Here are my top 3 habits that have helped improve my life, including one that you’ve probably never heard of before…
1. Talk to Myself Out Loud
Ok, it’s time to admit the truth. Everyone talks to themselves one way or another, although most of the time in our own head. Rarely do we speak out loud to ourselves, but as it turns out it has many positive benefits.
There are 2 types of positive self-talk, motivational and instruction. Motivational speeches are said to get you ready for an up coming action such as a presentation or business meeting. These internal speeches provide confidence and help level out stressors. While, Instructional talks guide you through the action you are about to perform. For example a golfer will tell themselves to “keep their head down” when take a shot, which engages the mind to create a performance habit every time this action is taken. Each of these speeches should be short and precise and when said out loud will help create a habit for the next time you encounter a similar situation.
Speech out load serves as a powerful retrieval cue, such as remembering someone’s name whom you just met. It stimulates the memory more so then speaking to yourself silently and helps you stay focused. Talking to yourself in the 3rd person is proven to reduce stress and anxiety.
By using the words You, He/She or “your name” can have a more positive effect then using I. This allows you to separate yourself from the situation and provides an outside point-of-view.
2. Practice Self Discipline
The practice of discipline is one of the most difficult habits to form and yet the most rewarding. What if you were disciplined enough to act on everything you knew you should do, but neglected? When used correctly discipline can be a powerful source and is something that you can learn over time.
Successful people use discipline in decision-making, to prioritize tasks and stay focused on their goals.
“Discipline requires farsighted faith, not blind faith. Discipline is a present investment with the goal of future gains.” - Mark SanbordYou can start practicing forms of self-control by creating new habits. Pick something that you thoroughly enjoy and go without it for 30 days. Learning to say “No” over time will become easier and will build discipline into your lifestyle. Make a commitment to your new habit/routine and look towards your friends or family to find ways to be held accountable by using humiliation, failure or financial loss as a consequence. You can also create a reward at the end of your goal for accomplishing what you had set out for.
3. Avoid Time Wasters
Growing up around technology has made it easy to fall into distractions and time waster. From scrolling through your social media accounts to the dreadfully insulting “Are you still watching this?” ad on Netflix, it’s easy to get caught up wasting time.
Avoid time wasters. Spend a few days tracking where your time is spent and you’ll find a massive amount of unproductive hours on meaningless tasks. I’m not saying you shouldn’t have time to wind down and relax, we all need distractions once in a while. Learn to prioritize your tasks and take control of your time. Consciously decide when to waste it and your focused hours will be much more productive.
Take the time to start working on yourself and see the improvements in your life at home and work. Remember, nothing happens over night and it will take discipline and hard work to transform your life.