You have always heard about unproductive habits and how to quit unproductive habits that will not serve you, but the interesting thing to know is that one of the ways to quit an unproductive habit is by replacing it with a productive habit.
If you have always wanted to quit habits that are weighing you down and making you unproductive, then the first and vital step is to develop and build productive habits.
Self-discipline is the act of doing what you need to do at the right time even if you don’t feel like it.
Brian Tracy’s Book “The Power of Self-Discipline”
So how can you build productive habits?
Be Self-disciplined
According to Brian Tracy’s book “The Power of Self-discipline,” no great habit can be formed or built without self-discipline.
If you don’t have self-discipline, you will find it hard to do a lot of things.
Self-discipline is the act of doing what you need to do at the right time even if you don’t feel like it.
And if you look at the various principles of success like consistency, resilience, hard work, etc., they are all a function of self-discipline.
Brian Tracy said in his book that of all the 999 principles of success that you should know, the most important is self-discipline, because without it, the others won’t work.
Think about it, “Why have you not done that task you planned to do? Why are you not as good as you want to be? Why have you not learned that skill?”
What are the excuses you have?
Is it because you have not read thousands of articles on how to do it? Is it because you don’t have a productivity coach to hold you accountable? Is it because no one wakes you up at 4am to start the day early?
Those are excuses.
To put it to you simply, the main reason you have not gotten anything done is because you lack self-discipline.
You can read all the self-help books of this world or hire the best productivity coach in the industry, but if you lack the willpower to say no to that feeling that loves pleasure more than work, you will never get anything done.
So, the most important way to build productive habits is to be self-disciplined.
…of all the 999 principles of success that you should know, the most important is self-discipline, because without it, the others won’t work.
Brian Tracy’s Book “The Power of Self-Discipline”
Get a habit tracker
Habit trackers are an important guide to building productive habits.
A habit tracker helps you determine how well you’re doing in building your habits or how bad you’re doing.
You can get a digital or physical habit tracker. You can also make one for yourself.
The main sections to include in a habit tracker are the dates, the habit you plan to build, and a checkbox to mark each time you perform the habit in a day.
After a week or preferably a month, you will be able to see how much progress you have made.
If you’ve not made much progress, it’s okay. Keep going. Don’t let your inconsistency discourage you. Pick up from where you stopped and keep trying till you form the habit.
Also read: How to Develop a Habit of Praying Everyday
Declutter your surroundings
If you have read my post on declutter or my how to go from disorganized to organized post, then you will understand the importance of decluttering your surroundings so you can build productive habits.
When your surroundings are free of clutter and are well organized, your brain will also be free and open to function properly.
If you find it hard to stick to your schedule of habit building, check your surroundings and ensure everything is in order and well organized.
Read also: How to Get Organized in 5 Simple Steps
Focus on one thing at a time
Dear reader, are you finding it hard to build productive habits? Then you’re probably trying to build a lot of habits at once and life does not usually work that way.
Your brain gets weary and sometimes confused when you try to squeeze so much in at once.
Especially when it comes to habit building, it’s hard for your brain and body to immediately get used to doing something new and foreign.
So, you have to (kind of) force yourself to build a new habit at first.
But while building these habits, don’t try to add more new habits at the same time.
You might end up stopping halfway because of overwhelm.
So, take it one at a time.
Also read: Time Blocking for Busy but Unproductive People
Take breaks/rest
When you’re just starting something new, try not to overwork or overwhelm yourself with new habits, chores, and work in general.
Learn the art of taking breaks or taking rests.
It will give your body that momentary pleasure and allow you to refuel your energy so you can keep working.
So, while you build those new habits and do other productive things, get some rest.
Productive Habits you can Build
- Read a chapter of a good book a day
- Wake up 30 minutes or one hour earlier than you used to
- Take up journaling
- Organize your work desk before you start work for the day
- Plan the next day before you sleep at night
- Take breaks from social media
- Take a 30 minutes walk or do 30 or more skips to keep your body active especially if you sit or lie around all day
- Always keep a bottle of water around you and drink a lot of water.
Are you struggling with quitting bad habits and building good and productive habits? Let me be your accountability partner and you can also get my effective coaching tips for building productive habits.
Take my coaching sessions. The first session is free! Schedule a call now!
Need a productivity coach?
Do you struggle with achieving your goals or completing your daily tasks!
Do you struggle with overwhelm, too many tasks on your to-do list, or balancing your work and life?
Did this article describe your current need and struggle?
I can help you!
As a productivity coach, I have helped my clients achieve their goals, held them accountable to get their tasks done, and helped them live a more flexible, yet productive life.
I have helped several creatives who battle anxiety as a result of numerous unfinished tasks and feelings of inadequacy to go from underachiever to high-achiever.
Read more about how to start here
Reach out to me today to take my coaching sessions. The first session is free! Schedule a free call now!
This call helps me understand what you’re struggling with and what aspect of productivity coaching you need.
In 30 mins, I will give you quick problem solving tips to implement for a more productive life.
I’d love to hear from you!
[…] To know how to learn anything, you need practice. You know the saying, practice makes perfect? They didn’t lie. Constant practice takes what you are learning from your brain to your body. Now, you not only know it as information, you also act it, you do it, and this helps you become great at it. It becomes a habit that sticks. […]