Listen to music, breathe deeply, sleep after lunch and other less obvious techniques.
1. Take responsibility for your statements
Our words are the source of our power. Everything we say and promise, and how we keep our promises, affects our self-confidence. When words and actions do not differ, it helps us believe in our own abilities and create the future we want.
However, this principle also works in the opposite direction. The subconscious remembers all our promises, even such “small” ones as starting a new life on Monday. When we do not do this, our inner strength fades. Therefore, it is worth promising only what you are really ready to fulfill, and appreciate every word said.
2. Don’t use time as an excuse
The fastest way to achieve a goal is to stop using time as an excuse for not doing anything. This includes phrases like “I didn’t have enough time” or “Now is not the right time.” Especially if it’s used to justify not having achieved your dreams yet.
It would be better to stop perceiving the passage of time as an enemy and try to see it as an ally. Imagine that you are the source of seconds, minutes and hours, and it is up to you to decide how and when you want to use them.
3. Be grateful
Gratitude can change everything. When we focus on what we are grateful for in life and the people around us, we feel a surge of happiness, excitement, and inspiration.
You can even start keeping a special journal and at the end of the day write down five things you are grateful for today. This will help you appreciate every moment.
4. Use the one percent method
Its essence is not to set global goals for yourself right away, but to become at least 1% better every day.
Forget about perfection and focus on the process. For example, if you didn’t read a single chapter yesterday, finish at least one page today. A month of this practice, when you move forward by just 1% every day, and your results will improve by 30%. Three months, and you will easily reach 100%.
5. Spend time in nature
When you decide to take a break, look around. If there are no plants, trees or blue sky nearby, it’s time to take a walk. Nature energizes, helps you relax and recharge.
Try to walk for 5-10 minutes every day, and you will immediately notice pleasant changes in your mood and internal state.
6. Listen to music
Scientists have long proven that music improves the brain’s ability to learn, and also develops creativity and increases motivation. This is especially true for classical music.
Use science to your advantage and play your favorite tunes in the background while you get things done. Choose music by genre, playlist, or mood, such as relaxing for relaxation or upbeat for energetic activities.
7. Change your communication style
When you have problems with communication, remember one simple rule: the meaning of communication is in the answers you receive. When talking about an important topic, pay attention to the reaction of the interlocutor. If he shows emotions that are not what you expect from him, try to convey the necessary information to him in another way.
For example, tomorrow you have an important presentation, and your colleagues are not taking it seriously. Your task is to explain to them in every possible way how important this event is. Do not shift responsibility to others for the fact that they misunderstood your words. Try to explain everything so that there are no omissions.
8. Laugh
Laughter in difficult, stressful situations helps you not to give in to despair, doubts, and fears. When you face problems, say out loud, “I’m laughing about this. I can laugh at how bad things are.”
This technique will help shift the focus to fun and engage curiosity. It will allow you to not only study what is happening from all sides, but also to learn the necessary life lessons from it.
9. Divide time into blocks
It is an effective time management system in which you set aside specific time slots for tasks in advance and do nothing else during that time.
As soon as you have a serious task, get into the habit of writing it down on your calendar. You should do the same for all the important events of the day. This will help ensure that you do not forget anything and do not get distracted from urgent tasks.
You can keep such a calendar in a traditional notebook or download a suitable application .
10. Sleep after lunch
Surveys show that people who regularly take afternoon naps are much more productive than those who don’t. Even 20 minutes of sleep can significantly improve your productivity.
For an afternoon nap, it’s best to use a sleep mask and earplugs to keep your mind clear. You can also drink a cup of coffee before bed. The caffeine takes about 20 minutes to kick in, meaning you’ll wake up refreshed and energetic.
11. Use the 4-7-8 breathing technique
When you feel stress creeping up on you, try a simple breathing exercise. Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and then exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds. Repeat the exercise 3 times to calm down and relax.
12. Connect your imagination
Try a little trick that will instantly increase your productivity. Remember the moment when you felt the most confident in your own abilities, as if no one and nothing could stop you. Re-live that moment in your head. Then draw an imaginary circle in front of you, “place” the memory there and enter it.
Again, imagine yourself in your moment of power, but now try to see it with your own eyes, as if you were living it right now. Feel how motivation and self-confidence fill you. Open your eyes – now these feelings have become part of your present.
13. Help others
Helping others is one of the main things that makes us feel happier and more grateful for all the good things that happen in your life and motivated to succeed. It also allows us to look at our lives from a different perspective and understand what we really want and what is important to us.
14. Visualize success
This is a perfect exercise to get a better idea of what you want your future to look like. To do this, imagine your ideal life for a few minutes every day.
