Ever feel like you’re lacking motivation, slipping into bad habits, or promising yourself you’re going to do something, and then never doing it? You might be falling into a rut—and we’ve all been there. As a psychology major, I love to learn about how our brains work, and how we can use that knowledge to our advantage. Here are some science-based ways you can implement to turn motivation into discipline, and actually reach the goals you promised yourself.
Habit stack. This is when you take a habit you’re sure to do every day—like eating breakfast. If your goal is to get some exercise in the mornings, try taking a walk or doing some yoga before eating breakfast. By stacking your habits, you ensure that both things get done. If you tell yourself you can’t eat breakfast before working out in the mornings, your brain learns that one habit doesn’t come without the other. Your brain will now correlate the two tasks with each other, and a good habit is formed.
Visual cues. These can also be called the out-of-place-technique. The out-of-place technique is when you place something you know you’ll need, on top of something you need to remind yourself to do. I’ve been telling myself for the longest time that I’ll read affirmations every morning, but I always seem to forget. Recently, I started writing them down and placing them on top of my phone so that they’ll be the first thing I see in the mornings. Now, I read them every morning because they’re right on top of my phone. Another example could be placing your car keys next to your vitamins, so you’ll remember to take them before leaving for the day.
No two days off. This rule ensures that if you need to take off one day from your habit, that you’ll resume the next day. Two days off can easily become three, and three can become four, and so on. This rule is my favorite way to ensure that motivation turns into discipline. If you want to workout more, but just can’t seem to get to the gym, start going every other day. Starting small will ensure that you won’t burnout. If something comes up and you have a hectic day, give yourself some grace and take the day off. You then have to ensure that you will pick it right back up the next day. I tried this habit, and ended up staying consistent in the gym for months. Of course, I got sick sometimes or felt extra tired some days, so I gave myself a day off, which prevented burnout.
Self-reinforcement. This is when you reward yourself for getting done what you told yourself you would. This technique can also be called delayed gratification. When you reward yourself, your brain releases dopamine, which is a habit forming neurotransmitter. Your brain is now anticipating dopamine following the completion of a task. Say you need to finish a race in a certain amount of time, and if you do, you’ll reward yourself by getting that one piece of jewelry you’ve been wanting for a while. This works as motivation to complete the task, as well as creates discipline for the next time you’re set on something. I usually reward myself with an online order of clothes I’ve been wanting, after doing well on an exam I studied hard for. This only works if you don’t give yourself a reward if you don’t complete the task.