11 Habits That Are Actually Bad But Better For Something

Bad habits, believe it or not, can work wonders for you. While going overboard may eventually harm you, with controlled indulgence, even a bad habit can become a part of your healthy lifestyle.

For example, what if you channeled your daydreaming energies towards brainstorming instead?

See? Good can come from a ‘bad’ thing too. So, here are 11 bad behaviours that your parents and teachers chastised you for – that have been recast as being good for you.

1. Procrastination

Multi-tasking has become the norm – if you aren’t dabbling in over five things at once, you are doing a great disservice to yourself. Well, guess what? Take a rain check on some of these activities. Not every task has to be accomplished right away – prioritize and give yourself a breather. The sooner you do this, the less tired and stressed you will feel. If you are still not convinced, remember Steve Jobs put off things all the time so that he could harbour new ideas. And look where it took him!

2. Boredom

Are you bored of being bored? Don’t frown upon the habit just yet. People often consider (another habit we will discuss) boredom undesirable. But what if it could be used as the much-needed head space to rewire your thought process? It can give you the space to fix the bugs that are upsetting your system and find solutions to the problems that have been nagging you.

3. Complaining

If you whine about the weather, the traffic, your co-workers, chances are everyone around you has just about had enough. But if you complain with a concrete solution in mind, you can turn this bad habit into something constructive. Yes, there is a ‘right’ way to complain; say something bad only if it can be remedied, and addressed to a person who has the power to fix it. The weather, the traffic, your co-workers are unlikely to change. Focus on what you can fix instead.

4. Saying no

Saying ‘no’ is an act of selfishness and that’s precisely how it should be. Process this – nodding your head to people and the favours they ask will often leave you overwhelmed. You can’t please everyone. Your time is often more important than everyone else’s. Adding more to your plate will only fill you with resentment. Learn how to graciously say no to things that don’t concern you to free up your time and space.