Perhaps you feel that you lack self-discipline and want to know how to increase it the quick way. It is important for every person to stay disciplined to ensure having a successful and happy life. To achieve this objective, along with self-discipline, you also need to increase your willpower.
Tips to improve self-discipline
If you are determined to achieve your set objectives, you need to just follow the below given tips.
- Implement forcing functions: A good number of people tend to procrastinate most of the time, leaving important thing to be done later. This is something you need to avoid. It can be tough in the beginning, but then with sheer willpower, you can make it a habit. Forcing functions require you to set things in place, thus allowing you to take proper actions. It means, you ‘force’ or ‘compel’ yourself to take proper actions on specific goals by having less choice to make momentarily. It also reduces decision fatigue.
- Limit choices to diminish significantly decision fatigue: More decisions during the day will only leave you decision-fatigued. It deteriorates your ability to come up with correct decisions. Hence, it becomes tough to make decision to work-on or workout on the side hustle right after work when compared to before work. Taking lots of decisions only tempts you to seek immediate gratification. It is possible to diminish decision fatigue by limiting available choices. It can be done by the following:
- What is consumed
- What is worn (styles, colors, etc)
- How to spend time
- What beverage you have
- What you should do
- What to buy, etc.
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- Sufficient sleep: Good quality sleep is required every night to wake up completely refreshed and rejuvenated, both physically and mentally. Being sleep derived will only make you more tired. Your brain will lack getting glucose something vital to develop willpower and self-discipline. Moreover, several negative effects upon the brain results from sleep deprivation, thus weakening decision making and self-discipline. Those not getting proper sleep for 7-8 hours are found to make poor decisions, mostly unethical ones. Hence to make better decisions and increase discipline, you need to prioritize sleep as well as get plenty of it.
- Balanced diet: The amount of glucose in your body is what dictates the strength of your self-discipline and willpower. If low on glucose, you are likely to have weaker willpower, thus not focus much on self-discipline. Eating healthy, balanced diet is undoubtedly the most appropriate way to derive glucose in desired amounts. However, before ordering snacks, candies and sugary beverages, remember, high sugar foods will only cause glucose shortage in your body. This, in turn, will not help you to develop discipline and self-control. Have healthy foods such as nuts, vegetables, cheese, raw fruits, healthy fats, meat, fish, etc.
- Develop good habits: Introduce little habits that can promote self-discipline and help achieve your set goals. Do not force yourself with a big habit. Rather implement a small, easy to achieve one in the initial stages. Consistency is key to success!
- Prioritize goal: Being a finite source, willpower gets used up fast. With more goals set, you have to use more willpower. Again setting excess number of goals will only make you to avoid them.
- Limit distractions and temptations: These days, people are surrounded by lots of electronic gadgets, apps and other entertainment things. Hence, it becomes quite easy to get distracted in some other work. Perhaps, you are trying to stay focused on a particular work, but some music or chat messages in your smartphone might tempt you to look the other way. You need to restrain yourself as much as possible to increase your self-discipline. But it is easier said than done. Not trying to distract will only tempt your mind to get more distracted on other unwanted things. Life will seem to be a torture. The best way to learn to avoid distractions and temptations will be to meditate daily. Meditation has the power to keep you focused on a specific task for several hours without losing your concentration. It also enhances significantly your self-discipline, willpower and determination. You can control your brain and activities better and achieve your goals quickly.
- Consider your Future Self: It is quite common for everyone to consider their future selves to be total and complete strangers. It is referred to as ‘present bias’. It is actually favoring yourself at that particular moment. You tend to forget how you will act and feel in the future. When considering long-term future selves, better decisions can be made. Also, you also display enhanced self-discipline. However, following short-term thinking only diminishes your self-discipline thereby getting tempted to make immediate gratification such as procrastination.
- Stay organized: The surrounding environment where you live or work does affect your behavior and feelings. A disorganized and cluttered space will only make it tough for you to get disciplined. Also, practicing self-control can be a tough task. Those staying in messy rooms are found to develop self-control when compared to those maintaining a clean room. Such people may give into self-gratification immediately thus messing their objectives.
- Develop Self-awareness: Being aware of your prevailing behavior will allow you to act with self-discipline and intention. A major link can be noticed between self-control and self-awareness. You need to continuously monitor your behavior. This, in turn, will help you to control your behavior and improve self-discipline. The same can be stated for measuring, monitoring and tracking goal progress and behavior.
Regular practice
What you need to constant practice to improve your discipline as this cannot be developed overnight. It does take a lot of time, effort, patience and willpower. Practicing meditation will help you to stay focused in your objectives. You can become more self-disciplined, might not be that perfect. Since you lack discipline and willpower, trying to self-discipline yourself may cause you to struggle in the initial days. But then with time, you will develop strong self-discipline that will nurture you to do and achieve good in your life.
