Need to quit a bad habit

[bLEEp]

I have a bad one, it doesn't matter what it is.  I've been working since I was 12 years old and had the habit since mid twenties.
Don't go assuming, it's a simple thing, I just need to quit to travel more.
Anyone else have a habit they wish they didn't?  Or anyone else have REAL advice to kick one?
This is not AA type stuff, so don't bother.
Any advice is welcome
bLEEp

 

[Almost There]

1. Add up the cost of your bad habit over the course of a year.

Then make a list of at least 5 things you could be doing with that money if you didn't have the bad habit.

2. Add up the amount of time your bad habit is taking up of your life for a year.

Make a list of other things you could be doing with that time.

3. Decide that your own will power is stronger than the bad habit.

Now if we only knew what the bad habit was, the how to's could be refined!

 

[John61CT]

I read OP that workaholism is the issue, usually entwined with striving for material "security".

So rather than lost income, look at missed opportunities in relationships, serenity, personal growth, pleasure, travel, enjoying life etc.

 

[Queen]

I read a phrase recently that offered my a tip I could actually use to break a crappy habit. She called it "Urge Surfing"; when the urge to engage in the habit strikes you watch it like a wave coming at you, the you ride the swell until the wave goes flat, the urge has passed and you can move on. The author opined if we could just teach ourselves to be aware of the urge and to watch it, we can also get used to letting it pass.

 

[Weight]

I have a bad problem with online forums.

 

[shadowmoss]

I have a bad problem with online forums.

Keep reading here, I'm sure someone will have a solution for you.

 

[John61CT]

I only go to AA meetings held in bars

 

[Trebor English]

I also had the habit since age 12.  It took about a month of cold turkey to get over it.  It helps to go places where it is impossible to indulge

 

[bLEEp]

Thank you guys, a few caught on ;-)
It's expensive, it does not control me, but I do enjoy it....
I think once I am back on the road I won't be so bored.

 

[Ticklebellly]

Habits are neither good or bad, they are functional or dysfunctional.   Functional habits help you get through your day in an efficient kind of way.   Dysfunctional habits interfere with your daily goals.

Psychologists often talk about a habit as an over learned behaviour.   Over learned behaviours become automatic and are often performed without conscious thought.    No behaviour can ever be unlearned.   Over learned behaviours can be replaced by new, over learned behaviours.   That is, habits you want to change or cease, can be replaced by new and consciously chosen patterns of automatic behaviours.   Standard thinking is that it takes 28 days to establish a habit.

Habits that are hard to stop are often characterisied by the observation that not performing the behaviour leads to high levels of anxiety coming on.   Trigger and response prevention therapy often needs the anxiety to be acknowledged then tolerated until the anxiety falls away (it always does).   

My advice on getting rid of a habit is to replace the habit with an alternative behaviour that both counters the behaviour and sets in place a behaviour that helps towards any stated desirable goal.

Psychologists have several models to understand the persistence of problem, habit like behaviours.    My favourite has four stages and wanting to do something about it is stage 2.   Keep going!!!!

 

[slynne]

I have found that a lot of my habits are related to my environment so often one technique I have is to change my environment. i.e. I first quit smoking while on vacation.