How do you make your productive habits more durable?
Building belief in yourself and your new routines will help strengthen your willpower so that when high-pressure situations arrive (and they will), it’ll be easier for you to stick with your good habits. Here are some ways to do this:
- Talk to yourself
This is not as strange as it might sound. You probably do it already—the “you idiot” under your breath when you spill a drink, the “I suck at life” when you’re rushing late to a meeting. Why not flip the script and say something different?
According to University of Pennsylvania psychologist David Sarwer, addressing yourself with neutral language can improve self image. Using your name—rather than “I”—has been shown to help people see themselves more positively. And by getting away from negative self-talk, you can help reduce some of the pressure you put on yourself.
So instead of saying, “I feel worthless because I’m too lazy to go to the gym” you might say, “[your name] is skipping the gym because she’s focusing on work today. The sky won’t fall if she goes tomorrow.” This might help you maintain belief in yourself when times get tough—and it’s no weirder than calling yourself a moron for dropping a cup of coffee.
via evernote.com
