19 Things Even Healthy People Do That Are Actually Bad For You

It's time to start living your best life.

1. Being on your phone at all times and taking your phone into bed with you.

Oxygen / Via tenor.com

Instead, try putting your phone away when you're spending time with friends, not using your phone when you're out having dinner, and setting it down when you’ve been on it for more than 15 minutes at a time.

On average, people can lose up to an hour of sleep per night if they go to bed with their phone in the room, BuzzFeed Health previously reported. So maybe also leave your phone outside of your bedroom, or at least put it somewhere out of arm’s reach, so that you can limit any before-bed scrolling.

If you need some extra help, here are 22 ways to break up with your cell phone.

2. Following people on social media that only make you upset and/or angry.

NBC / Via perezhilton.tumblr.com

It’s time to unfriend/unfollow all the people who don't make you feel good about yourself, such as former friends or coworkers who you basically just hate-stalk. Everyone you follow on social media should contribute to your life in a positive way, whether it's because their accounts inspire you to do cool stuff, they keep you updated on current news, or they just feature a lot of puppies that make you really happy.

3. Holding on to material objects that don't add something positive to your life.

Buena Vista Pictures / Via tenor.com

Everything in your living space should be meaningful to you and serve a purpose. If it doesn’t do that, then get rid of it. Built-up clutter will only add to your everyday stress.

4. Ignoring your body and refusing to make doctor appointments.

Universal Pictures / Via giphy.com

Now that mom and dad probably aren't scheduling appointments for you, it's so easy to go for years without getting regular checkups, or having certain physical or mental health concerns checked out (migraines, injuries, infections, etc.). But disregarding your health now could lead to a lot of trouble down the road — trouble that could have easily been prevented.

That's why it’s time to take matters into your own hands and make sure you're scheduling visits to the doctor, dentist, gynecologist, etc., as often as recommended. Yes, doctor visits can sometimes be expensive, but budgeting out money for them will be worth it.

5. Relying on social media and other people to affirm your self-worth.

NBC / Via heckyeahreactiongifs.tumblr.com

Nowadays, with every social app imaginable available, it's common to post a photo or witty tweet and use the number of likes you get as an indicator of your self-worth. But this can be incredibly toxic and create negative habits that aren’t easy to break.

It’s not a bad thing to love interacting with people on social media! But try your best to put less emphasis on getting ALL of your affirmation from it. Maybe take some time to reflect on the things you really like about yourself or the things you’ve done this year that you’re really proud of, and make a list that you can hang close to your bed, so that you see it every morning when you wake up.

6. And constantly comparing yourself to others.

CBS / Via chicastrology.co.uk

If you’re constantly comparing your life to that of others, you are never going to be satisfied and proud of who you are and all that you’ve accomplished. Just because someone is engaged at your age DOES NOT mean you need to be, or should even want to be. Just because someone is traveling the world for their job doesn’t mean you can’t travel here and there, and be happy with your own career. Everyone's on their own timeline and everyone has different goals and interests.

7. Spending all your downtime binge-watching shows.

CBS / Via tenor.com

There is nothing wrong with relaxing and watching some TV at the end of a long day. But if you spend all your downtime binge-watching your favorite shows, it’s only going to take away from your productivity, add to your ever-growing to-do list, and make you more stressed out in the end.

Instead, try to limit yourself to a few episodes and then get to work on those few things you want to accomplish, whether they are running errands, getting a workout in, or just picking up the clothes littered all over your bedroom floor.

8. Maxing out your credit cards and not saving anything per paycheck.

RGF Productions / Via giphy.com

It’s tempting to spend money you don’t have and then use your paychecks to take care of the bills. But five years from now, when you want to make a security deposit on an apartment, buy a car, take an international vacation, etc., it’s going to be hard with $0 in your savings account.

You don’t need to save half your paycheck every month in order to feel good about your savings. In fact, setting unrealistic goals for yourself based on what you ~think you should be doing~ is only going to set you up for failure. Try using an app like Clarity Money, which will help save as well as manage your overall finances, or Unsplurge, which helps you save up for things like going back to school, a vacation, or just that handbag you’ve been eyeing in the department store.

9. Being late for pretty much everything.

youtube.com / Via tenor.com

Yes, it sucks getting somewhere early and having to wait for everyone else to show up. But your strategy should never be to get somewhere at the exact time that you need to be there. More often than not, this strategy will ensure that you’re late, because things come up. For example, you might be walking out the door when you realize you can’t find your sweater, or maybe there’s a traffic jam on the highway.

