According To Psychology, These 9 Habits Are A Fast Track To Burnout And Misery
Overtime, these behaviors can suck the life force of out you.
Johan De Jager | Canva People buy planners, start calendars, set goals, and make a list of all the ways they need to change. The intention behind these actions is clear: “Make a new me.” We somehow feel these practices say, “We are ready for the future!” But, are we?
I make a list of habits I purposely don’t want to see continue. From time to time, I review my list to make sure I haven’t fallen back into old habits. We have all heard the saying “Out with the old, in with the new,” and it's true — we can’t enjoy the new if we don’t make a conscious effort to get rid of the old, especially if the old are bad habits that lead to nothing but burnout and misery.
Here are habits that fast-track you to burnout and misery:
1. Relying on diets and 'easy' fixes
Leave the “I’m on a diet” life and instead focus on having a healthy mind and perspective. Nurture your health from the inside out. Once you have a healthy inside, it’s easier to condition your body.
Following a fad diet will keep you stuck in an endless cycle. "A fad diet is a popular dietary pattern known to be a quick fix," a 2022 study suggested, "but there are negative health consequences of long-term adherence to such dietary patterns. Such diets are often marketed with specific claims that defy the basic principles of biochemistry and nutritional adequacy."
Create a lifestyle that supports the positive belief you have cultivated about yourself and healthy living.
2. Tolerating destructive relationships
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Leave behind relationships that subtract from you. If a romantic, collegiate, family, business relationship, or friendship takes away from you, abandon ship.
American entrepreneur Jim Rohn says, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Evaluate your circle.
3. Blindly following trends
We are all guilty. Someone changes their profile picture to “show support”. Everyone follows. Some of your friends rant about it. Everyone makes a statement about it. You see a random article on a trending topic, and you join the conversation.
Where are these interactions taking you? It’s like a hamster on a wheel chasing food that isn’t there. Stop following social media trends.
"The techniques of profiling and targeting on social media platforms can be used for advertising as well as for propaganda through tracking of a person's online behavior, algorithms of social media platforms can create profiles of users," explained a study in the European Journal of Operational Research. "These can be used for the provision of recommendations or pieces of information to specific target groups. As a result, propaganda and disinformation can influence the opinions and decisions of voters much more powerfully than previously."
Swim in a different pond. Start progressive conversations.
4. Not trying new things
Leave behind the fear of giving it a try. I get it. Some things can be scary. But fear is healthy to a degree. It keeps us safe from obvious dangers like running into other cars or jumping off a cliff.
Taking a risk? Trying something new? No. Tell fear, “Thanks for wanting to keep me safe, but you are not making this decision for me, so bye-bye.” Feel the fear and then give it a shot.
Often, fear is tied to uncertainty around achieving success, which a 2021 social science study found hurts completing a challenging task. However, when people make the conscious decision to push through the fear, they find success."
5. Saying 'I don’t know'
You are smarter than you think. Your words give your mind directions on what to do. Repeating the phrase “I don’t know” keeps your mind in a state of confusion and procrastination. If you are unsure of an answer, Google it or ask someone.
If you are in the middle of a life decision and have no idea what you’re going to decide, say, “I’m in the middle of getting clarity.” Words are powerful.
6. Allowing self-limiting beliefs
Leave behind the lies you keep telling yourself. “I will never figure this out. Things will always be this way. This always happens to me. I can’t do that. I always have bad luck. I will always be poor. I will never make it.” Really? Just stop. There are too many resources available today for you not to get what you want.
Leaving behind self-limiting beliefs requires self-assertion, according to a 2007 study, which found it is critical to develop "a strong connection with oneself — physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually — through which there is awareness of one’s qualities, abilities, and limitations. People who have a strong sense of self can be vulnerable and know when to ask for help. The stronger and more connected people are to themselves, the stronger is their connection and relationship with others."
7. Loathing yourself
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Leave behind the tendency to look in the mirror and cringe every time you see yourself. You are a masterpiece. Embrace the cellulite, hair, belly fat, small booty, wide forehead, and big feet. Stop bullying yourself.
Instead, look for the things you like about yourself and focus on those. Accept every part of you, even if you’re still learning to love them.
8. Ruminating on exes
Leave the past in the past. This could be an ex-boyfriend, ex-girlfriend, ex-hookup, or ex-friend. Just leave them behind. They are an ex for a reason. Stop running towards the comfort of knowing them and move your life forward. There is more to life than the world you once lived in via your ex.
"Rumination serves to prolong elevations in adrenaline and cortisol, resulting in sustained cardiovascular strain and immune compromise since ruminating about emotional upset serves to prolong physiological arousal (fight-or-flight) which would otherwise revert to resting levels," explained a 2020 study on the effects of rumination on one's health.
9. Reliving past regrets
You are human and will make mistakes. You feel regret after eating that cookie. Really? Enjoy it. Do you feel regret after having fun all night and waking up tired? Please. Enjoy life. One day, you won’t have the energy to stay up all night.
Be thankful for the mistakes you have made and what they taught you, but don’t feel regret for being human. Ever.
We anticipate starting life from a clean slate. Before focusing too much on what you want from the future, consider the things you must abandon. The idea of a new you and a clean slate is possible if you choose to clean the slate yourself.
Eliana Reyes is an author whose mission is to inspire others to live with purpose and fall in love with life.
