Kicking Bad Habits

Breaking a bad habit is never easy.  Even more difficult is being able to identify those habits which are weighing you down as you try to move forward.  There are the usual suspects like procrastination or not paying attention to deadlines.  Any behavior or attitude that creates a barrier to your success can potentially be problematic.  Many Excelsior College students lead busy lives and do not have a lot of time to reflect on what’s working and what’s not.  When life gets hectic and with the demands of school, we focus on just getting through it all.  How many times have you resorted to telling yourself you would power through your work or studying?  Is this doable?  Yes.  A smart and effective choice?  You decide.  I encourage you to strategize your way to the end of the tunnel.  Start small and transform these habits into skills that will serve you better.  Think of it as a short term sacrifice for the ultimate long term reward—your college degree!

Take a mental snapshot of your life.  What small changes can you make today that will make your tomorrow even better?  Do you need more sleep?  Are you spending too much time on Facebook?  Usually one bad habit creates a domino effect, which can have an impact on your effectiveness as a student and in other areas of life, like work and family.  Explore your options.  There may be a happy medium, where school work comes first and then you can indulge in whatever makes you happy.

Sometimes the smallest change can have the biggest impact.  So do what works best for you.  If that means kicking bad habits to the curb cold turkey, go for it!