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I chose this video because I do not have a morning routine, and I could definitely be starting my days more productively. I currently do not have a specific time at which I aim to wake up, and I don't do anything in particular in any specific order. In my previous attempts at starting morning routines, I have enjoyed their consistency and productivity, but I have always given up before forming a strong enough habit. I liked the advice in the video because all of it made sense. It also addressed some of the issues I have had in previous attempts to start morning routines. I also enjoyed the satire at the beginning.

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How to Create a Morning Routine (and Stick to It Long-Term)

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I chose this video because wasting time online is one of the biggest problems I face in my academics. I could get so much more work done if wasting time online was not taking up such a large portion of my day. I did not like the first piece of advice that College Info Geek offered because it seems easy to avoid for people with multiple devices, and it does not seem like it would solve the underlying problem—lack of self discipline. I did, however, like the second piece of advice. College Info Geek gave three steps to stop procrastination as it happens. I think the second step he mentioned is what I have been missing; it was to find out exactly what the next step of the task that needs to be completed is.

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How to ACTUALLY Stop Wasting Time on the Internet

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I chose this video because I have had some trouble in the past maintaining my motivation to get work done. The situations College Info Geek described in this video apply to me; at the beginning of a semester I am very motivated and eager to succeed, but towards the middle and the end, that motivation fades away. College Info Geek's advice in this video was very good. All of it was very informative, and I can see myself using it often in the future. I especially enjoyed how he made the advice more relatable by providing examples from his life. I found this to be my favorite video of the three I chose.

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How to Stay Motivated for the Entire School Year

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I chose this article because it has many great tips for self-discipline as a whole—the theme of this padlet. This article fits with the theme because, well, that's what it's about.

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"The first and best victory is to conquer self." ~ PLATO

Learning to effectively lead yourself and others all comes down to discipline. Happiness, success, and fulfillment stem from focus and self-control. It may be hard to believe when you're facing an all-you-can-eat buffet, the prospect of making a quick buck, or the lazy lure of sleeping in versus getting on the Peloton, but studies show that people with self-discipline are happier. Why? Because with discipline and self-control we actually accomplish more of the goals we truly care about. Self-discipline is the bridge between goals defined and goals accomplished.

Chapter Eight of my new book - Embrace the Suck: The Navy SEAL Way To An Extraordinary Life - is titled 'Win More Through Discipline And Accountability.' People with a higher degree of self-control spend less time debating whether to indulge in behaviors and activities that don't align with their values or goals. They are more decisive. They don't let impulses or feelings dictate their choices. They are the architects of their own beliefs and the actions they take to achieve a desired outcome. As a result, they aren't as easily distracted by temptation and tend to feel more satisfied with their lives.

"You have power over your mind-not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength." ~ MARCUS AURELIUS

There are specific strategies you can execute to learn self-discipline and gain the willpower to live a happier, more fulfilling life. If you are looking to take control of your habits and choices, here are the eight most powerful things you can do to master self-discipline-which is imperative for life beyond your comfort zone-and maybe even redefining "extraordinary."
STEP ONE: Know your strengths and weaknesses.
We all have weaknesses. Whether they're the desire for alcohol, tobacco, unhealthy food, obsession over social media, or the video game Fortnite (what the heck is with this game by the way?!), they have a similar effect on us. Weaknesses don't just come in the form of areas where we lack self-control either. We all have our strong suits and the stuff we kind of stink at. For example, I don't care for having difficult conversations, lengthy paperwork that involves digging up old documents I never saved in the first place, holding my temper when someone is shooting at me, or calling into automated phone systems. And therefore, I used to actively (or purposefully) avoid these activities. Now, I strive to tackle them head-on-or I delegate them to others. (Never forget about the subtle art of delegation!)

