Do you lack the discipline you desire to stick to your health and wellness goals? Here are some tips that have worked for others. Maybe one or more will work for you too.
ü Pack your gym bag the night before and put it at the door
ü Make time for and record your exercise sessions in your day-timer
ü Grocery shop and stock up on food so that you won't have to visit the food court on your lunch hour
ü Stay focused on your purpose… it ‘should’ over-ride your feelings.
ü Go to bed earlier so that you'll have the energy to make it through your day without coffee, chocolate bars or something to give you a boost
ü Get up a bit earlier (providing you go to bed earlier) to prepare breakfast so you will not have to buy a coffee and muffin or donut for breakfast or early morning snack
ü Set your VCR so you can watch your favourite program while you exercise on your treadmill or Stairmaster
ü Keep a balanced scheduled so that you have the energy and motivation to exercise and eat healthy and resist unwanted food cravings
ü Keep extra healthy snacks on hand in your desk or purse so that you are always prepared
ü Recruit a friends or two -- you are likely to have better results if you tell someone of your goal -- better yet, invite them to workout with you!! A workout partner can help keep you motivated and on track.
ü Make a back-up plan in case you are unable to keep your appointment with yourself. Life often seems to get in the way of our best made plans
ü Take inventory of your refrigerator -- do you have enough food to get you through the week? Will you have enough time after work to prepare dinner or do you need to prepare it in advance. (On Sundays I often cook a few different meals to get me through most of the week).
ü Review your goals regularly. We can sometimes lose sight of why we initiated a health and fitness program in the first place. Try posting your goals on your refrigerator!!!!
ü At the beginning of every week take the time to record your workout sessions in your day timer. Record any upcoming meetings or social functions where you might indulge a bit more than usual. Make a plan for compensating for those additional calories -- either by scheduling another workout or eating less throughout the day.
Learning the Art of Discipline
Are there activities which you dread doing? Taxes? Washing dishes? Chances are regardless of how you feel, you still have to do them anyway! And just like smoking and weight loss, you can break the bad habit once you commit to changing. When you do, you'll increase your productivity and accomplish things you never thought were possible. Try these tips to get through these perceived painful activities with minimal discomfort.
- Commit to performing the task for just a few minutes -- once you get started you will usually finish it
- Add some fun your routine -- make it into a game (we do a 1-minute tidy by putting away as many things as we can in one minute)
- Do the things you dislike most first... then its all downhill from there
- Enlist some help -- call a friend to exercise with you, talk on the phone while you are washing the dishes or get a study buddy
- Plan ahead ... spend 5 minutes each day to make a to-do list and a schedule -- be sure to schedule the least pleasant activity first
- Change your attitude about the tasks -- try listing alternative thoughts that will help you accept the situations with a more positive attitude (i.e., find "meaning" in them)
- Instead of focusing on how you'll feel doing the work, focus on how you'll feel when it's finished.
You may or may not get over your dread of performing certain tasks but getting them completed will increase your effectiveness, productivity and peace of mind and that is what discipline is all about!
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