Humans are great at adapting.

It doesn’t take long to become comfortable in a new school or workplace. When travelling, you can get into the flow of a strange new destination in mere days. You’re able to transition into new routines and habits with relative ease.

Few other animals can adapt so well to such change. The problem is that it doesn’t always work in your favour.

Getting used to a new exercise routine is great. But the same can’t be said for poor habits.

A couple of weeks of late nights and early mornings, and you stop feeling the daily exhaustion and overall lethargy. The sluggishness and low energy from a poor diet quickly become the norm. The same is true for many other bad habits. When you stop noticing the downsides, you stop realizing how you’re harming yourself.

It’s why taking a break on occasion is so important — a break from as many bad habits as possible for a month or two. Clean up your diet, get more sleep and exercise. See how good you feel, see what your normal actually is.

After the break, if and when you return to your old ways, you’ll notice the negatives much more. Pay attention as you adapt. While you may fall into bad habits, you likely won’t fall as far.