I’m always on a quest to find practices that help my mental well-being and habits the promote positive emotions in my life. Of course there are a lot of things I still need to work on but I’m getting better at cutting out those toxic habits. I have a brand new guest post for you today from Antonia from Sweet Passions all about 5 habits that can destroy your emotional well-being.
A holistic quest for health could give us one of the most important answers to how can we change your life for the better. The things we do every day affect us, our heart, weight, brain, and immune system. Our emotional well-being should be our priority.
It is in our interest to keep these vital systems in top form so that we are ready to face anything that life puts before us. There are five habits that you should stop immediately to live a more healthy and fulfilled life.
Here are 5 habits that can destroy our emotional well-being:
1. CONSTANTLY CHECKING YOUR PHONE
Research has recently found that regular phone checks encourage distraction and forgetfulness and have negative effects on mental and emotional health. This mindless check promotes the expectation of instant gratification, that is, seeking information that makes us feel good and connected to others.
Too much time on a cell phone and social media can lower self-esteem and encourage negative thoughts. The first step in the fight for your mental health is to limit the time you spent on your mobile phone. Decide wisely who to follow and who is not bringing you joy on social networks. Slowly reduce your digital presence over time and increase the social circle of people you will spend time with within reality.
2. STAYING INSIDE ALL THE TIME
The pandemic and lockdown were a shock to many at first because they had to spend most of their time at home. But over time, many got used to it and started to go out less and less, even when the measures eased. If you are free like a bird, there is no reason not to breathe fresh air.
Too much time indoors can significantly increase the risk of depression, and a lack of sunlight and vitamin D contribute to its symptoms. Good ideas are a short walk, going to the woods, training outdoors, just like having a barbecue with friends or going for a coffee at a neighborhood café.
3. LACK OF SLEEP
Lack of sleep encourages low mood, difficulty concentrating, and irritability, which can negatively affect mental health, studies have shown. Just one week of disturbed or poor sleep can increase levels of stress, anger, and sadness, and this is a vicious circle, as all of these factors make it difficult to sleep and just fall asleep. Bedtime relaxation techniques help a person create a sleep routine that suits him.
During sleep, most body systems are refreshed, including the heart, brain, and immune system. By skipping sleep, you deprive your body of the opportunity to recover: A large amount of research has linked poor sleep quality to a wide range of diseases. According to expert recommendations, the optimal amount of sleep for adults is seven hours of sleep each night.
4. PROCRASTINATING
We were all in that situation. At work, after lunch, for example, everyone feels a drop in motivation and concentration, and most people make a mistake and postpone important and more difficult tasks, so they decide to do the simpler and more fun ones that are not that important.
This habit, which most of us can probably identify, seems innocent, but it can harm your mental health and lead to increased stress. Procrastination will increase your stress levels. The reason behind that is the fact you feel the burden of what you didn’t do, but you know you have to do it, leading to increased anxiety and cramps that negatively affect your mental health.
5. AVOIDING PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES
Exercise is great for reducing stress, and the endorphins released by exercise can instantly boost your mood. Regular practice can also assist in improving energy levels and motivation, increasing feelings of happiness, and reducing symptoms of depression, nervousness, and tension.
Related read: 8 Tips For Getting Back Into Exercise
If you’re not sure where to start or want to change your exercise regimen, fitness apps offer workouts that are appropriate for any age and fitness level, with a wide range of workouts to suit your goals and lifestyle.
Our emotional well-being is something we shouldn’t take for granted. The thing about bad habits is that if we could start doing them, we can also stop. It might take some time, but it is worth working on. One of the best ways to do it is to replace them with habits that will improve the quality of your life.
Which of these habits do you need to work on? Be honest and let us know in the comments!
Read more recent guest posts here:
[…] 5 Habits That Destroy Your Emotional Well-Being […]
Thanks for this post. Of all the things listed, I think Social Media is the most dangerous. We fall into it as minor distraction but it soon becomes an attention black hole. The most useful thing anyone can do to help themselves is to Cultivate a Healthy Mind. As Voltaire said, “Il faut cultiver notre jardin.”
Staying in all the time is a huge one for me! There was a point where my anxiety was so bad I couldn’t leave the house, which made everything else worse.
