Self Discipline …
So often we will fudge on our diet and eat things we shouldn’t.
We say we are going to do something around the house and it hasn’t been done for months since we first mentioned it.
When we work, we might eliminate distractions like social media, and promise ourselves not to check email until noon. Yet we find ourselves compulsively checking our inbox every 30 minutes.
Ali Hale wrote an excellent article on dumblittleman.com about how lacking self discipline feels and how we can teach ourselves discipline in our lives. Ali also writes the blog Aliventures.com where she writes about living productively and with a purpose.
“It’s frustrating, because without a certain amount of self discipline, you know your goals are going to slip away. But there are strategies for building up your strength and will power:”
Ali Hale
Ali shares five very useful tips on how to overcome an undisciplined lifestyle. She concentrates on highlighting rewards that are automatic, given the changes, and the rewards that we should give ourselves for remaining disciplined and making the right choices.
Self Discipline Tips …
1. Don’t Beat Yourself Up
She points out that this doesn’t solve much and can have you feeling down in the dumps which will certainly hurt productivity. She says you should ask yourself some simple questions so you can figure out went wrong.
You should have a plan of how you are going to face each problem and never just jump into doing something. Always develop a plan beforehand. A good plan will include what you do when you are triggered to break the rules.
2. Focus on Specific Behaviors
Start to notice what you do with your days and when you tend to slip with your self discipline. Ali gives an example that she won’t give up junk food completely, but she will eliminate stopping at McDonalds when she comes home from work. Effective small steps are the best to take and a great way to get started.
