Quit it! From vaping to doomscrolling, 10 bad habits and how to break them

"A dead habit is a powerful destroyer of life," Samuel Beckett once noted, and he certainly didn't face the challenges of watermelon vapes and endless scrolling on social media. For most people, there are several routines we'd like to alter, but how can we overcome ingrained habits formed over a lifetime? We spoke with experts to find out.

Excessive phone use

A staggering 41% of us believe we're spending excessive time on our gadgets. Hilda Burke, a therapist and author of 'The Phone Addiction Workbook', suggests setting an "inspiring screensaver" - a visual prompt to highlight what we're wasting hours on our phones instead. It could be a photo of your pet, your family, or a motivational quote.

“Visual cues play a significant role, particularly when we're repeatedly exposed to them. People check their mobile phones approximately every 12 minutes, so reinforcing positivity through visual cues can be beneficial,” Burke notes. She recommends disabling notifications, opting out of group chats, and setting aside specific times to switch off your phone or leave it behind.

takes you through a brief breathing exercise each time you attempt to launch a designated "danger app", which may be all you require to prevent yourself from checking Instagram once again.

Unhealthy snacking

We're all aware that consuming unwelcome foods between meals isn't beneficial, but there are methods to temper your hunger without reverting to Ozempic. Alex Ruani is a researcher in the field of nutrition science at University College London, and she's an 'recovering snacker' with first-hand experience.

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Alongside focusing on consuming fibre-rich foods that can help you feel fuller for longer (such as vegetables, fruits, wholemeal cereals and breads, pulses, and nuts), Ruani advises substituting the sensory qualities of an unhealthy snack with a healthier alternative. "You might be craving a biscuit, but have a chocolate rice cake instead."

Vaping

It's a good time to think about giving up that sugary gum for good. “Lots of people switch to vaping in an effort to quit smoking, but a surprising number find it's just as tricky – and in some cases even trickier – to kick the habit,” remarks Sophia Papadakis from the National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training. “We recommend that our clients decrease the nicotine strength of the e-liquid in their vapes, gradually reducing it over the course of two to four weeks, working their way down to zero per cent.”

Papadakis advises lengthening the periods between vaping gradually, for instance moving from 20 minutes to 40 minutes, and imposing rules on oneself regarding where and when to vape to "interrupt the connection between vaping and specific events, such as nights out".

Online shopping

Trying on—or rather, buying—clothing is a major pitfall – with as much as half of all clothing bought online being returned. "Before investing in something new, why not search your own wardrobe first?" advises Tatiana de Normann, a stylist who self-dubs herself "the personal anti-shopper". "Go through what you've got, create some outfits – it'll save you from spontaneous buying before an occasion."

She suggests her clients keep items in their virtual cart for a few days before making a purchase. "Usually people will either forget about them or return and realise they don't really need what's in their cart," she says. Ms De Normann also recommends unsubscribing from retailer emails, deleting shopping apps, and removing card details to slow down impulsive online shopping.

Drinking too much

“The difficulty lies not in cutting down, but rather in the decision to drink moderately. We have to constantly weigh up whether or not to drink, how much to have, and on what occasions."

It's worth thinking ahead when it comes to drinks. Take a look at the venue's options before deciding, so you can choose your kombucha, mocktail, or 0% beer with confidence. Even if you're attending a social gathering at someone's home, bring your own favourite alcohol-free drink.

If all else fails and you're hankering after that fourth pint, Dean suggests keeping your motivation in clear focus: "Whether that's more vitality, sharper focus, better skin, fewer regrets, less worry, more rejuvenating sleep, a stronger immune system or a lower risk of cancer, reminding yourself of the reasons you're drinking less can really help.”

Biting your nails

Approximately 20 to 30% of people in the UK chomp on their nails, with children and teenagers appearing to be the most prone to nail biting, as it's commonly referred to. "Our hands are always with us, so stopping biting our nails is extremely challenging," Dr Martha Collado, a clinical psychologist and author of How to Be a Grown-Up, pointed out.

Collado advises being mindful of the situations that make you bite your nails, like when you're feeling bored or anxious, and what times of day these feelings commonly occur. “Instead of biting your nails, develop a new habit to replace it. For instance, if boredom is the issue, make a list of things you can do to take your mind off your nails, such as filing them or giving yourself a hand massage. If it's anxiety you're battling, try a controlled breathing technique.”

Not getting enough sleep

"We continue to approach sleep in a somewhat casual manner, almost seeing it as a luxury to be squeezed in when our daily schedule is otherwise empty," says Nick Littlehales, a sleep expert who advises top athletes, including professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.

A good night's rest begins with establishing a regular wake-up time, getting ample daylight, and setting aside 20-minute moments daily for mindfulness, whether that's through meditation, a nap, or simply taking a break.

Littlehales suggests that some clients find it beneficial to programme a snooze alarm to remind them to initiate their bedtime routine. "Niney minutes prior to slumber, start winding down from your daily activities. Move to a room with a lower temperature than your body temperature, and reduce the light levels."

Procrastinating

The old saying advises "never put off for tomorrow what you can do today". However, that crucial task continually finds itself pushed to the bottom of your to-do list. "There's a misconception that procrastination is simply down to poor time management or laziness, but it often stems from a desire to sidestep difficult emotions such as boredom, frustration, anxiety or feelings of being overwhelmed," says Collado.

Indecisive individuals often share a trait: an obsession with perfection. This mindset tends to prevent anyone from taking action, particularly when it comes to commencing a project. Rather than waiting for the "ideal" opportunity to work on a task or holding out for "perfect" circumstances, book a specific time and day in your planner and get it done. It may not be flawless, but accomplishing something will alleviate anxiety and generate momentum – making you more inclined to tackle tasks without such negative preoccupation.

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According to Collado, looking ahead to the benefits of a task - what you'll achieve and gain - can make it easier to tolerate the temporary difficulties of getting it done, including how tedious and time-consuming it may be. If you do put something off, it's not worth feeling guilty or down on yourself. Instead, research suggests that students who were kind to themselves after procrastinating when preparing for an initial exam were less likely to put things off when faced with a subsequent one.

Exercising inconsistently

People are too hard on themselves about exercising," notes personal trainer Nick Finney. "They often think, 'I don't have the motivation to do this today' and end up cancelling, but even a 20-minute stretch is better than nothing. It's not about pushing yourself to exhaustion, it's about maintaining a consistent routine.

Finney says one major challenge to workout routine maintenance is people assuming they don't have time. His solution is to stay productive while also exercising. “On busy days, I fit in a half hour on a treadmill or stationary bike while I deal with admin or respond to emails,” he says. Achieving small, manageable daily targets, such as reaching a certain step count, can be a motivating factor on days when enthusiasm is low.

One can't achieve success, especially in losing weight or improving fitness, if they have unrealistic expectations," Finney advises. "Instead, make it achievable and do physical activity you genuinely enjoy, nothing will motivate you to stick with something very intense that you find really unpleasant.

Always cancelling

Is saying 'yes' all the time bringing on a bit too much for you, do you find yourself doing it more often than not because you're worried about disappointing others? Do you get a pang of fear that you might be missing out if you don't accept every invitation that comes your way? Are you feeling quite anxious in social situations?

Mathur states that once you've identified the root cause of the issue, you can tackle it. "It's also crucial to consider your week as a whole," she says, "and if you have social commitments, ensure you don't exhaust yourself beforehand. Frequently, we overexert ourselves with numerous small social interactions online, dissipating our energising resources when we could be allocating them to significant interactions with people whose company we look forward to.

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