Eating too much sugar, consuming caffeine in the evenings, smoking, enjoying too much screen time on a regular basis, not sleeping enough. We are all aware we are doing something not quite right in our daily routine, but we generally find it hard to change the way we operate once we’ve created a habit out of it.

And it’s understandable: our brains are set up to recognise triggers and therefore we are wired to repeat behaviours that provided any sort of reward in the past, such as getting a surge of dopamine from the sugar intake. That however should not deter you from trying to improve your routines, especially when a guilty pleasure turns into an unhealthy habit. Here are some easy steps you can take.

To begin with, do you know what is the reason for your unwanted behaviour? Specifically, it’s important to identify the underlying triggers for that craving you feel for junk food or chocolate or cigarettes. Or the reason why you tend to procrastinate. What is the pattern, the context? And just as significantly, how does your seemingly automatic response to this trigger make you feel?

In the words of Judson Brewer, Director of Research and Innovation at Brown University's Mindfulness Centre and New York Times best-selling author, you need to practice being curious – or rather “curiously aware” about your behaviour in order to be able to successfully act upon it.

Brewer recommends using the RAIN method to truly become aware of the implications your action has on you:

·       RECOGNISE: identify the habit

·       ALLOW: rather than forcing yourself to stop the behaviour (or judging yourself for it), first accept it and analyse it

·       INVESTIGATE: pay attention to your body as you are going through the action – how does it feel, what sensations do you become aware of?

·       NOTE: write down all your feelings on a piece of paper

In some cases, identifying the actual triggers and the way your body responds to your action can be enough to “break the spell” and help you realise that a change is needed. But depending on the habit, this change can very well require some consistent or conscious effort. And in order to begin the process, you must ask yourself: why should you do it?

Bear in mind that according to some studies, fear (the fear of health problems later in your life, for instance) is a negative emotion that tends to paralyse or even make us resistant to change. You may notice in yourself a tendency to run away from the issue altogether or postpone acting upon it despite being aware of internal or external warnings – from the notices on the cigarette packs to the well-intentioned reminders of those close to you.

So instead focus on positive aspects to motivate you – i.e. the benefits of changing your behaviour. How you would have more energy or would perform better during the day if you consistently get more sleep, for instance.

Once you are clear on why you want to do this, you can begin. But take a progressive approach when attempting to change any long-standing habit. For example, you may need to first reduce the intake of fast-food or fizzy drinks, and gradually stop altogether, rather than forcing yourself to stop right away. Alternatively, you could try setting yourself a short-term goal at first, such as avoiding take-aways for a week, and incrementally adding to that timeline.

Having a too ambitious goal can sometimes backfire and simply set you up for failure, which would in turn make you feel bad about yourself. So instead, remind yourself that any new habit requires time to set in and accordingly, set realistic goals that will empower you as go along.

In some cases, it helps to explore other options that replace your old habit. For instance, if you do feel like snacking in the afternoon, rather than forcing yourself not to act on that craving, opt for healthy snacks like nuts or dried fruit rather than chocolate or sweets.

Similarly, if you are aiming to sleep earlier in the evenings, try turning off your phone or tablet, and read a good book instead.

Besides being patient with yourself in this process, also make it a point to celebrate your milestones. Recognise and reward yourself for your progress, for that extra bit of positive reinforcement – it will help you keep at it.

If you start to feel demotivated along the way, you can always enlist support by reaching out to others. If your workouts do not offer the results you were hoping for, for example, ask a personal training expert for a tailored training plan or some nutrition insights to re-energise your efforts. Or perhaps try an exercising session with a friend to boost your confidence or simply make training fun again.

Whatever your goal, remember that every small positive step in the right direction matters – and it amounts to a positive impact on your overall wellbeing and on the quality of your daily lifestyle.