15 Habits You Need to Get Rid of For a Successful Life

There are a lot of habits that are advised to be adapted if you want to succeed. It is equally important to get rid of the habits that will hinder your success a.k.a. bad habits.

The kind of habits you have, dictate the kind of life you live. The way you live your life has a huge effect on how you work, and it does not require a genius to figure out that how you work has a huge impact on your success.

Here are some of the habits that you need to get rid of, not only to work for your success but also to become a better version of yourself.

1. Checking Social Media first thing in the morning

After waking up, many people check their phones. This then leads them to scroll through the feeds of multiple social media channels. Precious morning hours that could have been used to work on yourself or your work are wasted.

Make a rule to not look at your phone until and unless you have completed your morning chores. If you want, you can go through your phone while you have breakfast, that way you will take your time to finish the meal, instead of rushing and forgetting breakfast altogether.

2. Watching TV especially Reality Shows

Watching TV is one of the most time-consuming forms of entertainment people engage in. One show leads to another and then another. Now we have Netflix that helps us fuel this addiction more by allowing us to binge watch complete shows.

While some shows can be helpful, reality shows aren’t. They are like junk food for our brain. We might enjoy seeing them, but they are going to have negative effects on us.

3. Not Reading Anything

Reading is a great tool for anyone thinking of learning anything. Reading is one of the important hobbies to take on. Most successful people find time to read. They also advise reading at least one book every week.

If you think reading books is a difficult thing and you can’t commit to reading an entire book, then read magazines in your field. Read articles online; blogs have great reads to offer. Most articles can be read under 5-minutes. Start with small articles and then gradually increase the length of the text. Eventually, you will be able to read a book.

4. Multitasking

Multitasking can be great but not many people are good at it. Your attention is divided among different tasks, not allowing you to finish even one. If you would really like to get things done, pick up a task, focus on it, get it done, and then move on to the next one.

When you are working in a browser, shut all the other tabs and use only the ones that are necessary for the task you are currently working on. All the clutter can overwhelm you, it is important not to lose focus.

5. Procrastination

Procrastination has become one of those popular terms that people consider as sort of quirky and relatable. They don’t feel bad or take it seriously, but it is a real issue. Procrastination can delay your success. If you can’t stop putting off important work, then you might as well accept the fact that you aren’t going to achieve the heights you would like to.

You can’t not work for something and expect it to happen. To stop procrastinating, you need to get rid of all the distractions. While working, keep your phone farther from you, answer only important phone calls. I keep my phone always on “Do Not Disturb” mode and it has done wonders for my productivity.

Follow the 2-minute rule. If something can be done within 2 minutes, do it immediately. This stops tiny tasks from accumulating and also gives you a sense of accomplishment.

6. Not Budgeting

Whether you have a job or run your own business, budgeting is really important. You can’t only live in the now with your money and have no safety net to fall back on.

“Don’t save what is left after spending; spend what is left after saving.”

-Warren Buffett

At the beginning of your career, it is easy to get lost in a spending spree because you earn now. But, take a step back. What if there was an emergency one day and you needed money. You won’t have any because you spent it all.

You don’t need to spend every penny, neither do you need to save every penny. If you don’t know how to do it, then the 50-30-20 rule is a good one to start with and follow. This rule tells you to put 50% of your after-tax income for necessities like bills, housing, food, etc. 20% goes to your financial goals, that is, saving. Finally, the remaining 30% can be spent on wants, like dining, entertainment, etc.

I would also advise to save and keep aside at least 6 months of living expenses so that if you lose your job or source of income, you will have enough cushion to fall back on.

7. Not Investing

While saving is important, you can’t neglect investing. If you are following the 50-30-20 rule and saving 20% of your income, have you ever thought about what to do with the 20%. In today’s time keeping your money in the bank just doesn’t cut it. There are many investment options. Buying real estate, gold, stocks, bonds etc are just a few of the many ways to invest.

Let your money make more money for you. If you want to retire early or not slave away every day, then investing smartly can be of huge help. One of the best things to invest in is yourself. If you invest in learning and training, it pays huge dividends. It enables you to start a business which then allows you to make money even when you are sleeping.

8. Not Punctual

Punctuality is one of the very important traits of people who get things done. Nobody likes tardiness. If you are not punctual, chances are, people are going to stop taking you seriously.

