Maturity is an essential trait in our lives. It helps us navigate the ups and downs of daily living and allows us to interact with each other. But just like common sense, maturity is not expected of everyone. The good news is that we still have time to change and step into the most seasoned versions of ourselves. Here are 25 immature habits you can still outgrow, according to therapists.
1. Poor Emotional Regulation
Children don’t have much control over their emotions. When adults don’t know how to regulate their emotions, they mimic children. Difficulty managing your emotions makes it challenging for others to interact with you. A therapist will help you practice mindfulness and self-soothing skills that will give you better control of your emotions.
2. Procrastination
Procrastination is a deadly disease. Its toll on success is rather heavy. According to therapists, adult procrastination has quadrupled in the last 30 years. Sadly, it’s our favorite form of self-sabotage. To outgrow procrastination, reduce the number of things you commit to and be time-conscious.
3. Avoidance of Responsibility
![25 Immature Habits You Can Still Outgrow According to Therapists 4 Woman overworked, tired, busy, overwhelmed](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/shutterstock_1755408743-scaled-e1693881991694.jpg)
There are plenty of reasons why people avoid responsibility. Everything from pure laziness to the fear of failure could be to blame. Some people may feel overwhelmed with the problem and avoid it altogether. Therapists suggest taking time for self-reflection as one of the best ways to think of responsibility, as well as practicing self-compassion.
4. Blame Games
You are responsible for your actions. Blaming someone else for them is highly immature. Therapists say when we face our actions head-on, we’ll learn to take responsibility for our actions and be accountable. It will be easy to stop blaming others.
5. Being Melodramatic
Think of a teenager who has constant arguments with their friends. They constantly throw tantrums and get upset quickly over small things. This is how an adult comes across when they are melodramatic. Ordinary people get older and stop seeing everything that happens to them as intense. To outgrow this, take a breath and examine situations before handling them.
6. Impulsiveness
Therapists refer to impulsiveness as “poor impulse control.” It is also a facet of having poor emotional regulation. If someone said, “I dare you to jump from the balcony,” and you do it without thinking of the aftermath, you are impulsive. As we get older, we should get better at considering the results of our actions. Adults who make decisions at the spur of the moment are immature. The solution is simple: analyze your actions before diving into them.
7. Needing Immediate Gratification
As adults, we know too well that some things, even those essential to us, take time to manifest themselves. Where children are short-term thinkers, we should look at the more significant, brighter picture. If you’re spending all your money on a shopping spree without thinking of the rent due in a week, you need immediate gratification. To do away with this, take time to plan and set apart the essential things for you. There’s nothing wrong with waiting.
8. Not Capable of Learning from Mistakes
![25 Immature Habits You Can Still Outgrow According to Therapists 9 Annoyed, bored, stop talking, hand up, Roll eyes](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/shutterstock_1992628892-scaled-e1695406701748.jpg)
Repeating the same mistakes over and over can leave you feeling undone. Adults learn from their mistakes and grow from the lessons they take from them. They are open to constructive criticism and take it positively. When you’re immature, you’ll not be available to it, nor will you see the consequences of your actions. You’ll keep repeating the same mistakes and never learn. To avoid this, analyze things before you do them and opt for self-growth.
9. Taking Physical Risks
![25 Immature Habits You Can Still Outgrow According to Therapists 10 Woman falling, flying, trampoline, bouncing](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/shutterstock_2232720995-scaled-e1699388766748.jpg)
Staying in the best shape possible should be your priority. When you’re like little kids who are daredevils, you’ll want to take unimaginable risks. You’ll want to jump from the rooftop, see a tree, start climbing it, and take other senseless risks. It would help if you thought before you acted and not quickly put yourself in harm’s way. Many people care and wouldn’t want to see you hurt.
10. Irresponsible Spending
We’ve all been victims of irresponsible spending once in a while. We’ve splurged on things we didn’t want to buy in the first place. The difference is that you would do this once, while an irresponsible spender always does this. They will blow up all their salary on the new Nintendo Switch or the latest handbags. To outgrow reckless spending, take small steps like having a budget, shopping with goals in mind, and resisting debt.
11. Neglecting Health
![25 Immature Habits You Can Still Outgrow According to Therapists 12 Doctor speaking with patient, upset, cancer, sick, terminal illness](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/shutterstock_1264051705-scaled-e1693245185396.jpg)
Your health is not only meaningful to you but also to those who love and care for you. Immaturity would have you jeopardizing your health and missing essential things such as doctor appointments and treatments you need. However, you should take a step back and realize taking good care of your health is for your benefit.
12. Poor Time Management
Someone once said we can’t recover the time we waste. True to this statement, we’ve seen people losing out on time because they couldn’t maximize it. When you’re immature, you constantly misuse your time and have no sense of it. You equally don’t respect other people’s time. To get out of this bad habit, produce time logs for your week to hold yourself accountable for the time you waste. Also, compile to-do lists that will help you accomplish tasks.
