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Do you have an addiction or bad habit that you want to leave behind? You aren’t alone. You already know the road will be long and the journey will be rough. These seven steps will help you walk away from your bad habits over time.

1. Admit You Have A Problem

The first step is admitting you have a problem to begin with. Fortunately, you wouldn’t be reading this article if you weren’t aware of the fact that you have a problem. It’s more important than that, though. You actually need to write down your bad habit and your desire to make it go away. This makes your needs, wants, and goals more tangible – thus easier to respect and harder to ignore.

2. Attend Regular Meetings

The next step is finding a local community of individuals who, like you, suffer from this bad habit. Speaking with these individuals at regular meetings will help you understand the struggles of other people who are experiencing the same problems as you. It will also give you a stronger respect for the strength it takes to quit. These groups and meetings will serve as barriers between you and your bad habit. You will be able to hold yourself accountable, speak with experienced individuals who will likely become lifelong friends, and learn about your bad habit along the way. Sober Nation shares information about the importance of going to regular meetings.

3. Create Communities

Many bad habits form when individuals lack a community setting in which to express themselves. In addition to your regular weekly meetings, consider joining clubs and organizations within your community. This will help you develop social circles and a support system that will keep you going when you want to give in. It may also help to get a better job, spend more time with family, or reconnect with nature.

4. Organize Your Life

It can be easy to fall into a state of depression and anxiety when your life is disorganized. This is much different than having a messy bedroom. A disorganized life involves deadlines, finances, job-related expectations, and government packages that aren’t coming together at the same time. When your bedroom is messy, several hours of cleaning will fix the problem. When your life is messy, it can take weeks or months to get everything organized again. Start this process as soon as possible. It will help you heal and keep you away from your bad habit.

5. Set Reasonable Goals

As we mentioned earlier, no one can be expected to drop an addiction or bad habit in a single day. It all starts when you set reasonable goals for yourself. For example, cigarette users might cut back to one pack per week. Then, eventually, they might cut down to one cigarette per day. All the while, their health is slowly improving. Finally, the thought of cigarettes won’t seem so appealing. It’s all about moderation and refusing to break when things get hard. You can learn more about goal setting through Mind Tools.

6. Learn To Say “No”

The real problem involved with a bad habit is our inability to say no to ourselves or others. This is especially true of those who gamble. For many of us, it might seem logical to walk away after winning several hundred dollars. Someone addicted to gambling, however, is almost completely unable to do so. Instead, they continue to bet. Learning to say no and walk away is the most difficult lesson to learn – but it also the most effective. Lifehack offers more information about the art of saying no.

7. Learn To Say “Yes”

The other side of the coin applies to positive things in your life to which you’ve said no for a very long time. This could include support from other people, fun experiences, college, or getting into a serious relationship. Once you start saying no to unhealthy factors in your life, focus on saying yes to the healthy ones.

Follow these steps closely, and you’ll be in a better situation in no time.

Sleep provides the opportunity for your body and your mind to rest. Getting enough quality sleep is essential for a variety of reasons, including the regulation of your immune system and metabolic functions. While you are sleeping, your body also rebuilds muscles, and your mind processes emotions and commits experiences to memory. 

Sleep deprivation can be damaging to the body physically, increasing the risk for heart disease, obesity, and some types of cancer. It can also take a toll emotionally and mentally as lack of sleep is linked to irritability, isolation, anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders.

Adults generally need seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night. If you have insomnia, don’t sleep deeply, or have other sleep problems, changing your routine can help you get the rest you need and make a positive impact on your mental health. Read on for pertinent information on how to make this happen, courtesy of Warida Wholistic Wellness.

Stick to a Schedule

If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, you should go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time, every single day. Yes, even on weekends. The only way for your body and mind to truly stay in a sleep routine is to stick to the schedule without fail.

Exercise Daily

Regular physical activity can reduce the time it takes for you to fall asleep, as well as increase the depth of your sleep. Exercising every day improves physical health, reduces stress, and increases endorphins, which can boost your mood and reduce anxiety. 

Your mental and physical health are interwoven, and keeping your fitness routine up can greatly influence your slumber. Therefore, you should get plenty of daily exercise — but not necessarily in the evening. If you exercise later in the day, Harvard Health Publishing explains the adrenaline and endorphins may actually keep you awake at night, so aim for a morning or early afternoon workout.

