Watch your thoughts, avoid enablers, and don’t overwork.
It can be really easy to pick up on old bad habits when you are hanging out at home. With all the lockdown measures in place in various locations across the US and elsewhere due to the pandemic, walking the fine line of good mental and physical health can be difficult for many people. And it’s easy to see why. Not only are many of us camped out where we sleep, but stress is certainly running high. Maybe you have lost a loved one to COVID-19, or you’ve lost your job, or your home. Or, perhaps you are simply grieving for lost freedoms and time spent with family and friends. Times are hard, and they are taking their toll.
So, how are we fighting back? Unfortunately, many are turning to old tricks.
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According to USAToday.com, back in April, baked goods, frozen pizzas, and sugary cereals were hot items disappearing quickly from store shelves. Communing with comfort food was the name of the game. And the trend has continued. Snacking has increased during the pandemic, and people are said to be consuming more alcohol (according to government statistics), as well as returning to smoking. Ironically, this is right at a time when having good, strong lungs is likely to be one of your few useful assets.
It is a fact that prior to the pandemic, being obese and smoking were the two main causes behind Americans dying before others living in developed countries around the world. Now, the situation is likely to be worse.
You can control how you react to stress and anxiety, however. Not sure what to do? Keep the reins in your own hands for a better tomorrow by following these ideas from experts.
Pay Attention to Your Warning Signs
One of the stronger ways to avoid returning to bad habits, according to Seth J. Gillihan Ph.D. writing for PsychologyToday.com, is to heed your risky behaviors. If you have quit smoking, for example, a risky behavior may arise when you start joining the smokers outside on break “for some air”, Gillihan states. Or, as an alcoholic, you may start to skip AA meetings. By themselves, these acts are harmless. Over time, however, they can tend to lead to a return to smoking and drinking. Gillihan says these behaviors are warning signs. What are yours? Try to pinpoint them. Do you feel you snack too much? Avoiding the kitchen during non-meal times could be key. If you find yourself wandering in, re-route yourself.
Take Note of Permission-Giving
Research says that stress might be just as bad for your health as chronic consumption of junk food. These days, not only are we maxed out, but we are also munching on treats with abandon. Part of the reason we do this, Gillihan states, is that we give ourselves permission to do so. If you find you eat the entire family-size bag of chips in one sitting but you would rather not, you might rethink buying it in the first place.
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When you place temptations within your grasp that you would really rather avoid, you are giving yourself permission to fail. By thinking “I can have those chips in my cupboard and only eat some of them” you could be fooling yourself. Be aware of your “permission-giving” thoughts, Gillihan says.
Avoid Enablers
There is always that one person who makes it too easy. They go through the late-night drive-thru with you when you are trying to cut out meat, and ask you to the bar when you’ve stopped drinking. This is your enabler. Sometimes this person lives with you, and they can be difficult to avoid. If you can distance yourself from them however, great. If not, remind yourself that if you fall off track and return to old vices but you would rather not, that you can always get back on track. The good, healthy route is always available to you. It just takes one step in the right direction.
Replace Bad Habits With Good Ones
Sometimes we fall back on old habits because we haven’t replaced them. According to self-help guru James Clear, when quitting a bad habit it can really help to replace it with a new, better one. This new one should give you a similar benefit as the old one, however.
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So, if you are quitting smoking, consider what you perceive smoking to do for you. Is it a way to take a break and relax? Or, perhaps something that helps you socialize? Try something like watching short videos on your favorite subject and favorite device instead. Strike up a conversation over coffee, or phone a friend to chat, in place of lighting up.
Don’t Work Too Long
Last but not least, don’t stretch your work hours too far. According to Today.com, Americans are working longer hours remotely than at the office. Maybe people are feeling a need to prove their worth when they can’t be seen. But the extra hours are making things hard and infringing on good mental health, experts say. Remember to take breaks. Schedule your meals and take them at the appointed time. Go for a walk on your coffee break and call a friend to chat over lunch. We all need breathers, and especially so now.
The Persistence of Good Habits
When it comes to pandemic behaviors there is some good news. If you have already built healthy ways of living into your life, science has shown you will likely stick to them. In fact, you will probably engage in your healthy habits more readily when the stress kicks up a notch than you do at other times.
Research done at the University of Southern California in 2013 found that people actually lean on their routines in stressful times. Do you exercise regularly? You may now find yourself going for a jog more often than before. As long as your habits are still good for you and you aren’t overdoing it, this can be especially helpful.
For more tips on handling your habits, click here.
photo credits: samiricano/Shutterstock.com
