The success of Atomic Habits and the millions of other books on forming good habits and breaking bad habits should tell us something about how much we think about our habits. We all have things we wish we had done more of, or things we wish we had done more of, but what if our concepts of good and bad habits are a little off?
Some of the things traditionally classified as bad habits are actually good for you, but for some reason they get a bad reputation. So someone asked Reddit for examples of habits that are considered “bad” but are actually good, and people responded.
The seven most popular answers are:
fidget
How many children have been forced to sit still at school and had the message instilled in them that shaking their legs and feet or fidgeting in their seats is a bad habit? After all, such a move is actually good for you. We’ve all heard that sitting is the new way to smoke. Tapping your toes or rocking in your chair can help keep your blood circulating and protect your arteries from some of the harms caused by too much sitting.
“Swinging or vibrating your legs when you have to sit for long periods of time gets your blood moving more easily than sitting completely still for hours on end.”
“It’s also useful when toddlers want to be bounced. Just place it on top of their already shaking legs and it will keep moving.”
“As someone with ADHD, this is great news!”
“As a wise man once said, ‘Movement is lotion.'”
“I have two relatives who are doctors. They both did rotations in elderly care, and the words ‘Movement is lotion. If you stop moving, you die,’ really resonated with their patients.”
crying
How many children have heard the words “Big boys don’t cry” or “Stop that crying or I’ll give you something to cry about”? growing up? Like “stop fidgeting,” those advices were not only unkind and unrealistic, they were wrong. Crying helps reduce stress and restore emotional balance.
“In fact, crying can help relieve pain, both physically and emotionally.”
“Yes, I heard that our tears actually contain stress hormones. They literally help our bodies reduce cortisol! That’s why we say, ‘After a good cry. ‘I feel better.’
“We evolved to both sweat and cry to survive in the world. Our bodies use both to keep us alive and biologically regulated.” Sweat and cry helped us outpace and outrun predators and prey, helped us form cohesive bonds, and helped us work, build units, and build civilizations. Masu.
As U.S. Marines, this information can literally mean the difference between life and death for ourselves, as well as the lives and deaths of others. ”
nap at work
Well, I don’t need it for work, but that’s good too. However, taking a short nap during a break from work can help you feel rejuvenated and refreshed. According to the Mayo Clinic, the best way to get the benefits of a nap without disrupting your night’s sleep is to take a short nap in the early afternoon.
“I take a nap during my lunch break. Some people look down on it, but I get a lot of energy from it.”
“Sometimes the goal isn’t actually to fall asleep. Just closing your eyes, lying down, and getting all thoughts out of your head is enough.”
“All of Asia has been doing this all along. Have you ever spent time in an office in China? At lunchtime, it gets so quiet and dark, and the guys pull out cots from under their desks and sit there for a solid hour. It’s almost creepy to be out there.”
“At work, we have a very comfortable privacy pod in the cafeteria, so I nap there most of the time. It’s an absolute must haha.”
being lazy
It’s certainly not healthy to do nothing all the time, but in a society where “productivity” is highly valued, it’s actually beneficial to make time to “do nothing.” Rest and relaxation are important parts of a balanced life, and doing nothing has real health benefits.
“Sometimes I get lazy. I just sleep. I don’t do anything. There are a lot of ‘hustle’ ads and posters everywhere. My girlfriend and some of my friends have full schedules and have little time to rest and have fun. I lead a very busy life with books, games, and chats, but I always have at least 10 hours of free time to enjoy life, nature, friends, alone time, watch silly videos, and play games. We are ensuring. ”
“Funny thing is, when I was younger, I had a lot of free time and I always felt it was important to be productive and take advantage of it. I felt a little guilty if I sat for hours on end. Now my days and weekends are filled with responsibilities and events that happen without me even explicitly trying to fulfill them, and I have nothing to do. It always feels great to have days where I’m completely alone and have no plans. I can play video games for eight hours and never feel like I wasted a second.”
