis, but as times are changing and every nail salon is closed, I am back to nail-biting. Shocking, I know.  Some things that have worked for me in the past that don’t require going to the salon is painting my own nails and using press-on- nails from the store. Press-on-nails is every college girl’s secret weapon when there’s no time to get a full set or your bank account is saying No!. They are very easy to glue on and look pretty real, compared to getting them done at the salon. Keep in mind, you might have one or two fall off but for you can always glue them back on. I have always had a mindset that if my nails are nice and pretty, I will not bite them. So far that has worked out for me.

Another habit I have is one that I am proud of which is:

My skincare routine 

It has taken a hot minute for myself to create this habit but I always remember to wash my face and moisturizer every night and morning, no matter what. Just because I have a consistent routine does not mean a pimple or breakout will occur. It’s life and sometimes you just can’t control your skin but as long as you keep your face clean, you’re creating a good habit for yourself and your skin. TIP: I made notes on my mirror to remind myself to wash my face every night and morning. Also, making alarms/reminders on my phone as well. Taking the 5-10 minutes out of your day to cleanse your face and make it clean will be worth it in the long run.

Making a mess

Yes, that is a habit that many individuals have but it’s okay. I tend to always make some type of mess in my bedroom, closet, or bathroom and it takes me a few days to work up the momentum to clean. This is why I am starting to set specific times throughout each of my days to clean and organize. I only set about 10-15 minutes to do this, but I have realized that when it is a smaller amount of time, I am more inclined to clean. Rather than cleaning for an hour. Once I do start cleaning, I end up cleaning longer than I set for. So far this has worked for me. Another thing I enjoy doing is making a list of tasks, and I cross each task off as I do so and it keeps me motivated to complete these things throughout the day.

This next habit is a bit personal, but It’s one that I am working on. It is to not be so attached to a specific individual. In my case, I was constantly in the:

Need for attention from my boyfriend or my friends 

Now, don’t get me wrong, this is a normal thing. But I began to realize I should not make it my main focus. Instead, I started creating the habit to focus on myself and learn to not get so distraught when my boyfriend or any of my other friends are busy. I am learning to cope with being inside and focusing on my well being. Now, when I do talk to my boyfriend and friends more, I realize I am much happier and in brighter spirits when talking to them. I feel like the habit of getting attached is often misunderstood or labeled as “toxic” but it can be fixed. It takes a lot of work and self-love but it will make your daily life calmer. Focus on other tasks, to ease your mind, and enjoy the time with the people you love, rather than getting so worked up about constantly wanting to talk to them. When you are able to talk to them during the day, it will be worth it.

Not working at my desk

This is a habit that I am currently working on breaking and starting. I am trying to stop working from my bed and need to start working at my desk. I have realized that I have more trouble sleeping when I am in bed all day, versus only being in bed to relax during the day. I keep trying to move my work to my desk, but it has been harder than I anticipated. I am learning to break this habit. It even has gotten to the point where I set my alarm to remind myself of different parts of the day to be working at my desk. Separating where I sleep and where I work is a great way to help sleeping problems and keep motivated. Anytime I am in bed, I become sluggish and lazy. So by working at my desk, it keeps me out of bed and more focused on my work and school.

Even though I only addressed a couple of habits, regardless of what it is determined whether it is good or bad. If it’s good, then improve and keep it around but if it is bad, find a way to quit. Find a replacement for this habit. It takes 20 days to create a habit. So find one that you want to start. Whether its

• change
• habits