Habits and Associations
Do you have bad habits which you are struggling to break?
Do you form associations?
You can make good and bad habits and you can form positive and negative associations. Recently, I have had some problems with my foot / ankle – so I started making positive associations to fit in my physio exercises… I stand on one leg when brushing my teeth, I do my physio exercises as soon as my son starts his nap. This way I don’t forget and get distracted with all the chores and jobs that always need doing! For me making my foot better is the most important thing, and someone recently said to me… you don’t ‘need’ a clean floor, but you need a working foot! So instead of ‘not having time’ to do my exercises, it is now my main priority and I make time.
Is there anything you need to prioritise and make time for? Maybe a daily walk if you work from home and don’t leave the house? Set yourself a time when you will do this and then you will be more likely to fit it into your busy day.
Forming associations started me thinking about conversations I have had with clients recently. Some of them had got into bad habits – associating cups of tea with biscuits, pouring a glass of wine the minute they get home from work, associating chocolate with relaxing in the evening. Most of my clients that I have spoken to say they do these without even thinking about it.
During lockdown I got into a bad habit of picking at chocolate, and I did have to break that habit. Sometimes, it’s about finding another healthier alternative or thinking about how you can break the bad habit… perhaps only having the chocolate / wine on a Friday / Saturday evening – this will take away the habit of having it every day. Or going to the gym or class in the evening to distract yourself – after a good workout, you won’t feel like having chocolate! Or having reminders about your goals and what you want to achieve might help you.
Have a think about some good or bad habits you have, and whether you form any positive or negative associations.
