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Resolutions are Good but Focus on Habits

Awareness, Goals, Productivity / My Holland / Resolutions

Resolutions are Good but Focus on Habits Most people create new year’s resolutions to improve themselves, set things right and take complete control of their lives. Making these is a form of reset to clear the slate. Save more, losing weight and quitting smoking are some examples. But according to a study by the Journal of Clinical Psychology, less than half of people with resolutions were successful. The rest couldn’t make their promises happen. There are reasons, but maybe these can be narrowed down to a few. Old Habits Habits are defined as repeated practices and behaviors that do not need thought. These are learned and challenging to give up. According to experts, actions repeated for more than two months become habits. Making coffee and taking a shower after waking up are examples. Now imagine a person who wants to save more but sticks to the routine of buying coffee every day at Starbucks before going to work. Old habits are hard to break. Lack of Awareness People often fail to recognize habits associated with other actions, like eating potato chips while watching a movie or a sports event at home. They can forget about losing weight if this is part of their new year’s resolution list.Only with careful thought will people realize that many ingrained practices are stopping them from realizing their resolutions. Lack of Commitment If losing weight is one of your resolutions, can you abstain from eating your favorite pastry? Commitment means making sacrifices and avoiding old habits. Most people revert to their old routines because they aren’t fully committed to their resolutions. Worse, they’ve become comfortable with their present habits, which makes them more hesitant to change. » Adopt New Habits It’s okay to write resolutions but follow through with a list of new habits. For example: saving more by looking for an alternative to Starbucks. If a cup of Starbucks coffee is $3.00 versus $1.00 from a grocery, that’s a difference of $2.00. In 20 days, one could save at least $40.00. Taking a different route to work to avoid Starbucks can be a new habit too. Yes, it’s a simple illustration, but applying the same principle with other resolutions can result in big changes. Even with greater challenges, begin with a small act and expand on it. Try something new with your resolutions in mind. Constantly thinking of ways to achieve these will soon become a habit. Source: adapted from Tal Ben Shahar Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!

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Why Unfinished Business Always Pops in Your Mind

Brain, Goals, Happiness at Work, Motivation / My Holland

Before reading this, try to recall all the tasks you accomplished in the last five days. There’s a great chance you won’t remember all. Now, think of all the things that you left undone. But maybe you don’t have to because these keep popping in your head. And these might be causing stress right now. It’s not just tasks. How often have you stopped reading a book or watching a movie before the end? Yes, people love stories. But, they want to get to the conclusion as not knowing can drive them crazy. What can explain this behavior? Well, have you ever heard of the Zeigarnik Effect? a psychologist, postulated that incomplete tasks were easier to remember than completed ones. These remain in people’s conscious minds because they cause mental tension. It’s no wonder you recall unfinished business repeatedly. Not all experts agree on the effect, as more research has to be done. One of the questions is whether this is good or bad. But, everyone can agree that when you experience it, there are ways to deal with it. Here are three: Accomplish your tasks promptly. It’s relative for each person. Many jobs cannot be done by the end of a day. But, by completing small chunks daily, you finish the whole sooner. People put off working on tasks until the last minute. In short, they procrastinate. Everyone does. If you want to ease stress, begin working on your tasks ASAP. And, why not reward yourself when you accomplish something. It could be a glass of that expensive wine you’ve been saving. Use the Effect for your Benefit. If the Zeigarnik Effect is real, use it to help you. For instance, if you’re preparing for a presentation, forget cramming all that information in one sitting. Instead, divide these into smaller portions. Focus on each and take breaks. Then move on to the next one. You’ll realize you retain more data because your brain tells you that your presentation isn’t complete. Maybe you could use it in your job? Ads and movie trailers are good examples. Marketers use story-telling to get customers to stay tuned. Use it as Motivation. Maybe you have an alarm clock or use your smartphone to wake you up. You won’t believe it, but these regularize your sleeping behavior. Treat the Zeigarnik Effect as an alarm to attend to unfinished business. If you want that internal reminder to go silent, finish whatever you started. Instead of bugging your mind, treat the effect as motivation.

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Why To-Do Lists are Good for You

Brain, Goals, Happiness at Work, Productivity / My Holland

Post-it notes have become part of people’s lives. You’ll find it everywhere – on desks, the fridge, walls and doors. These are constant reminders of all the tasks that need to be done. Whether it’s not to forget to buy milk on the way home or pay bills, people are helped a lot by little pieces of paper. It’s not just Post-it notes. Others use memo pads, diaries and even their digital devices as reminders. Unfortunately, they can be overwhelmed by too many of these. But did you know that these can significantly help reduce anxiety and accomplish tasks. >> You achieve clarity Writing down or typing tasks give you a clearer picture of what needs to be done. When you do, you often realize that it’s mostly small stuff. The human brain can create mountains out of molehills. Remember, a small rock can cast a large shadow. It makes a difference when people focus on the former and not the latter. When people specify, the job ahead becomes more effortless. Or, if a task is too big, breaking it into smaller chunks makes it more manageable. But write or again, type these down. >> You prioritize What needs to be done now or today? Itemizing tasks can help you determine which are urgent and not. This also enables you to focus on one task at a time. Tests have shown a to-do list helps people. Try this out? Think of all the tasks you need to accomplish and often, you’ll forget one or several. Also, you can’t possibly sort your mental list according to importance. Now, try writing these on paper. Wouldn’t you agree, there’s a vast difference? >> You can schedule Some people get rid of simple tasks that don’t require effort and thinking. This is because it takes them time to warm up. Others, they like to handle challenging jobs first thing in the morning. With a to-do list, you can schedule which tasks to accomplish first. You can even set a time for checking on your social media accounts. Doing so will allow you to achieve more during the day. >> You Get a Sense of Achievement Every time you check or cross out a task on your to-do list, you feel a sense of accomplishment. This is important because you become more motivated and engaged in whatever job you need to do. There’s nothing wrong with feeling proud. In fact, it has positive effects on your health too. So start working on your to-do lists. These can make your life a bit easier.

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Goals

Resolutions are Good but Focus on Habits

Why Unfinished Business Always Pops in Your Mind

Why To-Do Lists are Good for You

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