Bad Habits That Are Good For You

Stop feeling guilty about your ‘weaknesses’ – some are actually your greatest strengths

- Natalia Lubomirski

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 well-being, 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. But, 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.

Now is the time to stop the guilt and discover the positive aspects of these pesky habits...

FIDGETING

It might convey a lack of focus – how many times were you told off as a child for not sitting still? But foot-tappers and thumb-twiddlers are actually just getting a workout. Yes, fidgeting is, in fact, NEAT – that’s Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. In basic terms, it’s any activity that’s not eating, sleeping, or sporting exercise. Experts reveal those who fidget burn up to 1 465kJ a day – ideal if you’re desk-bound for most of it.

CHEWING GUM