A disciplined life can be the start of a great life, in which you will be able to get everything done on time, spending your days the way you have planned them, and being satisfied with the way you are living your life. With the life that we live these days, however, it is indeed difficult to know how to discipline yourself. Life is fast, with millions of things to do every day, thousands of distraction that interrupt us, and only someone who is very strict can discipline themselves.
12 Proven Tips on How to Discipline Yourself
Know What's Failing You
The first step you have to take in order to know how to discipline yourself is to recognize where you are failing in your effort. Are you failing in your effort to meet deadlines at work? Are you going to bed too late and messing up your routine the next day? Are you unable to control your excessive eating habits? You always need to recognize and confront your problem first, in order to know how to discipline yourself.
Understand the Deeper Reasons for Your Actions
When you are doing something without thinking of the reasons behind that action, it's difficult to focus or pay attention to it. If you need to wake up at 5 in the morning to work, think of the reasons behind your action. Think of how practicing will make you a better athlete or how working hard would take you to your goal, and you can find a valid reason to learn how to discipline yourself.
Remove Temptations from Your Environment
If there are some temptations around you that are stopping you from leading a disciplined life, remove them as much as you can. For example, if there are some friends who distract you when you are trying to study, stop hanging out with them too much; if movies on television are compelling you to stay up too long and making you late for work, stop watching TV altogether.
Identify Your Most Efficient Time in a Day
Everyone has a particular period of time during the day when they can work most efficiently, be it early at dawn or late after midnight. If you can identify that particular time when you are at your best, you will be able to discipline yourself to work more efficiently.
Make the Necessary Changes Now
If you need to make some particular changes in your life, do it now rather than hold on for later. The moment that you realize you need to discipline yourself should be the exact moment that you start making plans for your life.
Create a Consistent and Foolproof Routine
Create a solid routine that is infallible and reliable, one that will never allow you to falter. Your routine should give you something to do every single moment of your waking moments so that you neither have the chance to make excuses, nor have to waste time thinking about "what to do next".
Exercise Regularly
If you weren't a sports enthusiast before, try to become one now. Regular exercise will not only keep you healthy physically, but mentally as well. With only spending an hour (or two) exercising, you will be able to focus on your work better, making decisions with a calmer mind and feeling refreshed enough to take on new projects. Exercise is also known to relieve stress and has the power to give you the control of your own life, making you feel confident in yourself.
Get a Supervisor
If you have a record of making excuses every time you falter in your routine, try and get a supervisor. It can be a partner or a friend who can observe you constantly or a colleague at work who will remind you when you are taking a long lunch break or even a workout group whom you spend time with. These people can keep a keen eye on your actions and even reproof you when you lose your self-discipline.
Set Attainable Goals for Yourself
The key to disciplining yourself is to set goals that are ambitious and yet attainable. You cannot just wake up one day and decide to start working 12 hours to finish a project, when you barely worked 2 hours a day before. In the same way, it will be impossible to suddenly start running 10-miles when you just start trying jogging. Your goals should be set gradually so that they are reasonably achievable.
Keep Some Time Aside for Yourself
You should create a routine that keeps you busy all through the day, but at the same time, your routine should allow you some personal time. "All work and no play" will definitely make life boring for you, so keep some personal time to yourself to do what you want to do.
Start Meditating at Least Once a Day
Meditation can work in almost every aspect of your life. Spend only 10-15 minutes if you can't afford more, but try and meditate at least once a day during your breaks. A few deep breaths would do wonders for you.
Think Back Once a Week
Once every week, think back on everything that has happened in the last 7 days - the good and the bad. Congratulate yourself if you have managed to follow all your own rules the whole week, and forgive yourself for failing a few times. Most of all, take this time to prepare yourself for the next week to come.
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