24 Habits That Have A Bad Reputation But Are Actually Astonishingly Good For You

It’s that time of year when most people set New Year’s resolutions, resolving to break bad habits and form new ones that will hopefully see them become a better person, whether that be intellectually, emotionally, or physically.One person turned to Reddit to ask netizens which habits are thought to be bad, but are actually good for you. Over a thousand people responded with some surprising answers. Here’s a list of some of the most fascinating.More info:RedditThis post may includeaffiliate links.

One person turned to Reddit to ask netizens which habits are thought to be bad, but are actually good for you. Over a thousand people responded with some surprising answers. Here’s a list of some of the most fascinating.

More info:Reddit

This post may includeaffiliate links.

Being lazy from time to time. Sleeping in. Just doing nothing. There are so many “hustle” adds and posters everywhere. My GF and some of my friends fill so much their schedule that there is barely any time for rest or enjoying a book or a game or smth. Me, having pretty busy everyday life I always make sure to have atleast 10 or more hours a week to do nothing productive. Enjoy life, nature, friends, alone time, watch stupid videos, play games.

Woman reading a magazine on a sofa, highlighting a relaxed good habit.

Crying actually helps ease pain, physically and emotionally.

Man in deep thought, tear on cheek, reflecting on bad-good habit.

Swearing – Turns out, letting a few choice words fly is a great way to reduce stress and even dull pain. So really, you’re not cursing—you’re just practicing verbal therapy!

Two people in a heated discussion, highlighting bad-good-habit communication dynamics.

Shaking/vibrating your leg when you have to be sitting for a long time, gets the blood moving, better than being completely stationary for hours.

Person sitting on an office chair with crossed legs, showing relaxed posture; concept of bad-good-habit.

Staying up late. Some people have different circadian rhythms and it makes evolutionary sense that in order for a population to thrive you couldn’t all be asleep at once.

Person working late in dim room with laptop, illustrating a bad-good-habit of nighttime productivity.

Taking a nap during lunch breaks.Some look down on it but I get a lot of energy from it.

Person relaxing in a hammock indoors, illustrating a good habit.

In his article forPsychology Today, Judson Brewer (M.D., Ph.D.) writes that these 3 components show up every time we hit the vape pen, eat somecandy, or check our social media feeds when we’re stressed. In fact, every time we reach out for something to appease ourselves, we consolidate the learning, and it eventually becomes automatic.Deciding to end bad habits and create new ones isn’t simply a question of discipline. The concept of self-control has been disseminated for decades, even thoughresearchersat Yale have demonstrated that thebrainnetworks linked to self-control are the first to derail when faced with triggers such asstress.

Deciding to end bad habits and create new ones isn’t simply a question of discipline. The concept of self-control has been disseminated for decades, even thoughresearchersat Yale have demonstrated that thebrainnetworks linked to self-control are the first to derail when faced with triggers such asstress.

Talking to yourself, although it can be taken as a sign of loneliness, also helps you concentrate and organize ideas, of course, without overdoing it.

Man enjoying coffee at a café window, reflecting on bad-good-habit changes.

Saying NO.

A person holding up their hand, symbolizing stopping a bad habit.

Being less than 100% productive at work. Pacing yourself is important for mental and physical health.

Woman enjoying a coffee while working on a laptop, illustrating a good habit.

In her article forHealthline, Ann Pietrangelo suggests a range of daily habits to add to your routine if you want to live a happier, healthier life. Some of these includesmiling, exercising, getting plenty of sleep, eating with your mood in mind, breathing deeply, keeping a gratitude journal, and avoiding comparing yourself to others.

Gaming (in moderation). Studies have shown it improves problem solving, critical thinking, multi tasking, decision making, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, memory, and concentration.

Two people on a couch playing video games, illustrating a relaxed leisure activity, representing bad-good-habit theme.

Cutting people off.

Two women having a disagreement, illustrating bad-good-habit dynamics.

Trusting your gut instinct. Saved my life and drastically improved my test scores time and time again.

Person stands on mountain overlook, arms outstretched in the sky, representing freedom and breaking bad-good-habit.

Although one popular myth suggests it takes around 21 days to form a new habit,researchhas revealed that an average time of 66 days is how long it takes for a new behavior to feel automatic. If you’re looking to break a bad habit, Reid suggests exploring your reasons for the behavior change, setting the right goals, and identifying the triggers of the bad habit.

Some people consider pacing a bad habit but it can help with thinking. Doing everything last minute is only a bad habit if you don’t finish or get things done on time.

Man wearing a headset checks his watch while seated at a desk with a laptop, illustrating time management habits.