Mindset Archives - Page 30 of 52

What To Expect?

In today’s article, how to automate your new habits so you don’t fail. I will discuss the benefits automation has on succeeding with new habits. Also understanding why we fail with new habits along with 4 simple steps you can apply today to automate your new habits so they last.

Why Do We Fail With Succeeding With New Habits

Starting new habits is always an exciting prospect. After the excitement of preparation, the first day of the new habit is full of energy. You never feel like your going to stop this new habit forever.

Then it could be a day later or 1 month later and the newness and excitement of the habit will wear off. This is the point where new habits revert back to old habits and all the initial hard work goes back to square one.

One reason why we fail with new habits. Is that we haven’t automated the habit so we don’t have to think about doing it.

For example, when we have control of paying our bills. There is a higher chance they won’t be paid on time. When they’re automated via a direct debit that’s set up in advance. The likelihood of the habit of succeeding increases.

So instead of allowing ourselves to makes excuses, procrastinate or get distracted. Learning to automate habits helps lock them in for the long term.

Why You Should Automate Your Habits

The reason why habits should be automated is so they get done. We all want our new habits to work for us. It only leaves regret and a feeling of failure if we don’t prosper with our new habits. Focussing on finding ways how we can make our habits easier to complete. Is a must that allows the habit to develop. When habits are difficult to start it can take a lot of mental effort each day. That becomes draining and a chore to do.

How To Automate Your New Habits With 4 Simple Steps

how to automate your new habits so you don't fail — Photo by Drew Beamer on Unsplash

1. One Time Actions

Finding ways to automate the new habit with one time actions is a great way to make a habit stick. For example, if you want to watch less time watching television. You can either cancel your subscriptions or remove the TV. You can use this example with any of your habits to help you stay the course.

2. Take The Easy Road To Starting New Habits

Making the new habit always easy to start allows the habit not to take up mental energy in performing.

Easy is automation best friend.

For example when I exercise I focus on a 5-minute warm-up, not the new exercise habit I want to do. When it’s writing I focus on just writing the introduction, not the whole article. This is a simple trick to always get you started.

3. Utilise Technology To Help New Habits Stick

If your new habits are to do with finance. Utilising technology is a great tool to help you with your spending habits. You can automate your expenses, set caps on spending and set up index funds that you don’t have to worry about. Whatever habit you have that can use technology to help you. Do it! As long as it doesn’t hold you back from other habits.

4. Have Accountability Partners

By working together with someone on a new habit allows the accountability of performing the habit to increase. You just have to make sure the person you are performing the habit with is reliable. If your new habit is taking up exercise or a new sport. This can be great when you are tired then the other person can hold you accountable to your new goal. Imagine David Goggin’s as your accountability partner your habits will be automated without a doubt.

Over To You

I hope you enjoyed today article, how to automate your new habits so you don’t fail.

Creating all your new habits to be automated. Will allow you to always succeed by continuing to take action with your habits.

IF YOU BELIEVE SOMEONE CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS ARTICLE PLEASE SHARE BELOW!

Hi, I’m Adam

I’ve spent over 10 years coaching and mentoring people within sport and business. I have many life skills that I have developed and I want to pass these skills on so people can find their best self. I believe it all starts in the mind and I write about valuable tools and strategies to help people grow in this area.

What To Expect?

In today’s article, how multitasking can stop you from entering the zone will discuss the effects multitasking can have on the brain. The main point of the article will be how multitasking can stop you from entering the zone. Also understanding that focusing on one task at a time greatly benefits your performance. As well as learning how to get out of the multitasking habit.

Why Multitasking Isn’t Always Good For The Brain

The common saying is that women are better at multitasking than men. This has actually been confirmed to be true by a recent study in the UK. Of course, this doesn’t mean all men can’t multitask. But what the study did show is that multitasking can be beneficial in certain areas of life but more difficult in others.

Cited on Inc.com, MIT neuroscientist Earl Miller explained that our brains “are not wired to multitask well… when people think they’re multitasking, they’re actually just switching from one task to another very rapidly. And every time they do, there’s a cognitive cost.”

You Have To Focus On One Task

When it comes to focusing, multi-tasking can be the enemy that takes you away from what you are currently focusing on. In real life, it can lead to damaging effects. For example, if your driving and you turn your attention away from your driving to look at your phone or tell the children off in the back seat. It can lead to crashes and the death of other people.

Our brain is just a muscle and it can only do what it was designed to do. So multitasking on minimal things is no problem but multitasking on things that matter just gets in the way. For example, try writing and then looking at your phone, then talking to someone. When you look back either nothing has been written or you’re going at a snail pace.

For the brain to truly function on a task with 100% intention you can not multitask. It just doesn’t work to its best ability. When you find your mind truly clear of distraction you will enter the zone of the mind where everything becomes easy and flowing. This is because the brain is fully engaged in one singular task.

Of course, our brains are adapting, thinking of ideas but it has to be solely for the benefit and purpose of what you’re doing.

This is Your Brain on Multitasking

Studies within neuroscience found trying to multitask actually changes the way your brain works. When you focus your attention on something, it activates the part of your mind’s motivational system: the prefrontal cortex, which wraps around the front of your brain.

When you’re focused, both the left and right sides of the prefrontal cortex work in tandem. But when you multitask, they attempt to work independently. Even though it feels like you’re doing two things simultaneously, you’re actually switching between the two sides of your prefrontal cortex. This switch takes a fraction of a second, but those microseconds add up: it actually takes you up to 40% longer to complete the same tasks than if you were to tackle them separately.

Not only that, switching between tasks drains your cognitive resources, making you more prone to mistakes. Your working memory, which is responsible for reasoning, decision making, and learning ability, has a limited capacity. It’s like a muscle that can only lift so much weight and do so many reps before it needs to rest and recover.

How To Get Out Of The Bad Habit Of Multitasking

1. Get Rid Of All Distractions

What stops us from getting in the zone is defiantly modern distractions, like phone, email and social media. You know what distracts you the most and what you find hard to resist. So whenever you are doing something that needs your full attention. Put the distraction as far away from you so they can’t be reached.

2. Listen To Music

Now, this isn’t the top 40 chart, this is music that plays in the background preferably with headphones that focuses your mind. For me, it’s anything that’s calm instrumental with the peaceful piano being my favourite for entering my writing zone.

3. A To-do-list & A Clear Schedule

Knowing what you need to do in your day and when to do it can fend off the multitasking mind. A To-do-list & a clear schedule helps to focus the mind on the singular task at different parts of the day. This makes it a lot easier to enter a zone state for each task you have. When you don’t know what to do this quickly allows the mind to wander to other tasks.

4. Learn To Say No

Always being at someone’s beck and call stops you from entering the zone and leads to multi-tasking their every need rather than focusing on what you want. So when it’s time for you to get in the zone. Have expectations with people of what you expect and quickly say no to them unless it’s an emergency.

5. Know When It’s Zone Time

Everyone has a part of the day that they feel at their mental and physical best. Mine is the morning and this is the time that I use all the above points to create a space where I can get my best work done. Creating that time for yourself limits multitasking and allows the focus to form and the zone door to open.

Over To You

I hope you enjoyed today article, How multitasking can stop you from entering the zone.

IF YOU BELIEVE SOMEONE CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS ARTICLE PLEASE SHARE BELOW!

Hi, I’m Adam