15 things to help you kick your bad habits

January 1, 2021

By Kim Komando

This past year has been a long one. The pandemic has turned our worlds upside down, and we’re all happy 2020 has come to an end.

While New Year’s Eve parties weren’t quite as extravagant as years past, you can still get started on the right track for 2021. It’s time to get rid of those bad habits you’ve formed over the years.

Whether it’s a sugary soda addiction, nail-biting or bad eating habits, you need to change your behaviors to start 2021 off on the right foot. You may even have some bad online habits you need to break. The items below, from sweet tea drops to standing desks, will help you kick what ails you.

1. Bad habit: You’re addicted to sugary soda or coffee. Try these tea drops instead. 

Sugary soda and coffee can take a toll on your health. If you’re trying to have better drinking habits, these tea drops are a great alternative. They’re made with genuine tea leaves and a little sugar. You can add them right to your water when you get a craving for a tasty drink. 

2. Bad habit: You’re never hydrated because plain water is so boring. Spice it up with fruit. 

It’s important to drink enough water each day, but it’s tough to do when you think water is boring. You can add a little flavor to your water and get hydrated with this infuser water bottle. You fill the bottle’s infuser with a few fresh fruits of your choice to add some spice to your H20. You’ll be hydrated in no time.

3. Bad habit: You don’t take care of your heart and blood pressure. Take two of these a day. 

Your diet has a big impact on heart health. If you’re struggling to eat enough heart-healthy veggies as part of your diet, take two of these a day instead. Made with grape seed extracts and beets, these tasty chews will support your heart health and give you natural energy. 

4. Bad habit: You rinse out your water bottle and think, “Eh, good enough.” Nope, you need these brushes. 

Take the time to actually clean that water bottle you’re using. These brushes make it easy to do. They fit right inside your water bottle to help get it clean of bacteria and other nasty residues.

5. Bad habit: You never think to clean out your washing machine and your towels stink. These products can help. 

That funky smell that’s coming from your towels is probably due to a moldy, mildewy washing machine. This Laundry Lasso️ keeps your washing machine’s door open and securely out of the way so that there’s no moisture to feed mold, mildew and odors.

If you’re dealing with stubborn smells, this Effervescent Tablet Washer Cleaner will knock the stench right out of your machine. You just drop them into the wash and let it run — the smell will rinse away at the end of the cycle.

Related: 20 just-released clever tech gadgets you’re going to want right now

6. Bad habit: You use wasteful dryer sheets for every load of laundry. Use these again and again. 

Dryer sheets help keep your clothes static-free and smelling good, but they’re bad for the environment. Use these SnugPad dryer balls again and again instead. They’re made of 100% New Zealand wool and no fillers. No chemicals either! 

7. Bad habit: You still clean up the kitchen counters with paper towels. Try reusable paper towels instead. 

Paper towels are necessary, but they’re also wasteful. You should try reusable paper towels instead. These heavy-duty bamboo towels are more absorbent than regular paper towels, and they’re eco-friendly, too. You’ll even save money on those paper products by using these.

8. Bad habit: Your posture is atrocious. Try a posture trainer. 

Sitting in front of a computer all day will take a toll on your posture. If you’re dealing with back, neck and shoulder pain, try a posture trainer. It will help you with that atrocious posture and even help alleviate the pain your bad posture is causing.

9. Bad habit: You stare at screens all day without protecting your eyes. You need blue light glasses. 

Staring at screens all day doesn’t just cause shoulder and back pain. It can also cause eye strain and damage, which is why you need blue light glasses. These glasses help block harmful blue light and cut down on eye fatigue while you’re working or playing. 

10. Bad habit: You still bite your nails. Use this nail polish to remind yourself to stop. 

Biting your nails is a nasty habit. It not only ruins your nails but also exposes you to the dirt, grime and bacteria under your nails. You can use this nail polish to break the habit quickly. It works great for kids, too.

11. Bad habit: You can’t remember the last time you read a book. Make the Kindle your new best friend. 

Reading should be on your list for the upcoming year. You can make Kindle a part of your daily routine. It will get you in the habit of reading books and holds a ton of them, too. It reads just like books on real paper.

12. Bad habit: You sit all day long. A standing desk will change your life! 

Are you still sitting in front of your desk? Change it up with this standing desk. You’ll be comfortable and more health-conscious if you make the change. It’s adjustable, too — so you won’t have to worry about it being too short or tall.

13. Bad habit: You never get up and move around. A smartwatch will remind you to get in those steps. 

Getting your steps in is important each day. You can use this Fitbit smartwatch to make sure you’re always on top of your steps. It offers a ton of other fitness features, too — but those reminders to get in your steps are a great place to start.

Related: Buy this, not that: Best and worst tech of 2020

14. Bad habit: You always sleep through your alarm. This one will get you out of bed. 

If you’re always sleeping through your alarm, why not try an alarm clock on wheels? It forces you to get out of bed to find it, which gets your mind going and starts your day off on time. You’ll be on time, every time with this one.

15. Bad habit: Your cords are a jumbled mess. Straightening things up is easy with the right organizers. 

If your desk is a jumbled mess of cords and cables, you need to get things organized. Luckily, that’s easy with the right organizers. This pack gives you plenty of cable ties to get things in order easily. They’re stylish, too.

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