Easy Self Discipline Tricks

By: Steven Gillman
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:41:16
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What is self discipline? It is the ability to control your behavior, to motivate yourself to do the things you should be doing and not do things you shouldn't be doing. Willpower may be considered an element of it, but sometimes trying to "force" yourself to do something just makes things worse. Learn to associate negative feelings with an activity, and it just gets more difficult to do, and less likely that you will do it.

Is there an easier route to self discipline? Actually, there are many. Here are some of the most effective self discipline tricks and techniques. Why not try them today?

1. Start the process. Suppose you are procrastinating about doing your taxes. You feel stressed when you think about doing your tax return. Then don't think about it! Once sufficient thought has been given to any project, more thought just creates more stress. The negative feelings that develop make it harder and harder to force yourself to do what needs to be done. You feel like you have no self discipline.

Action is the cure for this. In the case of the tax return, just lay out the forms where you can work on them later. Later, just gather all the materials and put them with the forms. The next day, do just one form, and then another. Whatever the task is, you can find enough motivation for some small step. Training your mind to take that first step as soon as you think of it. The next steps, and so the whole project become easier once you start.

2. Enjoy what you are doing. If you have ever stayed up all night talking about something interesting, you know what power the mind has over the body. How easily we put off sleep when we are motivated by a passionate discussion. It doesn't take much willpower to keep doing something when you are enjoying it, and that gives us another key to self discipline. When you enjoy what you are doing you are energized. Willpower goes up and down with energy levels, so play energetic music, move around, laugh, and look for ways to enjoy whatever project you are working on. The more you associate good feelings with a task, the easier it is to discipline yourself to do it.

3. Reward yourself. Break a task into s few steps, and give yourself a reward when you complete each step. This could be a bowl of ice cream, watching your favorite movie, or just relaxing for a few minutes. Reward yourself with a pat on the back too. When you recognize your successes, large and small, the possibilities become more real to you, and more likely to be repeated.

4. Become more aware of how you work. Suppose that piece of cake calls to you, or that television takes your attention away from your more important work. It can be hard to resist temptation, right? Stronger willpower is a nice theory, but here is a simpler solution: stop standing in front of the cake! Turn off that television!

This is an easy lesson to understand, but try to train yourself to apply it habitually. You shouldn't keep beer in the house if you don't want to drink it. You shouldn't go alone to the single's bars if you want to maintain a faithful marriage. You should just stay away from people that lead you to trouble.

Self discipline doesn't mean being immune to temptation. Develop the willpower to say no, if you wish. While you are doing that, though, why not also have the wisdom to avoid temptation? Learn where your resistance is low, and don't put yourself in those situations. Doesn't this make more sense than fighting useless battles with yourself?

Fighting with yourself is no way to develop self discipline. It's better to learn about yourself. How are you energized? What motivates you? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Why not learn about yourself, and start using what you learn to make the behaviors you want easier. That's smarter self discipline.

Article source: Expert Articles