Resolve to break 5 common bad habits this year

In our special New Year cover story, we suggest ways and means for families to quit ubiquitous bad habits and develop new healthy, life-enriching lifestyles – Kiran Balimane & Cynthia John

Traditionally the start of the globally dominant Gregorian calender New Year is the time for making new resolutions and new beginnings. People worldover resolve to put the setbacks and disappointments of the past 12 months behind them and venture once more unto the breach with expectation of greater success.

In the 21st century context, New Year Resolutions are likely to include committing to a healthier lifestyle, learning a new skill, reducing digital screen time, and dedicating more time to family. Yet it is also well-known that New Year Resolutions (NYRs) are broken as quickly as they are made. Eighty percent of people forget their NYRs by the second week of February. Nonetheless, the tradition of people resolving to do better in the new year persists.

In our new year special cover story, we suggest ways and means for families to quit five common bad habits and develop new healthy, life-enriching lifestyles. Unlike impulsive resolutions that tend to focus on a specific goal or change, changing deeply entrenched injurious habits is a more worthwhile resolution. According to a 2009 study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, it takes 18-254 days for people to form a new habit and 66 days for “new behaviour to become automatic”.

ParentsWorld interviewed knowledgeable psychologists, paediatricians and nutritionists to present expert recommendations on five ubiquitous bad habits to break in 2025. Breaking these bad habits adversely affecting physical health and mental well-being is the “prerequisite of personal and academic/professional success,” according to Noida-based psychologist Swati Rajput.

Bad habit 1: Overthinking

Overthinking is the new most underrated mental health struggle. In the contemporary, fast-paced digital age, overthinking and worrying about acts of omission and commission prompts anxiety and stress, and ultimately poor decision-making. Overthinkers tend to be immersed in regrets and “what ifs,” replaying in their minds scenarios and outcomes that may never happen. Psychologist Swati Rajput advises parents and children to recognise and address signs of overthinking. “People often dismiss overthinking as being cautious and careful. But overthinking can negatively affect mental health, prompt stress, anxiety and indecision. Parents and children need to acknowledge it as a legitimate mental health issue and break out of this habit to realise their full potential,” advises Rajput.

Rajput’s recommendations to break this bad habit in the New Year:

• Make it a practice to allot limited time — 10-15 minutes — to ponder over decisions. Maintain a tight daily schedule that doesn’t allow time for unnecessary brooding.
• Change mindset and attitude to focus on progress rather than perfection. Chasing perfection saps energy and prompts worry about not getting it right. Put in your best, targeting energy towards progress rather than perfect outcome.
• Challenge negative thoughts and build positivity. View conundrums in light of available evidence. Often, people overthink negative outcomes without sufficient cause.
• Consult a professional counselor/psychologist if overthinking is adversely affecting your physical/mental health and work performance.

Bad habit 2: Inadequate sleep

Lack of adequate sleep has emerged as the #1 lifestyle problem of the new digital age which is imperceptibly destroying the physical and mental well-being of millions of people worldwide. Following an explosion of digital connectivity and entertainment, adults and children are losing sleep. Children especially need to sleep well as several essential body restorative changes occur during slumber. Inadequate sleep can result in height-challenged, obese, unhealthy children prone to frequent infections and poor learning outcomes.

“Adequate and restful sleep is vitally important for physical growth and mental well-being. The growth hormone, which stimulates height growth, is secreted during sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation can result in children not realising their full height potential. Likewise infection-fighting T cells in the blood multiply during sleep hours. These cells remove inflammation-causing cytokine chemicals from the blood. That’s why sleep-deprived children are more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections and take longer time to recover. Moreover, children react more sharply to sleep deprivation — they become irritable, hyperactive, and throw temper tantrums. Reasoning and memory are affected, and academic performance drops,” says Dr. Harikah P, paediatrician at Sprouts Children’s Clinic, Bengaluru.

A very positive NYR is to break the bad habit of inadequate sleep, says Dr. Harikah. Her suggestions to develop healthy sleep habits in children (and parents, who must “role model good sleep etiquette”):

• Mandate a consistent sleep schedule. The entire family should go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This regulates the body’s internal clock.
• Limit digital screen time at nights. Direct all digital devices to be shut down at least two hours before bedtime. The blue light emitted by digital screens interferes with melatonin production, delaying onset of sleep.
• Optimise the sleep environment. Keep children’s bedrooms cool, dark, and quiet. Invest in comfortable mattresses and pillows. Ban distractions such as televisions and mobile phones from children’s bedrooms.
• Follow a relaxing pre-sleep routine. Engage in mind-calming activities such as reading, meditating, or taking a warm bath before bedtime.
• Avoid eating heavy meals and caffeinated beverages in evenings. Include sleep-promoting foods such as almonds, walnuts, and bananas in the family diet.
• Encourage physical activity. Regular physical exercise during the day improves sleep quality.
• While short power naps are beneficial, extended or late-afternoon naps disrupt night sleep.
• Persistent lack of sleep indicates underlying health problems. Consult a medical practitioner.

Bad habit 3: Excessive consumption of ‘white’ foods

These are “foods that are white in colour and have been processed and refined, like flour, rice, pasta, bread, crackers, cereal, and simple sugars like table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup” (webmd.com). For instance, maida, or refined wheat flour, is a common ingredient in baked foods, sweets, and processed foods. Excess consumption of white foods leads to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

“Reducing ‘white’ ingredients in the family, especially children’s, diet promotes long-term health and prevents lifestyle-related illnesses. The difference between refined white foods and their healthier alternatives is processing and fibre. The refining process strips away the outer layer, which contains fibre. Moreover, many refined white foods provide little nutritional value other than calories. A good New Year Resolution is to transition to healthier substitutes for long-term and sustainable change,” says Deepalakshmi Sriram, paediatric and neonatal nutritionist at The Cleft and Craniofacial Centre, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai.

