Since self discipline is an acquired behavior, you must want to be discipline and organixed. To do this, set clear goals and have a solid plan for what you hope to achieve. According to Brian Tracy, author of “The Miracle of Self-Discipline”, being disciplined is the key to success. If you can force yourself to do something, whether you are interested or not, you can see an increase in Self-Discipline in your life and work.
You need to know that being disciplined in your personal and work life can pave the way to success, so you need to take it seriously. If you want to know what personal discipline is and what are the 3 basic principles to increase self-discipline, stay with Zhinmag until the end of the article.
What is self-discipline?
Self-discipline or Individual discipline means doing the things you need to do to get results, whether you are interested in it or not! In other words, Self-discipline is the ability to focus precisely on a task or goal to achieve a specific result.
Albert Hubbard defines self-discipline as “forcing ourselves to do something, when necessary, regardless of our circumstances and interests.”
Just like any other trait that may play a role in your overall success, personal discipline is one of the characteristics that builds lasting success over time. Self-discipline is typically an acquired and learned behavior that people correct and improve over time and over and over again. You can use proven methods to increase self-discipline and better control and improve your daily routine.
In the workplace, increase self-discipline is a way to develop and expand certain actions, thoughts, and habits that help you perform your tasks well, transcend your milestones, and ultimately achieve specific goals. In a world where technology is rapidly growing, it is important to pay close attention to the factors that improve employees productivity in all areas.
Disciplined people usually rely on a set of characteristics:
- Ambition
- Focus
- Organization
- Persistence
- Responsibility
- Resilience
- Strong work ethic
Mental constraints to increase and achieving self-discipline
There are some mental constraints to achieving and increase self-discipline. The most important of which are:
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Challenge your perceptions
We have to accept that the limitations that exist in our minds make us not focus on a specific goal, and this is the primary obstacle to improving personal discipline. Taking the time to challenge your own abilities and disabilities can be the first positive step towards personal discipline.
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Find motivational activities
If it’s challenging for you to be discipline in a particular job or project, find ways to refocus. Sometimes it is helpful to take a short break from work and do some other activity. Then come back to work with new energy and motivation.
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Don’t fear of failure
Being organized requires you to easily forget your mistakes and shortcomings. Even if you do your best, sometimes you may fail, but you have to be resilient and move forward. Learn from your mistakes and continue working with more awareness.
3 basic principles to increase self-discipline
Principle 1: Adequate sleep and proper nutrition!
Role of sleep and nutrition in increase self-disipline
The first step to having and increasing personal discipline is to get enough sleep and rest well.
In the 18th century, people slept for about 10 hours or more. After Edison invented the lamp, this clock was reduced because after the production of the lamp, people did not sleep when it got dark.
In fact, at night, they would turn on the lights and stay awake for more hours. During this period, the average sleep of people reached 8 hours. Even in recent years, in many developed countries, the average hour of sleep has reached less than 7 hours.
The results of scientific research over the years show that the minimum sleep required by humans during the day is about 8 hours. It is best to do it at night so that you have enough power to do complex tasks during the day.
How do you know if you are getting enough sleep? Role of sleep in achieving and increase self-discipline
The first sign that many proudly talk about is that we fall asleep until we put our heads on the pillow. This is actually a big drawback, because it shows that you went to bed late and your body is out of normal and very tired.
The standard routine is that you should not fall asleep less than a minute after getting into bed! Otherwise you have a lot of sleep deficit. Normally you should have an average of 10 to 15 minutes to think about different things and fall into a deep sleep.
The second sign is that you should be able to wake up naturally in the morning. This is a bad sign that you are waking up with your cell phone ringing. Meaning that you will not wake up if your watch or cell phone does not ring. This indicates that you have not slept enough. Why? Because if you had slept enough, you should have woken up before your alarm clock rang.
To be successful in your work, be sure to get enough rest during the holidays. Try to go to bed a little earlier at night during the week to wake up in the morning before the alarm clock rang. It is a misconception that increase self-discipline causes us to sleep less and work harder! We get enough sleep to stay awake and, with discipline, work longer hours and do it better and faster.
Most humans eat more than their bodies need! So it is better to reduce the amount of food we eat a little. Eat to the extent that we feel full and not to the extent that we feel an explosion. Try to use smaller dishes at work so you have to eat less.
Role of healthy nutrition in achieving self-discipline
Another simple thing you can do is make high-fiber foods available in the refrigerator at home. Eliminate or keep unhealthy foods out of reach. For example, you are at work and you have been working for 2 hours and you feel hungry, it is best not to go to the refrigerator at all and instead put some nuts and snacks and more useful things in the drawer of your desk to feel a little full by eating them.
Our advice to you is to find a systemic solution to your challenges instead of just working on your own. A strong will to control old habits is like putting a big pack of fatty sweets in your workplace and leaving them open! Then trying your best not to eat them. But a simple and systematic task is to remove the will. That is, put the box of sweets in the farthest part of the company or home. Make a healthier and smaller volume of food available to you.
It is best not to consume caffeinated substances such as coffee for at least 3 hours before bedtime and do not do any exercise. Many people think that doing hard exercise makes them sleep better at night! We must say that this is also a pure mistake about increase self-discipline.
It is best not to eat too little at least 3 hours before bedtime. As much as you can, try to eat more salads and vegetables every day because vegetables can affect your brain function. Fast food and soft drinks are also forbidden! Do not forget to drink enough water a day. It is better to have a special and relaxing ritual before going to bed. Many people prefer to listen to music instead of reading.
