Health behaviour such as smoking, vaping, drugs and alcohol intake, physical inactivity, and unhealthy eating, gambling etc are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. There are innumerable diseases associated with them. To address unhealthy lifestyle is challenging and requires a holistic intervention in form of sustained behaviour change.
“Motivation” to change behaviour is the key. The following concepts and theories can help you to stay motivated:
1. Perceived harm: This is for you to know whether your health behaviour is causing any harm to yourself. This can be done be done by obtaining accurate and specific information and objectively evaluating the information you are given about the changes in your lifestyles.
When we say to ourselves “ I shouldn’t smoke” , “ I should go to bed early” the effect seems to get lost easily whereas when we say, “ I should really be distracting/practice mindfulness when urging to smoke”, “ I should not watch any TV before sleep time” there is more motivation. It is important to change your narrative and do motivating self- talk.
2. Beliefs about the advantages of change: Behaviour change needs to be anchored to few improvements that can be experienced in present. It can be done by visualizing the benefits, observing others who have benefitted from these and reminding yourself that you are making the right choices.
3. Confidence building in small steps: Self-confidence is the key to maintain the change. Small measures taken in high-risk situation is a great boost and few examples are resisting second drink at the friend’s birthday party, saying no smoke when everyone is smoking etc.
4. Environmental Cues: You also need to make change in environment to achieve change and examples are – keep company of people who lead healthy lifestyle, keep healthy foods at home and office, read health literature, establish a routine , remind your self of your motto of healthy lifestyle.
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