ALWAYS leave at least 10 minutes earlier than you have to. Being late for things not only annoys the people you’re meeting up with, it gives you a negative reputation (making you seem unreliable). Plus, it can also be incredibly stressful for you.

Here are a few products that may help you be on time.

10. Ordering takeout and never grocery shopping or cooking your own food.

NBC / Via theunilife.tumblr.com

While it may be convenient, eating out puts a serious dent in your monthly earnings and it can also affect your health, since you have no control over the ingredients that are added into the meals you’re eating.

Instead, try to only eat takeout when you really have to, and make it a habit to keep your fridge fully stocked with groceries so that you’ll always have something that you can make. Here are some tips on cooking healthier on a budget that might make the transition easier.

11. Holding on to grudges and living in the past.

Disney / Via tenor.com

When someone burns you — especially someone you trusted — it's extremely hard to get over the hurt you feel toward them. But holding on to those hurtful memories and resentful feelings could have a negative impact on your emotional and physical health.

While it may take some time, try to find it in yourself to forgive the person. Move on. Don't waste your time concentrating on what's happened in the past.

12. Keeping a messy living space.

FOX / Via tenor.com

Your home is where you start and end your day, and you don’t want to start/end your day with the stress and negative energy that comes from a room full of things that need to get done. Try to make your home a place that’s soothing. You can make it that way by simply taking a few minutes every day to tidy up everything that’s not where it’s supposed to be.

Here are some tips for keeping a cleaner household.

13. Thinking of mental health issues as embarrassing or a sign of weakness.

Anna Borges / Via buzzfeed.com

If you broke your arm, would you tell yourself you're weak for needing to get help? No. And the same thought process should be applied to your mental health. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five adults (43.7 million people) experience mental illness in the US every year. Yet last year, only 60% of adults with a serious mental illness received mental health services.

If you're dealing with recurring issues that are affecting your everyday functioning, really consider seeking out professional help. Here is a beginner's guide to starting therapy and finding a therapist that's right for you.

14. Keeping a billion emails in your inbox at a time, and not routinely cleaning it out.

osXDaily / Via osxdaily.com

Email is one of the biggest productivity-suckers in the world. So many people get so overwhelmed by email that they just want to avoid it, and that allows it to keep piling up. It's a vicious cycle.

Take this five-day inbox cleanse and make your life a whole lot easier and less stressful.

15. Only getting in touch with loved ones when you need something from them.

DreamWorks Animation / Via tenor.com

As you get older, it's easy to form the bad habit of only reaching out to friends and family when you need something from them. This isn't a healthy way to maintain your relationships.

So try to set aside some time each week to talk to your loved ones, whether it's by making a quick phone call, setting up a time to FaceTime, or sending a simple "Hey, how are you" text. If your relationships are important to you, make sure you're prioritizing them.

16. Avoiding confrontation at all costs.

imgur.com

Facing an issue head-on can be incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. But it’s better than putting it off and being indirectly aggressive, which could just make the situation worse — not to mention you’ll stress over it for a longer amount of time.

Instead, try politely asking the person you're upset with to speak to you face to face. Confronting them through messaging might seem just fine, too, but it’s not ideal — it's way too easy to misinterpret tone, and that leaves a lot of room for miscommunication.

17. Taking out your anger and frustration on your loved ones just because they're an easy outlet.

ABC / Via tenor.com

It can be hard to keep your frustration or anger at someone (or a situation) bottled up, and sometimes your loved ones might seem like easy targets to direct those feelings toward, because you know they’ll forgive you and eventually get over it. However, this is not a good solution for dealing with your emotions; eventually they will get tired of it. Treat the people you love with respect, and find other outlets for your negative emotions.

18. Feeling like you need to say yes to everything in order to make people happy.

New Line Cinema / Via tenor.com

Don’t do it. The world will continue to spin if you tell people “no” every now and then. No one has the bandwidth to do all the things that people ask of them, and your mental health, as well as your physical health, will greatly benefit from being realistic about the things you can and can’t commit to.

19. And last but not least, thinking that you need a picture-perfect life and relationship, without any hardships, flaws, or setbacks, in order to be doing things ~right~.

NBC / Via giphy.com

Setbacks and hardships are natural and sometimes necessary for personal growth. It’s incredibly tough, but try to embrace them and accept that they’re not indicators of your competence or self-worth. There is no such thing as a perfect life and a perfect relationship, and the longer you search for them, the longer you’ll be making yourself unhappy.

Follow along at BuzzFeed.com/NewYearsRevolution from Jan. 1 to Jan. 14, 2018.

BuzzFeed News