13. Poor Communication
As you’ve heard many times before, communication is critical. Whether in a romantic relationship, work setting, or with friends and family, conveying your thoughts and feelings is the adult thing to do. Poor communication skills, like the silent treatment, are pretty immature. Come off it and learn how to assess your feelings, even if it takes time, then speak them out.
14. Needing Constant Validation
Children relish in constant praise and admiration. Do you? Even adults enjoy affection, but most would operate without its continuous supply. However, less mature people will need a steady hit. Fishing for compliments is their forte because they can’t give up the rush of someone seeing something good in them.
15. Needing a Lot of Attention
Do you always want to be the center of attention? Do you throw tantrums when things and situations are not about you? Therapists classify the need for a lot of attention as immature behavior you need to outgrow. Do this by building your self-esteem, as this behavior is associated with low self-esteem.
16. Excessive Partying
Partying from Monday to Monday doesn’t make you cool. On the contrary, it makes you come across as an immature person with no ambition. Adults work through the week and don’t spend it at the local club with friends. They delegate time for fun after they take care of their responsibilities.
17. Lack of Commitment
![25 Immature Habits You Can Still Outgrow According to Therapists 18 Refuse, rejection, no](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Refuse-rejection-no-e1694565258593.jpg)
You can’t commit to a relationship, a job, a project, or anything. You want to hop on from one relationship to another or hold over ten job positions yearly. That is textbook immaturity! Proper functioning adults commit to the things and people they love. They have discussions when they are uncomfortable about something, choose therapy for help with intimate issues, and look for partners who’ll respect their wishes.
18. Wasting Time on Social Media
![25 Immature Habits You Can Still Outgrow According to Therapists 19 Social Media](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Social-Media-e1693930494634.jpg)
We’ve all done it! But we’re aware enough to know when we’re overspending time on social media and when we should stop. But immaturity won’t have you recognizing this. It will encourage you to spend your entire day scrolling through TikToks and accomplishing nothing. To get out of this rut, use time management apps that hold you accountable to time every day.
19. Holding Grudges
![25 Immature Habits You Can Still Outgrow According to Therapists 20 Couple fighting](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/shutterstock_1279989784-scaled-e1694742234763.jpg)
They say forgiveness is for yourself and not for the person who wronged you. Instead of holding a grudge, examine the circumstances that led to the actions and strive to understand them. Practice empathy and free yourself from ill feelings.
20. Sleeping All Day
There’s so much to do in the day, and sleeping all through the action shows how unmotivated you are. It comes off as childish, especially when you don’t know what to do with yourself. Be resourceful, step out of laziness, and find something to do.
21. Being Too Dependent on Others
![25 Immature Habits You Can Still Outgrow According to Therapists 22 Women talking](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Women-talking-e1694186509713.jpg)
Over-dependence is a classic sign of immaturity. When you can’t do things on your own and have to depend on others to get everything done, then you’re not an adult, are you? It’s even worse when you believe people should continue caring for you. Therapists recommend getting more comfortable with your emotions. Also, learn your triggers and book a therapy session as a professional will help you better understand yourself.
22. Less Respect for Other People’s Valuables
Another sign of immaturity is not respecting other people’s valuables. This could be regarding time, money, or property. Everything is not about you! Learning to be respectful will help you get along better with others. They’ll appreciate your consideration and do the same for you. It would help if you learned how to put others first, and the respect will come naturally.
23. Lack of Empathy
Children aren’t as empathetic as adults. They can’t assess situations and put themselves in someone else’s shoes and then feel for them. When you lack empathy, you’re not as emotionally mature. You can outgrow this by learning how to connect emotions with your actions, which could help you connect with other people’s feelings.
24. Egocentricity
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Kids will think the world revolves around them. They don’t know any better, and it’s just how their brains work. Immature adults also fall into this pattern. They think the universe caters to them. However, the universe owes you no loyalty. Stop believing everything is about you and start learning to consider others.
25. Self-Entitlement
![25 Immature Habits You Can Still Outgrow According to Therapists 26 Man being rude to waitress, demanding, entitled](https://wealthofgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/shutterstock_2219584697-scaled-e1694565190959.jpg)
Egocentricity comes with self-entitlement. But you don’t have to think you deserve everything, and no one else does. Being accepting of other people is what allows us to form healthy bonds and relationships. To kick self-entitlement to the curb, practice one golden rule: treat others as you want them to treat you.
Source: Well + Good.
Louisa is a writer with a dream of becoming an acclaimed author. Fueled by a lifelong love for
storytelling, she has worked with renowned brands like TapDesk, Reviewed, Rest Of World, Chicago Tribune and many others.
Fueled by a lifelong love for storytelling, she joined creative writing courses and devotes weekends to crafting short stories and brainstorming on what the next week will bring.
Currently absorbed in her professional work, she finds that her day job as content writer enriches her soul and provides a well of characters and scenarios for storytelling. She’s all about the discipline and structure that writing demands.
When she’s not jotting up creative ideas, Louisa enjoys time with her family, and thinks about whether or not they should adopt a dog.