5 Tips to Stop Biting Your Nails

These 5 tips from an admitted nail biter will encourage you in your journey to break the habit and stop biting your nails for good.

Prior to 2014, the only time in my life that I had gone more than a month without biting my nails was when I was pregnant. Any other time it took me a lot of work to keep my nails looking nice.

When I saw my son starting to bite his nails, I knew I needed to make some changes. I hate having my kids see me bite my nails, and I would hate for them to develop the habit I did.

5 Tips to Stop Biting Your Nails

Here are five tips that have helped me, and that may also help you to stop biting your nails.

1. Make the decision to stop biting your nails.

A lot of times nail biting is subconscious. You just don’t realize you are doing it until… aw man I did it again!

You need to really want to quit. In my case, when I saw my son starting to bite his nails as an 8-year-old, I knew I needed to work to break the habit.

Perhaps you are worried about your teeth. If you are a nail biter, your front tooth is likely more warn on the side you use most often to bite your nails.

It doesn’t matter why you want to quit, but you need to actively decide to quit biting your nails.

2. Make yourself think about your nails.

If you are not used to having your nails painted, now is the time to paint them. Seeing (or tasting) that nail polish will help to catch your attention as you subconsciously put your fingers in your mouth.

When I painted my short nails for the first time in years, it made me more conscious of what I was doing with my fingers. It made me think twice about biting them.

3. Keep nails short.

You are already used to having short nails from biting them down short. If you keep them manicured on the short side, you will reduce the frustration that can develop from the nails getting in the way when you type and do other things.

4. Keep a nail file nearby.

Keep a nail file in your purse, in your desk at work, and where you relax at home. When you have a nail file nearby, you can immediately fix a tear in a nail that you may be tempted to otherwise bite to fix.

5. Hold yourself publicly accountable.

I would like to encourage you in your journey to break that habit. I don’t have to tell you it is a horrible habit. You know it, and I know it.

When you know someone is aware of your struggle, it makes you want to beat it that much more. It is never fun to have someone say, “so how is the nail biting thing going?” only to have to reply, “umm…not so good” and then change the subject.

In my case, I told my family that I wanted to quit biting my nails. Kids can make the best accountability partners.

Bonus Tip: Keep your hands moisturized.

Do you also bite the skin around your nails? Keeping your hands moisturized with a good hand lotion will help keep your skin healthier so you are less likely to to pick at your skin and bite it.

Are you a nail biter? Have you been one in the past? Do you have any tips to help others kick the nail biting habit for good?

If you want help to use your mornings well and live with more intention, the Make Over Your Mornings course is my favorite way to do that. It’s a 14-day online course by Crystal Paine. Each day includes a short video, reading material from a printable workbook, and a daily project.

I have previously worked through the course in May right before my kids got out of school for summer break and then again in January after a busy holiday season when I felt like I needed to get back into a better routine. The cost includes lifetime access to the materials, so you can re-visit the course as much as you want. Find out more here.