What is self-discipline?
According to the Collins Dictionary: “Someone who is self-disciplined has the ability to control themselves and to make themselves work hard or behave in a particular way without needing anyone else to tell them what to do.”
Attending school and enrichments, completing assignments and preparing for examinations are activities that require you to be self-disciplined. Being self-disciplined helps you to achieve your goals.
Ways to develop self-discipline
Eliminate distractions
When we want to build our self-discipline, we should first identify the distractions in our life. Being able to identify our distractions demonstrates our awareness of them. Only then will we be able to eliminate them.
A common distraction that affects many of us is our smartphone. We may be caught up in messaging our friends throughout the day, or scrolling through social media to find the latest happenings in our friends’ lives.
You will want to eliminate these distractions when building self-discipline, as they will drain your energy and willpower. Without your energy and willpower, you will find it difficult to stay self-disciplined on any tasks.
The advice here is to put your smartphone to “Do not disturb” or “Airplane” mode when you are working on a task.
Another distraction you may come across in your student life is overcommitting yourself to group activities. These group activities can be clubs and/or societies in your school. Overcommitting to too many group activities can be immensely distracting.
If you find yourself committing to more than 2 or 3 group activities, consider eliminating the group activities you are least interested in.
Know your own inclinations
Knowing your own inclinations means that you are aware of your own needs and uniqueness. For example, you might feel most energized in the afternoon. If so, schedule your most challenging tasks at that time — it requires less mental energy to be self-disciplined when you’re in your optimal state.
Reward yourself after studying hard
Building and maintaining self-discipline is linked to motivation. You will want to keep your motivation level high. You should treat yourself to something, such as a break upon completing a task. This small reward can recharge your mind and help reinforce consistent habits.
Have planned goals and strategies
Identify your goals and plan them into your schedule. As the saying goes, “What gets scheduled, gets done.” Also, create strategies to achieve each goal. A planned goal with a strategy reduces the effort required to stay disciplined because it provides a clear, actionable path.
Use Technology
Use timers or reminder apps to limit distractions or manage browsing habits. You can also track your daily activity to monitor whether your actions align with your goals. Technology, when used wisely, can help you stay accountable to your self-discipline plan.
Make decisions in advance
Make your choices early — such as scheduling tasks or setting priorities — so you won’t waste time deciding what to do next. Take a “no compromise” approach: once a decision is made, stick to it. This minimizes procrastination and increases task completion.
Create A Routine
A consistent daily routine helps maintain discipline with less conscious effort. For instance, setting aside 3–5 PM every day for study helps a student consistently revise. Establish realistic routines and focus on tiny steps to build momentum.
What changes would you make to your routine to be self-disciplined?
Sources:
https://edugage.com/self-discipline-tips-for-students-that-works/
https://www.apa.org/topics/willpower
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