Since receiving support for that I have been so much happier. You miss out on so much when you’re in all the time!
I agree. I had a debilitating anxiety disorder from 2011 onwards and I couldn’t leave the house for months, it was awful x
Very good post! You are so right…the pandemic kept everyone indoors so much. Not a good thing! Thank you for sharing your insights…all so true! 🙂
Glad you enjoyed this guest post!
All good and I stay mindful of them all. Cheers Jenny
Constantly checking your phone is such a huge one. We don’t pay enough attention to that. Maybe it’s because humans haven’t figured out how bad it is to us. Great list. Thanks for sharing!
I agree, we’ve definitely not figured that out yet!
I honestly felt so called out by this, aha. I’m guilty of, yep, all five. Especially at the moment, I’ve been in a right slump, then realised I’ve stopped exercising, barely left the house, really not seeing anyone face to face… this brought it home a bit of all the wrong things I’m doing, and definitely something I want to change. Love it!
Ah well at least this made you realise and you’re now aware of the things you could change! Start small 🙂 xx
I feel like I could have written this myself with how accurate it is – 1, 3 and 4 in particular! Checking my phone and procrastinating often go hand in hand, and sometimes I find myself putting off going to sleep even though I know I’m tired! Absolute madness, but some really good points made which I’m sure will resonate with a lot of people 🙂
Thanks for commenting, it’s a great post and made me feel a bit called out when I read it too!
Thank you for sharing these tips! I personally struggle with getting enough sleep and this is a great reminder of the negative consequences like anger and sadness. Thank you for this post!
Prioritise that sleep!
What a great post! The thing I need to work on is getting out of the house more. I’m retired and hubby is high risk for COVID (despite being double-vaccinated) so I’m apprehensive about going out and bringing COVID home. That’s not to say I don’t get out. I’m just saying that I’m not going out or travelling like I was pre-pandemic.
Oh that’s totally understandable, you’ve always got to do what’s right for you and your family first and foremost. Maybe more time outside, where it’s more covid safe? 🙂
Getting enough sleep is so important, and not getting enough affects you, fast! Thank you for sharing this guest post Jenny, we need to check out bad habits sometimes x
Oh it sure does – makes me feel like absolutely CRAP when I don’t get enough sleep!
Definitely agree with checking your phone all the time! Constant looking at social media is another big one that can really have negative impacts.
I need to stop checking my phone so much- it’s doing my head in!
Constantly checking my phone and procrastinating are some of the habits I need to kick out! A great post Jenny x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Phone checking is a nightmare!
I need to work on getting outside more. I work night shifts, so it is harder to be functioning during daylight hours, but I did just move to a new place that has a little balcony and have been trying to take advantage of that. Even little bits of fresh air and light like that have helped a lot!
This was an insightful post. Thank you for sharing about this 🙂
Oh yes that’s amazing and will definitely help a lot! Outside doesn’t have to mean anything big and grand! Watching a sunset from your balcony can be equally as effective!
Procrastinating is one of my worst habits for sure. I can have a to-do list but I’ll spend most the day procrastinating so none of it gets done. It’s defiantly something I need to work on. Love this post lovely, thank you so much for sharing Xo
Elle – ellegracedeveson.com
Noooo! Start small, maybe make your to-do list shorter and don’t be so hard on yourself!
Procrastinating is one of my bad habits 🥴
I have to be more intentional with my time to push through it. Great lists of tips, the little changes make a difference💓
Jenna
Xoxo
https://www.jennasworldview.com/2021/10/20/confession-25-poor-money-management/
Being more intentional with your time can do the world of good!
Awful procrastinator and terrible for doom scrolling on twitter and I know it’s just making me angry 🤦🏻♀️
Ugh I can relate!
I’m a terrible procrastinator and no matter how much I tell myself just to get things done, I rebel against myself. There are some useful wellbeing tips here, thanks for sharing.
Constantly checking my phone is definitely something I need to work on. When social media was down the other week, I really noticed how much I reached for my phone.
Oh no! Maybe start small, give yourself a treat for completing a task or make your todo list a little smaller so it’s not too overwhelming!
A wonderful article. Thank you 😊