“Not every change is an improvement, but every improvement is a change.”
If you’re interested in becoming more effective human being, you’re necessarily interested interested in changing your behavior. Do you ever find yourself sitting there thinking, “I know I should be…” or “Why can’t I just…”
Do you set goals for yourself and find that you aren’t taking action? Maybe you decide you’re going to work on that new project, and then before you know it you’re browsing the internet again, not having accomplished what you had hoped.
You’re human, so of course you’ve had moments like that. So have I, and that’s why I created this checklist. I wanted a list of quick techniques I could use in the moment when I noticed myself coming up against a block, so I made one!
Next time you notice yourself taking less than optional action, instead of beating yourself up for it, or distracting yourself, or zoning out and ignoring the situation at hand, try one of the ten techniques listed below. Each of them only takes a few minutes, and I guarantee you’ll feel better for having tried.
- Take a Deep Breath
- Cultivate Positive Mind-States
- Connect with your Reasons
- Change Context
- Use Curiosity
- Turn it into a Game!
- Be Mindful
- Break it into Sub-Steps
- Commit to One Minute
- Actively Recover and Try Again