We all have them. Whether it’s that giant slice of cake in your fridge you told yourself you’d save for cheat day or the urge to hit your credit line online shopping (yet again). It’s a totally natural thing to desire certain things — whether its unhealthy food or behaviors — but why do they become harder and harder to resist? Science. That’s why.
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Why is it so easy to say NO one moment than so difficult the next? A study released by Psychological Science has a simple answer:
You’re doing too many things at once.
What do they mean by that?
We have a certain amount of control resources that are meant to help us say no to temptation. But when those resources become taxed, we find it close to impossible to ignore rewarding signals. So, when you’re asked to do a million things at once, you could see how hard it is to resist the temptation to engage in unhealthy behaviors.
We all live busy lives. Work, school, laundry, relationships — life in general is one big juggling act and while we may not be able to master everything, we can at least propel ourselves in the right direction. Here are some tips to avoid these unhealthy cravings and slow your mind down a bit.
There was at time where “phones at the table” wasn’t a thing. While seemingly harmless, staring at a screen when you’re supposed to be enjoying your food catalyzes unhealthy habits. Enjoy your lunch break unplugged with friends or even find a nice place to sit outside by yourself — just leave the screens at the office.
Heading into a day feeling prepared and ready-to-go will make you feel more empowered an in control. When you have an organized plan of what needs to be done when and set your priorities before they become a panic, you’ll be less inclined to reach for that bag of “stress chips.” Get your to-do list started the night before.
Unhealthy habits are always developed from somewhere. In order to better understand them, write about it. When you give into your cravings, did something happen that day to trigger it? How did it make you feel? What time did it occur? Get down into the nitty-gritty of the events leading up to it. Remember, you DO have self-control, sometimes the brain just needs fine tuning.
What’s one unhealthy habit you want to break? Let’s get you started on a journal in an effort to break it. Share your experience with us!
“Right now I am trying to be in a place of calm, a place where I can chill out and then handle the chaos of life better. You don’t just get it overnight; you have to work at it. It’s a daily struggle.”
Jackee Harn
With the support of our community and the free tools and information available here, join the Legendary Life No Phone Challenge. Remove the dependency you have on your mobile and re-connect with yourself, your loved ones and the world around you.
