7 bad habits you should drop before you turn 30
We all have our bad habits, and they’ve stuck around because they’re so hard to shake. Sometimes, getting rid of a negative habit involves some kind of major lifestyle change, and getting stuck in our routines makes it feel possible to work out the kinks. It’s time to make an itemised lists of habits that need to go, and create a long term plan to drop them. You have until you turn 30, but the sooner you start, the better.
1. Partying Too Hard
There’s nothing inherently wrong with going out for drinks or pulling a few wild all-nighters with your closest friends. It only gets to be problematic when this becomes you preferred de-stressing mechanism. As we age, our bodies can’t sustain the damage they sustain from partying all the time. It’s time to swap out a few nights of partying for some gentle ways to unwind.
2. Living on Junk Food
You’re busy, so you order a pizza or stop for some tacos on the way home. Sometimes, you’ve really earned the right to treat yourself. Other times, you’re doing it because it’s cheap and convenient. Your metabolism will naturally slow down with age, and you’ll find that your favourite junk food starts to hang out around your midsection. Research some quick meal ideas, and start meal prepping. You may even find some healthy comfort foods.
3. Forgetting to Call Mom and Dad
You’re out in the world, and you don’t see your family on a daily basis anymore. “Out of sight, out of mind” is not a philosophy you want to take when it comes to your family. Try grabbing lunch with your close family members once or twice a month. If you live far apart, there’s always calling and video chatting.
4. Going Forever Without a Checkup
When you get sick, you probably run to the local pharmacy to grab some cold tablets. There’s nothing wrong with sticking to the drugstore for small stuff, but how do you know there isn’t anything bigger going on? Make sure you regularly touch base with your physician. Risks for certain health conditions, such as cancer and heart disease, increase with age.
5. Neglecting Your Skin
Tanning beds, open-air music festivals, and even free radicals in the environment all affect our skin. Even falling asleep with makeup on can take a real toll. It’s never too early to start taking care of your skin, but it can always be too late. The best time to start properly cleansing, moisturizing, and applying SPF is right now. Your skin won’t stay young forever.
6. Being Complacent With Your Career
It doesn’t matter if it pays the bills when you come home miserable every day. If you’re looking to settle into a more lucrative career, start exploring your options now. If you need to further your education, that’s going to take a while. Don’t waste time sitting around when you could be working toward a better degree that’s going to set you up for a more fruitful future.
7. Sacrificing Sleep
Sleep isn’t a voluntary action, no matter how busy you are. There’s nothing wrong with having a bedtime, and unburdening yourself from unnecessary commitments to free up an extra hour to snooze. Try making a schedule guideline for your day, and gradually simplify your life enough to where you can comfortably fit in at least 7 hours of sleep. Your body needs it, whether or not your mind wants it.
You may not be able to kick yourself into top shape overnight, so make sure you give yourself a little while to get things into perfect working order. Just make sure you don’t procrastinate, and take things one step at a time.