If you are always an hour or two late to every meeting, every deadline, then you are making a bad impression. People like working with people they can rely upon. Someone who misses every deadline and has no value to their word, is not the person people want to work with.

If you run your own business, this can have a very adverse effect because relations with clients can bring you more business. If the word about your unprofessionalism spreads then your business will take the hit.

9. Getting Too Comfortable

Being too comfortable in the position you have is good but you need to always have some sort of ambition, to rise from your current position. Consider getting too comfortable with your situation as still water. Still water eventually gets stagnant.

It can stump your growth, stop you from reaching the heights of success. Which is why, it is important to always think about what next and then aim for it. It gives you a sense of purpose and the required push to go to the next step.

10. Complaining Too Much

Nobody likes hanging out with negative people. Certain things piss everyone off, but if you spend a lot of time and energy gloating about things that upset you, you are going to push people away.

Quick sessions of complaining when everyone complains can be fun, knowing when to stop is the key. People lose interest in you and what you have to say if you keep complaining. No one likes surrounding themselves with negative people.

Stop spending time thinking about things you cannot change. If there is something you don’t like, then instead of complaining, there are two sensible ways to go about it. One- if you can’t change it, then stop thinking about it and go on with your work. Two- if you can change it, then work on changing it. In either case, there is no room for complaints.

11. Not Making Eye Contact and Poor Body Language

Not making eye contact portrays a low level of confidence. When I was in college, there was a guy who didn’t make eye contact. The problem was that his line of sight was a person’s chest. It wasn’t an issue when he talked to guys but when he talked to girls it was a whole other scenario.

If you have a problem making and holding eye contact, then you can look at the person’s forehead or their nose, keep the height difference in mind. A short person looking at someone’s forehead is a very easy giveaway. Look just past their heads or ears, that way you are making eye contact with them through your peripheral vision while not getting uncomfortable yourself.

Slowly, you will find that you can now talk while maintaining eye contact. Same goes for body language. The way you hold yourself gives off the aura about the kind of person you are. This is why you are always advised to keep your back straight; it portrays confidence and authority.

12. Skipping Meals

I know how easy it is to get lost in your work and skip meals. Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. Start by not missing your breakfast. You will start the day with the needed energy, and even if you have a late lunch, your body won’t suffer much. When you have a late lunch or skip lunch with no breakfast to support your body, you start feeling weak.

Recently, I was skipping too many meals because I was busy. It eventually caught up. My sugar level was low. I started blacking out, my whole body started feeling too light and tingly. I had to sit down and eat a few bites, drink something for it to subside.

Is it worth it? Is feeling like this just to get a lot of work done, worth it? No, it definitely isn’t. Making your health suffer in the name of being busy is one of the stupidest decisions you can make.

A healthy body is going to work more, so instead of burning yourself out, try keeping a pace that doesn’t affect you in the long run. Take care of your body, eat proper meals at proper times.

13. Not Exercising

Like eating proper meals, exercising is essential. When your body is in good condition, you can work all you want. When it is not, you spend a lot of time and money to make it better.

Instead of letting it get to that, start exercising. Start with small changes in your routine. Go for a quick walk after lunch and dinner. Do yoga in the morning, meditate before going to bed or in the morning.

Start small and as you start getting comfortable with the routine, increase your pace. A sound body and a sound mind is the key to success.

14. Not Trying New Things

Remember when we were kids, curiosity made us try so many different things. As we age, we stop trying new things. New experiences teach us a lot. They help us learn about ourselves. We find new hobbies, and we learn something that we wouldn’t have.

Learning new stuff challenges our minds. You might discover how much more you can do than you are doing right at this moment.

Curiosity is an important asset to learning. Never stop learning and never stop experiencing new things. In the end, our experiences are what make us.

15. Not Having Fun

The way to get success isn’t working 24×7, it is finding the balance between work and self. Only working can tire your brain, burn out your mind, and put you in a rut. Getting out once in a while doesn’t mean that you are not serious about your future. It means you care enough to give yourself a break.

Let loose, go out for that drink you have been saying no to, go out for the movie you have been waiting to watch, catch up with your friends, spend time with your family. In short, have fun!

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

-Proverb

The changes we make in our daily routines, our habits, have the power to change the narrative of our lives. They directly contribute to the outcome of the work we do. It is crucial to recognize the areas we need to work on and then find ways to make it right.

“The most important investment you make is in yourself.”

-Warren Buffett