Some would say the twenties were the best years of their life. Most are free-willed without much overhead, no real responsibilities, and the freedom to come and go as they please. When you’re in your 20s, you’re typically in good health, and you have an immune system that will help you ward off or bounce back from just about anything. However, once you hit your 30s, life is a different story.
To help you transition from your 20s to your 30s, we’ve come up with a list of bad habits you’ll probably want to wean yourself off of:
- Poor Eating
When you’re in your 20s you have a stomach built of steel and a metabolism that keeps you in shape. You can eat take out, ramen noodles, or whatever else you’d like in your 20s and never have a digestive or weight issue. However, as you turn 30, you’ll notice that a chili cheese dog might send you running off to the bathroom, and takeout three days in a row will add on a few pounds. It’s a good idea to start incorporating better eating habits into your diet to minimize digestive and weight issues in the near future.
- Not Exercising
Again, when you’re young, exercising is more of a choice than a necessity. While your weight might fluctuate a few pounds up or down, for the most part, you can maintain a normal weight. However, not being physically active can eventually lead to serious problems with the common one being weight gain. Failure to stay active can lead to a host of health issues which can be more difficult to heal from when you’re 30.
- Experimenting with Drugs
When you’re young you want to explore and try everything at least once. It’s probably a good idea to start cutting back on the recreational, prescription, and illegal drugs before you end up dealing with an addiction. If drugs are a part of your everyday life, you may need to seek assistance from a rehab such as Crestview Recovery, a center for rehab in Portland. They can help you kick the bad habit for good before you turn 30.
- Drinking Heavily
Partying hard is like a must during your 20s. You try to hit every club scene or party you can think of to have a good time with your friends. Of course, where there’s a party, there’s usually tons of alcohol. While partaking in a little drink here and there is fine, chugging gallons of beer or downing several jello shots on a regular basis can lead to alcohol poisoning and addiction.
- Pulling “All Nighters”
Staying up all night whether you’re cramming for a test and drinking red bull or you’re hanging with your friends until the break of dawn is not going to be a good idea once you turn 30. Lack of sleep can lead to a bunch of health issues including serious conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
- Not Going for Annual Physicals and Check-ups
When you’re young you assume if you feel fine, everything is fine so it can be easy to skip the doctor altogether. The problem with this habit is that some illnesses and diseases creep up on you over time. While there are tons of treatment and recovery options available, healing is a lot easier when you’re younger than when you get older.
- Blowing Your Money
Whether you live at home with mom and dad or on your own, you’re going to need to get your finances in order. Spending money impulsively can come back to bite you in the behind later on in life. You’ll want to create a budget, put some money into savings, and even think of ways to grow your money so that you have a nest egg for the future.
- Binge Watching TV
While you might enjoy watching entire seasons of The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones on streaming services, sitting on the couch for hours out of a day can wreak havoc on your health. Sitting all day long can lead to organ damage, muscle degeneration, weight gain, and loss of concentration.
- Job Hopping
When you’re young and your resume has a few previous job histories, it can be chalked up to nothing more than testing the waters to see what career path you’d like to take. When you’re 30 and still hopping around, it is looked at as someone who is unemployable.
- Relying on Mom and Dad
Even if you live in their home it’s time to cut the umbilical cord. Do your own laundry, handle your own drama, because when you do decide to move out on your own, you’ll find that the world is a cruel place to live in.
There you have it. If you can try to refrain from the above bad habits starting as early as 25-27, you’ll be better off once you hit your 30s. While your 20s are all about fun and freedom, they blow by fast and then you’re left deciding how to navigate the real issues of life.
