It's time to pull out that trusty stress management journal again! Copy this chart into your journal and use it to list your habits, describe what you think triggers them, and then write down how each habit causes you stress. For example, you might write “nail biting” in the first column, “feeling nervous or bored” in the second column, and “social embarrassment, feeling unattractive, annoyance at myself” in the third column.

Even if you aren't quite ready to give up a habit — perhaps you know you are addicted to television but you aren't ready to quit watching your twelve favorite shows just yet. If that is the case, record your habit in the chart anyway. You can deal with it when you are ready, even if you won't be ready any time soon. At least you'll have all your bad habits officially identified in one place.

When you've filled out the chart and covered the bad habits you think are causing you the most stress, keep reading to see how to manage your habits, one at a time, as you think you can handle them.