Habits play a significant role in shaping our lives, dictating everything from daily routines to long-term outcomes. While some habits are good, others are not. They may not be as serious, but they are still bad.

These bad habits can range from unhealthy eating and smoking to procrastination and excessive screen time. We are all guilty of falling short of our true potential, but what do we do about it?

Before we get into the psychology of it and how to break free, it is important to understand that these bad habits are particularly difficult to break because of their ingrained nature and the psychological reinforcement they provide. But the good news is that overcoming these harmful behaviours is not only possible, it is essential for improving your health, productivity and quality of life.

The foundation of every habit, good or bad, lies in its neurological and psychological roots. According to Charles Duhigg, author of ‘The Power of Habit’, habits are formed through a three-step process.

These are cue, routine and reward. The habit loop begins when a cue or trigger prompts a behaviour, in this case, routine, which in turn leads to a reward that reinforces the habit. Over time, this loop becomes automatic and the behaviour is performed without conscious thought.

Breaking a bad habit therefore requires disrupting this ‘loop’. It’s not enough to simply remove the habit, you have to identify the underlying cues and rewards and then replace the routine with a healthier or more constructive behaviour. Easy on paper, but is it easy in practice? Yes and no.

One of the critical challenges in breaking bad habits is the power of reinforcement. Bad habits like smoking or blowing your credit on unnecessary things like clothes or travel often provide immediate gratification, making them difficult to resist. Each time the habit is performed, the brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This chemical response reinforces the habit, creating a cycle of addiction.

Overcoming such habits requires a strong will to replace the immediate reward with a more positive reinforcement. For example, if you’re trying to quit smoking, you can replace it with physical exercise, which stimulates dopamine release in addition to the long-term health benefits.

Self-awareness is key to successfully breaking a bad habit. You must first recognise the cues that trigger the behaviour, whether external, such as environmental factors or social situations, or internal, such as stress and boredom. Once the cues are understood, the next step is to implement a strategy to replace those routines with a healthier alternative.