Sriram’s tips to introduce healthy alternatives to white foods:

• Substitute maida with whole wheat flour; millet flours — ragi, jowar, bajra; almond, oat, chickpea or quinoa flours.
• Sugar is a widely used sweetener in processed foods and beverages. Excessive sugar intake leads to weight gain, insulin resistance, diabetes, tooth decay, and fatty liver. Jaggery is a good alternative to sugar as it is less processed and is rich in several nutrients such as iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin C.
• Read food labels carefully to identify hidden ‘white ingredients’ in packaged foods.
• Replace soda and packaged juices with water, herbal teas and infused water.
• Use spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla which naturally enhance sweetness.
• Restrict salt intake. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends salt intake should be less than 5 gm per day (approximately one teaspoon). This includes all dietary salt, whether added during cooking, at the table, or already present in processed foods. Excessive salt composition causes high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney problems, and fluid retention.

Bad habit 4: Ignoring environment damage

Under the ubiquitous threat of air pollution, climate change, deforestation, and other environmental disasters pushing Planet Earth to the edge, it is imperative to teach children eco-friendly and sustainable practices, especially in high-consumption urban environments. “Children’s attitudes toward the environment are shaped by direct experience and values instilled by parents and caregivers. When children embrace eco-friendly practices from young age, they learn the importance of and develop a sense of responsibility, towards Nature. The new year is a good time to invest sustainable and eco-friendly practices in children,” says Pratik Motikar, clinical psychologist at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru.

Motikar’s practical guidelines to encourage children to adopt sustainable practices:

• Children learn by observing parents/caregivers. Incorporate eco-friendly habits into your daily life such as reducing waste, abjuring plastic and using reusable bags, conserving water, and choosing energy-efficient appliances. When children see parents making conscious, eco-friendly choices, they are most likely to emulate them.
• Incorporate environmental lessons into daily activities. For example, involve children in tasks such as sorting recyclables, composting, planning organic meals, etc. Teach them the importance of reusing, reducing, and recycling through hands-on activities.
• Plan and implement home routines that focus on sustainability. For example, turn off lights when not in use, reduce digital screen time to limit energy consumption, and mandate a routine of turning off home appliances when not in use. These small deeds become habitual and reinforce the idea that every action, no matter how small, contributes to a larger environment preservation goal.
• Plan outdoor nature activities such as hiking, visiting parks, gardening, and bird-watching. These activities connect children with the natural world, developing a sense of care and responsibility to protect it.
• Explain how consumption choices contribute to larger environmental challenges, such as pollution, waste, and climate change. Use age-appropriate language to explain concepts such as carbon footprint, resource depletion, and impact of plastic waste on wildlife.
• Encourage sustainable transportation. In urban habitats, petroleum-driven transportation is a significant contributor to carbon emissions. Encourage children to walk, cycle, or use public transport whenever possible.
• Promote eco-friendly consumption habits. Explain the environmental impact of fast fashion, single-use plastics, and excessive packaging to children. Encourage them to choose durable, reusable items. You can also introduce the concept of “buying less but better” — focusing on quality over quantity.
• Use educational toys, games, and books to explain environment themes. Numerous children’s books and games engagingly propagate concepts such as waste recycling, renewable energy, and wildlife conservation.
• Participate en famille in community waste clean-up events, tree-planting initiatives and local environmental campaigns to demonstrate that collective action has greater positive impact.

Bad habit 5: Procrastination

The pervasive habit of delaying tasks is a vice that is universal. However, putting off urgent, necessary tasks often results in greater stress and lower productivity. Psychologist Swati Rajput (quoted earlier) advises parents to teach children self-discipline and the importance of completing tasks on time.

Her suggestions to kick the procrastination habit:

• Divide tasks/work into small portions. It’s important not to be overwhelmed by the scale of a project, so divide tasks into manageable components.
• Prioritise. Mark every task as per priority and urgency. Earmark urgent tasks first and complete them early.
• Eliminate distractions. To complete high priority tasks/chores, provide children a clean, quiet place and switch off all mobile app notifications.
• Create routines and schedules. To track daily progress, use a calendar and scheduler to ensure tasks are completed on time.
• Children should keep a log of when and why tasks are delayed and recognise patterns and address them.
• Share goals with a friend or mentor who can monitor your progress.
• Use productivity apps or habit trackers for self-accountability.

Stephen Covey’s  7 Habits

American management guru Stephen R. Covey (1932-2012) is recognised as one of Time magazine’s 25 most influential Americans for his groundbreaking bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People which has sold more than 40 million copies and counting worldwide. 7 Habits was named one of the two most influential books of the 20th century by CEO magazine.

Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits

1. Be Proactive. You are responsible for your results. Your life can be turned by careful design or careless choice. You can direct your life, or you choose to be the plaything of circumstance.
2. Begin with End in Mind. See the finish line before you start. How do you want people to remember you? What result do you want to have at day’s end?
3. Put First Things First. Choose to do all that’s required to reach your finish line regardless of mood or circumstance.
4. Think Win/Win. When other people are involved, ask how you can get what you want while helping them get what they want.
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood. Listen before you speak. Get people to clarify their understanding of what you’ve said.
6. Synergize. You get better results working with others; the sum of combined effort is always greater than working singly.
7. Sharpen the Saw. Take the time to keep your mind, body, emotions, and spirit in peak condition.