Bad habits that are good for you The weaknesses that can be your greatest strengths
Stop feeling guilty about your “weaknesses” – some of them are actually your greatest strengths
Are you a nail biter? Daydreamer? We all have our bad habits – and they can make us feel guilty. “The definition of a good habit is a behaviour that is beneficial to your physical or mental wellbeing, such as regular exercise or eating your five-a-day, so by implication, bad habits aren’t beneficial,” says Jivan Dempsey, integrative hypnotherapist, life coach and occupational psychologist
(jivandempsey.com). In fact, she says this isn’t true – and some of our “bad” habits could actually work in our favour.
“Some bad habits are obviously not good for you, such as smoking, but others, like swearing, depend on your personal preferences and the context of the habit,” explains Jivan. It’s about where and when you perform them, which could determine their positive or negative impact.
It’s time to stop the guilt and discover the positives to these pesky habits...
Chewing gum
Doing it before performing a cognitive task increases blood oxygen levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus – key brain structures involved in learning and memory. Chewing gum boosts thinking and alertness, plus it can also keep our saliva flowing. According to Dr Raha Sepehrara, principal dentist at Dental Suite (dental-suite.co.uk), this can stop cavities forming in our teeth, reduce our risk of thrush infection and prevent bad breath. Just try to choose sugar-free gum.
Swearing
Often shout a four-letter expletive when you stub your toe? Swearing may be one of the most offensive bad habits, but it could help us cope with pain better, according to researchers at Keele University. Their study involved participants holding their hands in ice water – first shouting expletives and then not. When they used strong language, they were able to keep their hands in for longer. However, the study showed that swearing in a time of pain was more effective for people who didn’t usually curse. So if you’re looking to raise your pain tolerance, limit this bad habit to strictly necessary circumstances.
Skipping the shower
We’re not talking about several days straight – that would be bad for our health, not to mention our social lives. However, skipping the shower once in a while (think a lazy Sunday) could do wonders for our skin.
Washing daily can actually strip skin of essential oils that help it stay supple.
Being messy
It’s true what they say – chaos really does generate creativity. Research published in the journal Psychological Science ran an experiment where 48 individuals were assigned either to a messy or tidy room and were asked to think up as many uses for ping-pong balls as possible. Although they came up with the same number of ideas, those in the messy room were 28% more creative with their concepts.
Day Dreaming
Problem got you stumped? You may need to do a little daydreaming. According to experts, it allows ideas and issues to “marinate” in our minds. “Your unconscious brain can guide you to look at things that you haven’t had the time and emotional space to consider. Plus, it can also increase our motivation to think about possibilities and a bigger goal and vision,” says business coach Ruth Kudzi.
And the perfect time to daydream? In the shower, apparently. This is because feeling relaxed can increase the flow of the hormone dopamine, a key ingredient to creativity. The more dopamine released, the higher our chance of making insightful connections and problem solving.
Biting your nails
It might be a habit that makes most of us shudder, but perhaps those germs aren’t as bad as we thought. Some experts believe that small-scale exposure to germs can help us build up our immunity, making you less likely to fall ill in the long run. Just remember to do it privately.
Gossiping
“I hear Claire had a few glasses last night,” or “So, Emma got the promotion then…” Many of us share gossipy words with our best friends or colleagues – according to the experts, 60% of adult conversations are about someone who isn’t there. But don’t feel too bad about it. If you feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders after a good session, there’s a reason. “This is because frustration that caused you to gossip in the first place has been released,” explains mental health expert Chloe Ward. Gossiping with someone and venting our annoyances – even for just five minutes a day – can help reduce stress levels.