Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Take action to become more disciplined
• Method 2 of 2: Promote self-discipline every day
• Tips
• Warnings

Do you make a habit of putting things off until the last minute? Do you find it difficult to hold on to most of the things you planned to do? Maybe you want to do something more regularly, such as studying for an exam or training in the gym? In whatever area you lack discipline, try not to get discouraged by it. Solving this problem starts with making a plan to improve your discipline.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Take action to become more disciplined

1. Think about why you want to discipline yourself. Is there a specific goal you are trying to achieve, but do you feel like there are certain obstacles in the way? Maybe you want to become an early riser, but are you used to going to bed late? Maybe your once fabulous musical skills are starting to crumble from lack of practice? Or maybe you are trying to lose weight, but you don't like sports? Set aside some time to consider this so that you can limit the number of goals you should set.
2. Visualize your goal. Visualization is key to successful goal setting. To begin with, you will need to think clearly about your goals and what they will look like. Next, you will have to surround yourself - either physically or mentally - with these goals.
   • A specific form of visualization that has proven to be very effective in achieving your goals is called process simulation. In this tactic, you visualize taking the necessary steps to achieve a goal, rather than just presenting the end result.
   • Other ways to practice visualization include meditating daily or creating a vision board of your goals.
3. Make an action plan. You can do this in the form of a table, either manually or by software, via a package such as Word or Excel. Do not worry about the details at this point. That will come soon! Optionally, place a title before the goal at the top of this table, such as Exercise regularly. Then add the following column headings in this order:
   1. Action
   2. Start time
   3. Possible problems
   4. Strategies to Solve Potential Problems
   5. Progress report
   6. When you are done, fill in the columns below these headings.
4. Be prepared to take action and decide where to start. Actions are the steps you will have to take to work towards your goal. After you've come up with some meaningful action steps, set a time to begin your new self-discipline goal.
   • Your action steps can be anything from limiting the time you spend doing unproductive activities that prevent you from completing your workout, to getting your workout clothes ready the night before.
   • If you find it difficult to come up with ideas, brainstorming is a useful technique. It can also help to ask a family member, friend, or someone else you know. It is likely that you will come up with different actions, so you will have to create different rows for them. Take as much time as you need to do it, and add whatever you can think of.
   • You can schedule to start today, tomorrow or later in the week. Keep your plan realistic by taking into account any time restrictions. For example, if the action is something like: "Train every day at 6 am " then it is of little use to start with this goal today, while it may not be until midday when you think about it.
5. Anticipate potential problems and come up with strategies to solve them. Be aware of any issues that may arise with the action steps in your plan and come up with a plan to address those issues as they arise. For example, if you choose the promotion "Training every day at 6am", but you are almost certain that once the alarm goes off, all you will do is press the "snooze button" and give in to the temptation to doze off again, then you can write something like, "I will falling asleep".
   • Alternatively, you can come up with solutions that have worked at some stage in the past. But if you know deep down, from previous experience, that it is very unlikely that a particular strategy will work, put the idea aside (e.g. promise yourself that you will talk yourself out of bed early when this has failed miserably several times).
   • Trying to apply methods that have not worked before paves the way for disappointment. Try other ideas. For example, you may have more success getting up by placing the alarm at the end of your bed, because you will have to make more effort to turn it off.
6. Update your progress report regularly and review your plan. Start your actions and implement your chosen problem solving strategies at the scheduled times. While running it, make a note of the date and whether or not the result was successful. When the time period for your plan is over, review the notes about your progress that you wrote down during that time period.
   • As you go through your plan, think about which parts went well and which didn't. For the things that didn't go well, ask yourself if there is anything useful you can learn from the experience (s), to get closer to your goal next time, and include this in your plan for the next times.
   • If you haven't learned anything useful from the experience, drop the current strategy and try an alternative. Return to the previously suggested methods and come up with new ideas if you find this difficult.
7. Reframe your mistakes. Even if your first attempt was completely unsuccessful, it is still helpful to continue to achieve your goals in order to become more disciplined. But growing requires you to reframe mistakes as opportunities to learn. Don't just give up!
   • Researchers have found that there are two potential brain responses to making mistakes: focus directly on problem-solving, or stop. People who watch for their mistakes are more likely to learn new ways to prevent them in the future. People who overlook (or don't want to think about) their mistakes will not change or correct them. Make sure you consider where work is needed and think about how you can improve it in the future.

Method 2 of 2: Promote self-discipline every day

1. Don't put yourself down for lacking discipline. Relegating yourself is unlikely to help, as it is likely to demotivate and possibly even depress you (depending on the extent to which this habit affects your life). Keep in mind that it is not uncommon to feel undisciplined, and this is a skill that can be both learned and mastered. It will probably take time, as it always does when trying something new.
   • A 2011 study revealed that about 27 percent of the participants felt they needed help with self-control and willpower. However, most respondents had the hope that they could improve themselves in this area.
2. Take care of yourself. Self-control is a limited supply that can run out. Certain situations are more likely to shake your self-discipline than others. For example, sleep deprivation can cause you to make ill-considered decisions and even overeat. Caring for your body, soul, and mind should help you on your way to greater self-discipline.
   1. Eat balanced meals. Eat between 3 and 5 small meals a day, including a variety of vegetables, fruits, protein and whole grains. Drink plenty of water to get enough fluids.
   2. Get regular exercise. Keep moving regularly as you go about achieving your self-discipline goals. Exercise not only improves your mood, but also gives you energy and the motivation to complete your tasks.
   3. Work on reducing your stress. Being tense can take a toll on your productivity and overall health. Minimize stress by getting enough sleep, taking care of yourself, for example, taking a soothing bath or taking a walk in the park, or doing relaxation exercises, such as meditation or yoga. If you are a spiritual person, performing rituals such as prayer can help you deal with stressful situations.
3. Motivate yourself every day. Therefore, the best way to get better at achieving goals is to create habits. The book Force of habit explains that habits in the brain are processed in the same area as automatic reflexes, and less so in the prefrontal cortex, which regulates decision-making. In the beginning you need constant motivation to be disciplined until these actions have become habits and you don't have to think about them all the time.
   • Self-motivation strategies can include reading inspirational quotes or books, watching uplifting podcasts or Ted Talks, or calling an inspiring person. Do this in the morning - or whenever needed - to get more enthusiasm doing difficult tasks.

Tips

• Take into account your bad habits, such as watching too much TV, using the Internet, spending too much time gaming, etc., and that this will help you manage your time and leave more time for doing productive things.
• Active goals are good. Instead of losing 10 pounds as your goal, why not a daily workout as your goal?
• Track your progress every day as this will show you how much work you've already completed and can motivate you to move on.

Warnings

• Don't expect to be able to change just like that.
• Be patient with yourself as you learn new habits.