Another broken promise.
Another bad grade.
Another important deadline missed.
Little tricks that worked yesterday like doing that important assignment right when you get it or taking a few minutes to learn about investing each day are forgotten by the fourth day. Self-improvement isn’t easy, but it’ll help us get to where we want to be.
Often, we hear the phrase that moving somewhere else doesn’t matter because we’re still the same person no matter where we go. Although it’s true that moving won’t be the key to finally being your ideal self, sometimes moving can be just what we need.
1. Change Your Five People
Often I hear that the 5 people you spend the most time with are who you become. So, if you want to be more athletic, it makes sense to hang out with people who exercise every day and encourage others to do the same. For me, I had a friend who constantly worked during her last two years of high school. Seeing how hard she worked motivated me to work more hours during the summer after my senior year instead of being beach bum I originally planned.
What I like about this concept is that it doesn’t even have to be 5 people. Sometimes, just having one or two people who want to get to the same place as you and have concrete action plans is enough.
Favorite Tip: Try to find a great digital community if you can’t find one in your personal life. Think about how you like to consume information and run a Google search. Some great places to start would be checking out podcasts, bloggers, social media pages, and Youtube channels. From there, get in the habit of digesting the content and involving yourself in the conversation.
If it wasn’t for all the great personal finance bloggers, I wouldn’t know how to make my finances work for me. I try to read at least one personal finance article a day, and this keeps me motivated while teaching me new tricks
2. Change Your Environment
I know that for me, I do some of my best writing when I’m listening to an hour long Gothic instrumental. It sounds a bit strange, but I live in a noisy house, so the music helps me stay focused. On top of that, I get more writing done when I’m at the nook area of my house than in my bedroom. Also, certain spots on campus increase the amount I write (computer labs and the library) while others make it worse (classroom a few minutes before class starts).
Finding those spots that help you stay productive is so important. The best way to observe where are you being the most productive. Also, find out the ways that environment make you productive. When I want to have guilt-free relaxation time, I go to bed and read some articles online. When I need to get a writing assignment done, my dining room table or the computer lab is where I’m most productive. Once you know, you can try to go to the environments that keep you productive or experiment with new ones.
3. Change Your Triggers
Almost every night, I can be found on my dining table with a cup of tea. When my laptop is out, and my Big Guy mug (that’s its actual name) is filled, I know that I’m going to at least make progress to one of my goals. In contrast, when I’m on the dining table with ice cream and my laptop, all I do is watch funny videos on Youtube.
The best part about triggers is that you can create new ones that fit you. For instance, say that you want to finish your essay right away. You might choose a set of songs that once you hear them, you only work on the essay.
