How Breaking Your Good Habits Now Can Create Stronger, Healthier Habits in the Future
By: Michal Bernolak
Tags: Self Improvement, Startup, Productivity, Habits, Strategy

Nobody wants to break perfectly healthy habits on purpose. I did.

Photo by Giancarlo Revolledo on Unsplash

Whether you are training for a marathon, writing a book, or strictly following a healthy diet, there comes a time where you might fall off the wagon.

A lot of people try to stay on track and consecutively mark productive days on the calendar. Whenever we miss a day due to unforeseen circumstances or take a day off for rest, we might be hard on ourselves and urgently reassure our anxious mind that we will be back at it the next day.

Sometimes, we end up having to take more time off than intended. Instead of one day, it spirals into two or three, maybe even a week. At the end of the week you might be thinking “well, I haven’t done anything productive for 6 days, so whats another day”. That’s how the spiral begins. We’ve all been there before. Weeks turn to months, and before you know it, you almost forget what its like to be on track and to be productive.

On a streak? Good. Break it.

Photo by Adam Tinworth on Unsplash

We are always taught and encouraged to be productive, but never to be unproductive. Here’s what I mean. When you break a streak, it might spiral into a period of inactivity, and it’s hard to bounce back. We are never taught how to bounce back. Establishing a deliberate practice on bouncing back is nobody’s responsibility but our own. This can and will help you establish better habits for the long term.

This winter, after an unproductive weekend, I was determined to stop my self doubt, negative self talk, and laziness from creeping in. I am usually pretty good at getting back on the grind but I always struggle with taking the first few steps.

While I was on a streak of successful writing sessions, runs, and workouts, I chose a day I would stop entirely for 3 days, whether I wanted to or not. On the fourth day, I marked it in my calendar that I would pick right back up where I left off. I was in control. I practiced being active about my choice, which helped me overcome being reactive later.

During those 3 days, I didn’t feel guilty, lazy, or anxious. This was time I had deliberately set aside for doing nothing. On the fourth day, I was focused and aware I would be starting back up again, and I did. So how did this help?

Practice makes better, aim for perfect later

Photo by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash

We will all catch a cold at some point. That was me last week, sneezing and sniffling with what felt like a 10 pound weight fused to my frontal lobe. If I wanted to recover quickly, I knew I needed a lot of rest and time for my body to heal.

Running was out of the question, and it was hard to focus on writing for more than 30 minutes. I was okay with that. As long as I had this cold, I would relax, guilt free, and pick it back up once I was healthy.

The guilt and negative emotions I felt about being stagnant were dulled by my previous 3 day practice of of doing nothing. I knew how to bounce back. It wasn’t perfect right away, but I definitely felt better and more relaxed about not doing much.

The cold was passing, I could feel that my head was clearing. I planned to start back up the next day, guilt free, not telling myself I had wasted precious time. It seemed to work. I felt good, I was productive, and I had avoided the infamous downward spiral into laziness and self-loathing.

Apply your new found perspective when you can but don’t over do it

Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

These days I know how to bounce back. We can look at every weekend off or unexpected schedule changes as a challenge and an opportunity to practice. Tell yourself that you are making the decision to take a break, and set a date for your return to action. It feels extremely liberating and it puts you in control. You have a timeline, so you’re not caught in a never ending loop of anxiety wondering when you will have the guts to start back up again.

Just don’t overdo it. This can’t be an excuse for creating additional unnecessary plans for things that really don’t forward your personal development.

Practice doing nothing deliberately, so when the time comes and it’s out of your control, you can banish thoughts of guilt and low self worth, and replace them with a practiced plan. Our brains love structure. Teaching yourself this integrity on your own terms will help you immensely in the long run.