(A) Much of the time, bad habits are also hard to break simply because they begin as enjoyable activities, which we want to repeat. (For example, we might enjoy surfing the net instead of working, or sending emails from our smartphones during meetings.)

This is because, when we do pleasurable things, our brains release dopamine, a chemical that activates the brain’s reward center. This encourages us to do those things again, and the activity becomes a habit.

(B) To break a bad habit, first commit to stopping the behavior by creating a plan, and develop self-discipline and self-awareness so that you can stay on track.

• Is it because of stress or boredom?
• What should I replace my bad habits with something that provides the similar benefits:
  • Feeling of excitement – What should I replace it with?
• What bad habits are fulfilling my needs?
  • Feeling of desires that I cannot fulfill in real life
• Replace it with something that may provide relief or take your mind off:
  • Breathing exercise
  • Change your environment: being alone, being on the net
  • Visualizing yourself getting rid of the bad habit.
  • A technique from NLP. Visualize yourself performing the bad habit. Next visualize yourself pushing aside the bad habit and performing an alternative. Finally, end that sequence with an image of yourself in a highly positive state. See yourself picking up the cigarette, see yourself putting it down and snapping your fingers, finally visualize yourself running and breathing free. Do it a few times until you automatically go through the pattern before executing the old habit.
  • Use “But”. A prominent habit-changing therapist once told me this great technique for changing bad thought patterns. When you start to think negative thoughts, use the word “”but”” to interrupt it. “”I’m no good at this, but, if I work at it I might get better later.””
  • Stay vigilant during tempting scenarios. If you find yourself in a situation where it’s easy to return to the habit, repeat “don’t do it, don’t do it” to yourself in your head.^[8] If you know it will happen in advance, come up with a specific plan for exactly what you will do.^[9] These conscious efforts can make it much easier to suppress unconscious habits that you would otherwise do without thinking.
• Knowing when does the bad habits happen:
  • When does you bad habit happens 
  • How many times this bad habits happen each day 
  • What triggers the habits and causes to start 
• It takes 28 days to get rid of the habits