Shortly after I made a commitment to the raw vegan lifestyle, I noticed that I became much happier and productive in my life. At the same time that my dietary adjustment enabled me to become a better person, it also drew my attention to areas that I need to improve upon. And that is why much of my thought life has become predicated upon recognizing and eliminating bad habits that preclude me from being productive and positive. If you are also interested in recognizing and eliminating bad habits from your life, consider whether or not you’re exhibiting any of these behaviors:
1. Complaining.
To a certain extent, complaining is an understandable behavior to engage in. In addition to giving us an opportunity to vent, it also grants us the ability to think critically about what’s bothering us and devise a viable solution that will correct the problem. However, complaining is oftentimes not an activity we engage in for the purpose of correcting a problem. Rather, we frequently opt to complain because we’re irritated or angry. When these negative emotions are not channeled into some form of positivity such as problem solving, they drain both us and the people in our vicinity. If you find yourself constantly complaining about everything, make a point to redirect your focus to the removal of the issue that is causing you to gripe.
2. Being Controlled By Your Phone.
This is a bad habit that I have been working on for quite some time. Recently, I heard my pastor state that it’s a good idea to periodically turn your phone off so that you are unavailable to the world and therefore able to get your work done. This was great advice and has been working well for me. Unfortunately, many of us don’t feel comfortable doing this because we feel that we have a responsibility to be available to friends and family members. Yet if you are really attempting to accomplish a significant goal in your life, you shouldn’t let your phone control you. If you feel guilty about periodically turning your phone off, remind yourself that you will return important calls once you’ve gotten your work done.
3. Doing A Mediocre Job.
Excellence and efficacy do not result from half-doing your work. This principle applies to every area of your life and you should think critically about whether you’re operating in mediocrity at work or within your home. One of the pitfalls that results from doing a mediocre job is that you oftentimes have to go back and do it all over again. In his discussion about mediocrity, Craig Jarrow quotes Jeffrey Mayer as asking “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it again?” This is a good question and points towards the fact that doing a mediocre job can be a great time waster in addition to precluding us from experiencing the sense of satisfaction that results from doing something extremely well.
Conclusion
If you are attempting to improve your quality of life by becoming more productive and positive, identifying and eliminating bad habits can be integral to your success. Consider the bad habits listed above and determine whether they’re currently precluding you from operating at optimum levels. Good luck! :)
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