The power of visualization is clearly demonstrated by an experiment by Australian psychologist Alan Richardson. He divided a student basketball team into three groups. The players in the first group went to the gym and practiced throwing every day. The second group did not train at all. The students in the third also stayed in their rooms, but spent half an hour a day mentally imagining the entire training process and even their victories in matches. The results were amazing: the first group improved their game performance by 24%, nothing changed in the second, and the dreamers in the third showed progress of 23%.
The discrepancy between the first and third groups of only one percent confirms that our subconscious does not see the difference between reality and visualization. This means that the more we imagine our ideal life, the closer we are to it.
15. Do the exercise “head – heart – body”
It will help you quickly check your consciousness, emotional and physical state. To do this, close your eyes and focus on your thoughts. After a few minutes, take a deep breath and switch your attention to your heart. What is your mood? What emotions are you experiencing at the moment?
Take another deep breath and feel your chest. Try to understand how your body is doing. Is there anything bothering you? Then take another deep breath and ask yourself: “What do I need right now?” Remember or write down the answer.
This exercise can be done regularly, for example during your lunch break, or every time before making an important decision.
16. Do without gadgets
We are used to spending most of our time on the phone, computer or in front of the TV screen. And this habit really interferes with real relaxation.
Try taking 10-minute breaks from electronics throughout the day: chat in person with loved ones, take a walk in the park, or read a book. You’ll immediately notice a surge of energy and motivation.
17. Spend your time wisely
This is perhaps our main resource, which, unfortunately, cannot be returned. Therefore, be careful about what you spend it on. Remember that you and only you control your time. If it goes nowhere, it is time to reconsider how you manage it.
18. Look to the future
When we imagine a situation in another time period, it helps us look at what is happening from a new perspective. Excessive focus on the present moment, on the contrary, is the path to additional stress.
Try closing your eyes and looking ahead to what is happening. How will this moment affect the next month, year, or your entire life? Difficult situations often lead us to positive changes in the long term, or at least not as bad as they seemed at first.
19. Keep a diary
Regularly writing down your thoughts and emotions gives you an excellent opportunity to understand what is going on in your head. Gradually, with the help of a diary, you will begin to notice certain tendencies in your behavior, and this will greatly help in self-development. You will understand what triggers your reactions and actions, what contributes to or, conversely, hinders you on the path to success.
20. Make a schedule
Having a set schedule doesn’t mean you have to forget about spontaneity. On the contrary, understanding what needs to be done in a day frees up your mind for spontaneous ideas. And the lack of a schedule attracts chaos. It’s like a GPS system that tells you where you need to go today and what you have time for.
Don’t forget to add not only important tasks to your plan, but also daily activities. This way, you’ll have the most complete picture of the day before your eyes.
21. Get enough sleep
Healthy sleep is the best way to gain strength. Try to keep your bedroom dark, quiet and slightly cool – this will help you to get maximum physical and mental rest.
22. Follow the 5-second rule
This technique is perfect for those times when you need to do something but really don’t want to. At such moments, count out loud from five to one and start doing the task. The countdown will give you a subconscious impulse that will help you stop procrastinating and start the task right now.
23. Try the “stop, start, change” method
This is an incredibly effective 30-second practice. Whenever you have a problem or feel stuck, ask yourself three questions:
- What do I need to stop doing right now?
- What do I need to start doing right now?
- What do I do now that I need to change?
Answers to these questions will help you move forward.
24. Ask yourself the magic question
In addition to the questions from the “stop, start, change” technique, there are many others that are useful to ask yourself sometimes. For example, when you don’t understand how best to act, ask: “What if I pretend that I don’t know anything about this situation?” In search of an answer, the consciousness, which is used to looking at the problem from one angle, will begin to re-analyze what is happening. This will expand the range of possible solutions.
It’s also important to regularly check how effectively you’re moving toward your goals. At the end of each day, look in the mirror and ask yourself, “Have I accomplished everything I set out to do today?” Be brutally honest so you can identify your mistakes and avoid repeating them.
25. Take care of yourself
This is perhaps the most important point on the way to achieving goals. Be attentive and kind to yourself and watch how you talk to yourself . Constant dissatisfaction will definitely not make you more productive and efficient. Do not scold yourself for the fact that some situations do not turn out the way you would like. It is not your fault.
Try to talk to yourself as if you were a friend. Imagine that your loved one was in exactly the same situation. What would you say to him? You would hardly start yelling, rather the opposite – you would try to cheer him up, give him warmth and kindness. You should treat yourself in exactly the same way.
Remember that you are not alone, and many people go through difficult situations. Everything has a tendency to end, and this difficult period in life will also pass. The point is not to never admit mistakes, but to be able to support yourself, no matter what happens.