“Near my house there is a small meadow surrounded by trees, and I can’t hear any noise from the nearby villages or roads. In the summer, all I hear is the rustling of leaves and the buzz of insects. I sometimes go there and take off my shoes,’ lying on a blanket in the shade and not thinking about anything.
My wife and kids don’t understand how I can just snooze and take it easy on myself for an entire sunny summer afternoon, but they don’t drain my battery like they do other things. It will charge you. ”
talk to yourself
Traditionally, talking to oneself in public has been considered bizarre at best and a sign of mental illness at worst. But research shows that talking to yourself out loud can actually help you stay organized, focus and pay attention, and regulate your emotions.
“While monologue may be perceived as a sign of loneliness, it can help you focus and organize your ideas, without going overboard, of course.”
“People say I’m crazy, but this is what makes me clear (laughs). Talking to yourself not only helps you understand yourself, but it also helps you understand the situation. , an idea, whatever it is, is one of the best ways to understand it.” Well, who doesn’t want to have a good relationship with themselves? ”
“I do this when I drive alone! It helps me process my emotions and thoughts.”
“Soliloquy! People might think it’s weird or a sign of being distracted, but honestly, it’s really helpful. Even when you’re working on a problem, it helps you organize your thoughts. Whether you’re talking to yourself or just giving yourself a pep talk, talking to yourself helps you understand things more clearly. Plus, speaking out loud helps you process information more efficiently and helps you stay focused. So if you see me talking to myself, please let me know.”
Stay up late
Ben Franklin famously said, “Early to bed and early to rise makes you healthy, rich, and wise,” and people have been practicing it for centuries. However, there is no inherent virtue in going to bed early and getting up early, and some people’s natural rhythms can slow down their cycles. Not only that, but some studies show that night owls have better cognitive function than early-born birds. (Don’t worry, morning lark. You’re still great.)
i.giphy.com
“Late owls. Some people have different circadian rhythms. It makes evolutionary sense that for a group to thrive, we can’t all sleep at once.”
“It took me a lifetime to figure this out. Even as a child, I always had a hard time getting to school without suffering from disgusting sleep deprivation. I went to bed at 1:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. , I often had to get up at 6 o’clock.
That habit carried over into my adult life as I graduated college with a 9-5. I remember being the most anxious on Sundays because I could actually sleep from 2am to 9am on Fridays and Saturdays, but on Sundays I had to try to force myself to go to bed early. Masu.
Then, five years ago, I got a job as a bartender. At first I worked from 9pm to 2am, but going to bed between 3am and 4am wasn’t optimal. Eventually, I found a job that allowed me to leave the office by 9:30pm to 10pm. perfection. Now I have time to relax before and after work, and I work 6 hours and come home with $200 to $300.
Work has never been more relaxing. And never sacrifice sleep to work “normal” hours. ”
“There’s also the fact that before the Industrial Revolution, technically most cultures slept twice. They would wake up for one to three hours during the night, and they called it ‘the clock.’ We spent years sleeping and waking up doing this, which, by the way, only stopped about 130 years ago.
game
In the ’80s and ’90s, adults were convinced that video games were going to destroy the world. Research on this front is constantly evolving, but what we’ve learned is that moderate video game play actually has some benefits. For example, one study of nearly 2,000 children found that playing video games for three hours a day improved performance on tests of cognitive skills, including impulse control and working memory, compared to not playing video games at all. It was found that there was a positive correlation. All in moderation, of course, but the game itself is not what it seems.
“Games (in moderation). Research shows they improve problem-solving, critical thinking, multitasking, decision-making, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, memory, and concentration.”
“Video games. Proven to relieve stress and tension, they are an acceptable emotional outlet that doesn’t hurt real people.”
“Most of the people who criticize you for playing games so intensely will probably spend a similar amount of time a day scrolling until their brains rot on Instagram. Of the two, over-gaming is better than over-active social feeds. is also much better.”
“Games are good for your health, as long as they don’t interfere with a variety of other healthy activities!”
Perhaps it’s time to reconsider many of our behaviors that are labeled as bad habits, but may actually be good habits.
