In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves… self-discipline with all of them came first. – Harry S. Truman
Self-discipline is the key to leading a healthier, happier and more successful life. However, it is easier said than done. The quest for self-discipline can often be difficult and discouraging.
We have shared some self-discipline techniques below. Follow these self-discipline techniques to start living a better life.
1. Be Organized
Self-discipline requires a personal or working space. All famous writers from Hemingway to Fitzgerald had a desk where they sat at and wrote. They didn’t spend hours rummaging for pencils or clearing their desks. The desk was exclusively for work.
Create a space that is organized and can be used for building further self-discipline.
2. Manage Your Time
Self-discipline is linked to effective time management. Self-disciplined people know how to best utilize their day.
To improve time management skills, prioritize your tasks. Do the most urgent and important tasks first in order to get the best out of your day. Time management is one of the hardest but most rewarding self-discipline techniques to master.
3. Exercise Well
Healthy bodies lead to healthy minds. An active lifestyle means lower stress levels and increased dopamine thus sharpening the mind.
The trick is to start simple, taking a 10-minute run every day and then slowly working yourself up to longer runs.
See Also: 8 Fitness Hacks That Will Make Your Life Better
4. Reward Yourself
This is an especially important self-discipline technique. It is important to reward yourself for all the good that you’ve done every once in a while. Completely abstaining from something makes it easier to succumb to a moment of weakness and undo all the good done so far.
5. Build a Support System
It’s always easier to do something difficult when there’s someone cheering you on! Find a friend who wants to build self-discipline as much as you do and team up with them. Set targets together and hold each other accountable.
6. Forgive Yourself
Failure and slipping up is inevitable. It will happen occasionally. Don’t let temporary failures derail you from the long term goal. Accept your mistakes, forgive yourself and move on.
7. Eat Well
It goes both ways. You need to nourish your body to nourish your mind. Eat brain foods that increase alertness and memory. If your brain and body are working at optimum level, it will be easier to follow self-discipline techniques.
See Also: 7 Great Foods to Boost Your Brain Power
8. Start Small
The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step as the proverb goes. You don’t train for a marathon by running 10 kilometers on the first day. Instead, stamina is built up by doing a little more than the previous day’s target.
The same goes for discipline. Start by trying to implement self-discipline techniques little by little every day for big results. Increase your goals over time.
9. Measure Your Goals
Staying self-disciplined requires motivation. It can be hard to stay motivated if you feel like you haven’t made any progress so far. Tracking progress makes you aware of how much you’ve done and encourages you to keep going.
10. Exercise your willpower
Willpower and self-discipline go hand in hand. Some days, adhering to the task is going to be difficult but by reminding yourself of the end in mind and how much the goal means to you, you will be able to bypass temporary temptations for long term gain.
The above-mentioned self-discipline techniques, been proven to be extremely effective. Self-discipline is a trait found in many successful people and it is the key to living a happy and fulfilling life.