3 harmful habits that are normalized in modern-day society

Letting go of these habits will improve your life immensely over the long-run

The modern-day is the age of instant pleasures.

Everything is just a click away. As the access to our wants and desires became easier, it has automatically led to some harmful habit formation.

Here are the top three that you need to be aware of:

Letting our screens steal away our time

Just randomly scrolling on my phone one day, I checked my phone usage stats for the week. The combined average on all social media apps and streaming platforms was around 3 hours per day. Three long hours when I had a bunch of books on my desk that I wanted to read! It’s astonishing how these apps can steal away your time if you don’t pay attention.

What’s the return on investment I got on wasting so much of my time scrolling away. Nothing. Zilch.

If only people were more mindful in tracking the time they spent not only on social media but also on sites like Netflix, they’d be disappointed in themselves for wasting so many hours away.

That time could be used to do much more productive things. But we’d have to be more deliberate on that.

We can’t leave it to the default mode of action when it comes to dealing with those alluring apps and sites.

Here’s how to deal with it:

1. Remove that shiny-bright social media app from your phone. Use them on your desktop instead. Or if you really need them, on your phone’s browser.

2. Use an app blocker to limit the time you spend on specific apps. This can also be done on a PC to block specific websites.

3. Refrain from using Netflix or any social media apps on your bed. This might be tough but extremely important. Comfort plus stimulation will keep you glued to the screen like nothing else.

Not getting enough sleep

I remember having a discussion with friends a few years back where we bragged about how little we slept last night. Now, I can feel the effects of bad sleep the whole day.

Long term effects of bad sleeping habits are no joke. Feeling jittery throughout the day, hormone disruption, constant irritability, foggy memory, and impaired cognition are just a few of the bad effects.

It’s not worth it. Be it crunching some extra hours of work or watching that one last episode.

Prioritizing your sleep and getting enough in the long run far outweighs any good that comes from sacrificing it.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Make a habit of sleeping and waking up at the same time every day. It reinforces the circadian rhythm and eventually it gets easier to fall asleep and wake up at the same time.

2. Set an alarm an hour before your regular sleeping time. The blue light emitted by phones, computers or TV is disruptive to our sleep. Once the alarm goes on, close all screens and keep your phone in another room away from you.

3. Optimize your bedroom for sleep. Keep your room dark, cool, and quiet.

4. Follow a bedtime ritual, eg. reading a book, stretching, or journalling that relaxes your mind.

Excessive Junk food

We all know that junk food is bad for us but, do we really refrain from eating it? According to a study, 44.9% of people aged between 20–39 ate junk food daily in the US. This is one of the leading causes of diseases that have become all too common now like obesity, diabetes, heart diseases, etc.

Not only that, what junk food also does is that it encourages us to eat at irregular timings, which when done too often decreases metabolism and may lead to an increase in weight.

Eating as one craves seems pleasurable and convenient now, but it’s an invitation to a plethora of diseases in the long run.

Become more conscious of what you eat today, your body will thank you for it in your later years.

Here’s how :

1. Become more mindful of what goes down your stomach. I use a food diary app for this. Just the act of noting down what I ate each day acts as a reminder to eat healthily and cut down on junk food.
2. Get more protein. It makes you feel full and has a satiating effect, which will reduce your cravings. Eggs, fish, lentils, and milk are some of the foods with high protein content.
3. Fill your refrigerator with fresh fruits. Eat them whenever you feel the need for a snack. Quick and healthy at the same time.
4. Eat at the same time every day. Your body wouldn’t have random food cravings, which ensures you don’t indulge in unhealthy snacking. It also helps in maintaining a healthy metabolism.

Final Thought

Everything in excess is harmful. The important thing is to not let our habits go unchecked and to be more aware of them. Healthy habits today will lead to a healthy life tomorrow.