Reduce Blue Light Exposure

Research shows that blue light, which is emitted from computers and smartphones, suppresses melatonin – the hormone which helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. Reduce your exposure to blue light in the evening by avoiding electronics two hours before going to bed. You can also wear special glasses or use an app like Twilight to block blue light as well.

Cut the Caffeine

In order to get your best night’s sleep, avoid caffeine consumption late in the day. Caffeine stimulates your nervous system, keeping you from relaxing. A study from the Sleep Disorders & Research Center at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit showed that even consuming caffeine six hours before going to bed can significantly inhibit sleep.

Get a Massage

You probably won’t be too surprised to learn that getting a massage can help you sleep better. After all, it can help you relax, soothe your muscles and joints, and just help you feel better overall. But some research suggests that your routine massage can do even more to help you snooze; it appears that a good massage can help your body adjust hormone levels for better slumber, so if you’re struggling to get a good night’s rest, it might be time to engage a professional massage therapist.  

Make Your Room Comfortable

Making your body more relaxed and comfortable for sleep extends beyond direct care. You can take other steps to make your bedroom more comfortable and suitable for sleep, too. Remove all distractions and negative influences, such as clutter, the television or exercise equipment, and keep your room cool and dark. Use a blanket or comforter that is not too heavy, and pillows that are your preferred firmness. If necessary, add blackout curtains to block as much light as possible. If you co-sleep with your child, you may also want to rethink that decision. Though bonding with your baby is important, you can’t be a good parent if you don’t get any sleep. Keep pets out of your bed, if possible. 

A good night’s sleep every night is vital for your mental and physical health. By making changes to your sleep schedule, evening routine, and bedroom, you can fall asleep quicker and stay asleep longer.

Photo via Pexels

Image via Pexels

When you’re starting your own business, self-care becomes more important than ever. Why? Because if you let yourself go, you won’t be 100% for your business, and that can lead down a quick path toward failure. And, failure isn’t an option. Here are a few ways to boost your health—and in turn, your wealth—by focusing on yourself instead of your business.

Outsource

As a business owner, you are probably already used to hiring help for your daily operations. If not, it’s time to start. Not only should you have a staff in place that can handle your company while you’re away, you can also appoint one-time helpers for time-consuming tasks. This will not only save you money, but, more importantly, it will also free up time so you can focus on other issues.

Relax

When you’re a busy entrepreneur, especially if you work a full-time job and have a side hustle, relaxing is often difficult. We get into the habit of working when we should be resting. Give yourself a few vital moments away from your phone or computer. The best place to do this is at home, which you can optimize for providing you with good energy.

Take a nap

According to Edward-Elmhurst Health, there are lots of benefits associated with napping, even for adults. A quick snooze in the afternoon—30 to 45 minutes—can help you power through the last several hours of work. A few Zzzzs might sound counterproductive, but it can actually make you faster and more efficient, meaning you’ll get through your work on time or even early.

Focus on your face

If you’ve ever seen the 20-somethings emerge from a long day of work looking what your grandmother would’ve called “bright eyed and bushy tailed,” you probably felt pangs of jealousy. Well, no matter your age, you can get the same rejuvenated look by taking care of your skin. A monthly facial, great skin care products, and natural makeup will go a long way toward improving your self-image, and it may give you a boost of confidence. Why is confidence important? Because, as career website WiseStep explains, confidence is a “basic ingredient for leadership.”

Get away

While you might think of self-care as things you do for your body, you also have to take care of your mind. A weekend trip is a great way to fit some much-needed downtime into a busy schedule. Plan to either go by yourself, or hit the road with your closest friends and family. You’ll also want to plan to take some time off at least once a year for at least eight days, which is considered the ideal vacation length. 

Eat well

No article about self-care would be complete without at least a mention of healthy eating. Obviously, you know that you should avoid excessive sweets, alcohol, and fried foods. But, how do you do that when you’re busy working? The answer: pack your own lunches. You don’t have to eat a gourmet meal every day at noon to fuel your body the right way. Something as simple as a salad or sandwich wrap is much better for your body than a drive-through chicken sandwich.

Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean sacrificing your business. In fact, the opposite is true. What you put into yourself matters to your success. So, don’t be afraid to step away from the grind when you need a break. The time you spend not working may just make you more successful in the long run and will keep you from burning out before you have a chance to truly shine.