Key points
Value yourself as an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur or business owner is not someone who works from morning till night and eventually goes to bed tired and unmotivated. Also, get up in the morning when you are tired and go to work. Enjoy your life as much as possible and run your bedtime routine as much as you can.
Be sure to run a 20-minute program before going to bed, which includes taking a shower, eating a herbal tea with honey, reading a book for 10 minutes, giving thanks, setting goals for the next day, and so on. We suggest that you do not use any electronic device one hour before going to bed and do not postpone exploring Instagram and Telegram until before going to bed.
What plans do you have for sleep and better nutrition?
Principle 2: movement and its role in increase self-discipline
Be active sometimes! It is important to know that movement is different from exercise and strenuous physical activity.
Simple daily physical activity has a great effect on the better functioning of the body’s cells as well as the brain. Research by Dr. John Ridley (American writer and director) has shown that light physical activity, such as a 10-minute walk, puts the brain in a position where it is much more ready to learn.
For example, you do not like to read books while sitting. It is enough to have a suitable and short activity before reading the book. 10 minutes of physical activity will increase your level of comprehension and learning. This is not just for learning! In general, regular physical activity increases the readiness of the brain to do harder work, and this means increase self-discipline!
You may go to the club three days a week, but the fact is that this cannot have much effect on increase yourself-discipline. Why? Because we mean individual discipline, activities that you can do at least once every hour.
You cannot sit and work at the table for 8 hours and then go to the gym at night and exercise for 3 hours. Do you think this will increase your self-discipline? No, for this you need to have regular, small and many activities during the day, such as breathing exercises and stretching movements.
Opportunity to move
Opportunity to move means opportunities that we can move in those times. You can design movement opportunities in those situations at home and at work that you have to do enough movement during the day.
These are solutions that do not require a reminder, pressure and special will and can be done on their own. You can organize your walk and increase self-discipline. For example, to shop, choose a distant shop that is at least 10 minute walk.
This is a kind of opportunity for mobility. Another thing you can do, and we mentioned it, is to put your cell phone away so that every time it rings, you have to get up and move. If you drive to work, park the car away from workplace and take a brisk walk.
3 types of movements
Tiny movements: These are movements that you can do without getting up. For example, every time you open the computer or type the URL of a site and press Enter, make a swipe and then check the site. When you open Instagram or read a new email, you have to do a stretch and do something that is considered a small move.
What do you do most during your work day? Suppose you are a telephone sales expert and you use the telephone dozens of times a day. So whenever you want to use the phone, you can immediately make a stretching motion and in fact a small motion.
General movements: In this type of movement, you need to get up and possibly walk a few steps and make a movement and return to your work. You can place your mobile phone at the farthest point so that systematically, whenever your mobile phone rings, you have to get up and make a move.
You can get up and make yourself some tea. Or place your glass at the farthest point of the room so that you have to get up after a few minutes to remove your cup of tea. You need to design the general and tiny movements during the day for yourself. It is a good idea to do some of your work standing or on the move as much as possible.
Great movements: These are the movements that are considered sports, such as fast and long walks, running, going to the club, going to the pool, etc. It is very good to do these three movements together during the day. Which is a systemic solution to create a good habit and do physical movements.
What movements do you do during the day to increase your self-discipline and performance?
Principle 3: Thoughts
Undoubtedly, our brain is the most complex part of the universe. Then make the best use of it.
Surprisingly, we usually take care of our cars and our homes much better than our brains. Mindfulness is the most important and highest skill of the brain and the perception that can be obtained from it is to live in the moment!
Certainly changing thinking is one way to increase self-discipline. The problem with most unsuccessful people is that when they watch a movie, they think about their own work at the same time. The same people, when they have to work, they no longer think about work and think about rest after work.
They think of their own returned check when talking to family or traveling. When they are in the bank, they think of the family instead of focusing on doing their finances. In fact, they do not think realistically and do not enjoy their moments well enough.
If you focus on your work and put all your energy into it at the same time, you will find individual discipline. You do it very well automatically, even if you are not in great condition and you are not bored.
How do you think full concentration can be practiced?
Pay attention to details! Try to pay close attention to detail. For example, when crossing the street, pay attention to trees, windows, the design of buildings, parked cars, people crossing the sidewalk, and the way people dress! When you are doing something, you have to keep telling yourself that I have no right to think about anything other than what I am doing.
Most of us have a laid back attitude when it comes to painting a picture about ourselves. While we have to separate from ourselves and have more careful control over our minds.
We should not let our minds think of anything they want. When you start something, do not think about the result of doing it! Because it will cause you to lose your focus. For example, if you want to write your marketing strategy in an hour, write that strategy without thinking about the result, regardless of whether that strategy will work or not!
If you think about whether this strategy is right or not, how I should implement it, whether I have the ability to implement it, etc.! You will not achieve self discipline. You will even go astray and never do the job you want. So just focus on writing your marketing plan.
You may not run any of them, no problem! Write again from the beginning. If you do not get the result you want, refine your strategy. Our advice to you for incrase self-discipline is to do this exercise today, pay attention to all the details wherever you are.
Concluding remarks
The brain is a thinking tool, not a garbage storage device, etc.! To defend the body and its own survival, our brain always likes to think of negatives and possibilities that may never happen at all! Look at the thoughts that come to your mind and do not let your mind focus on negative thoughts.
A very simple exercise can be to tell yourself to focus, when your brain is distracted! Remind yourself that your whole life is summed up in this sentence:
“Focus on what you are doing. Now it could be your business, watching a movie, or it could be fun”.
What do you do to focus your thoughts and make the best use of your brain, as well as increase self-discipline? Please share it with us and our audience.