Self-awareness is a powerful tool for comfort zone expansion, but it requires constant focus and acknowledging your shortcomings, whatever they may be. I suffered from bad allergies and asthma growing up and had terrible eyesight. Those were some significant weaknesses when considering becoming a Navy SEAL. But so what? I trained hard to improve my lung function and used money I'd saved for LASIK eye surgery. Too often people either try to pretend their vulnerabilities don't exist or they succumb to them with a fixed mindset, throwing their hands up in defeat and saying, "Oh well." Know your strengths, but more importantly, own up to your flaws. You can't overcome them until you do.
STEP TWO: Remove temptations.
"I can resist anything except temptation." ~ OSCAR WILDE

Like the saying goes, "out of sight, out of mind." It may seem silly, but this phrase offers powerful advice. By simply removing the biggest temptations from your environment, you will greatly improve your self-discipline. When I decided I was going to pursue the lofty goal of becoming a SEAL, everything in my life had to change. If you want to eat healthier, toss the junk food in the trash. Want to drink less? Throw out the booze. If you want to enhance your productivity at work, improve the management of your To-Do's, turn off social media notifications and silence your cell phone. Prioritize and execute.

The fewer distractions you have, the more focused you will be on accomplishing your goals. Set yourself up for success by ditching bad influences.
STEP THREE: Set clear goals and have an execution plan.
If you hope to achieve greater degrees of self-discipline, you must have a clear vision of what you hope to accomplish, just like any goal. You must also have an understanding of what success means to you. After all, if you don't know where you are going, it's easy to lose your way or get sidetracked. Remember to prioritize. At TakingPoint Leadership, when we work with our corporate clients on strategic planning, execution, and organizational transformation, we remind them that having ten priorities translates to no priorities.

A clear plan outlines each time-bound step you must take to reach your goals. Create a mantra to keep yourself focused. Successful people use this technique to stay on track, emotionally connect to their mission, and establish a clear finish line.
STEP FOUR: Practice daily diligence.
We aren't born with self-discipline; it's a learned behavior. And just like any other skill you want to master, it requires daily practice and repetition. It must become habitual. But the effort and focus that self-discipline requires can be draining. As time passes, it can become more and more difficult to keep your willpower in check. The bigger the temptation or decision, the more challenging it can feel to tackle other tasks that also require self-control.

So, work on building your self-discipline through daily diligence in a given area associated with a goal. This goes back to step three. In order to practice daily diligence, you must have a plan. Put it on your calendar, your to-do list, tattoo it on the back of your eyelids - whatever works best for you. With practice, anyone can push the boundaries of their comfort zone every day.
STEP FIVE: Create new habits and rituals.
Acquiring self-discipline and working to instill a new habit can feel daunting at first, especially if you focus on the entire task at hand. To avoid feeling intimidated, keep it simple. Break your goal into small, doable steps. Instead of trying to change everything at once, focus on doing one thing consistently and master self-discipline with that goal in mind.

As we say in the SEAL Teams, " Eat the elephant one bite at a time."

If you're trying to get in shape but don't exercise regularly (or ever), start by working out ten or fifteen minutes a day. If you're trying to achieve better sleep habits, start by going to bed thirty minutes earlier each night. If you want to eat healthier, change your grocery shopping habits and prep meals ahead of time. Take baby steps. Eventually, when your mindset and behavior starts to shift, you can add more goals to your list.
STEP SIX: Change your perception about willpower.
If you believe you have a limited amount of willpower, you probably won't surpass those limits. As I mentioned previously, studies show that willpower can deplete over time. But what about changing that perception? The SEAL candidate who believes they probably won't make it through training won't succeed. Why assume our will to win can only take us so far?

When we embrace the mindset of unlimited willpower, we continue to grow, achieve more, and develop mental toughness. It's the same philosophy as setting "stretch" goals. In short, our internal conceptions about willpower and self-control can determine how disciplined we are. If you can remove these subconscious obstacles and truly believe you can do it, then you will give yourself an extra boost of motivation toward making those goals a reality.
STEP SEVEN: Give yourself a backup plan.
In the SEAL Teams, we always have contingency plans. Psychologists use a technique to boost willpower called "implementation intention." That's when you give yourself a plan to deal with a potentially difficult situation you know you will likely face. To be clear, I am not referring to a backup plan under the auspices that you'll probably fail at Plan A.

Let's say you aspire to become a trapeze expert, but tell yourself, "Well, I'm probably not going to excel at this, so chances are I'll be sticking with miniature golf." That's a lame backup plan wrapped in mediocrity. We are talking about contingencies for intentional course correction, not planning for failure. So be bold and keep moving forward. Going in with a plan will help give you the mindset and self-control necessary for the situation. You will also save energy by not having to make a sudden decision based on your emotional state.
STEP SEVEN: Find trusted coaches or mentors.
The development of expertise requires coaches who are capable of giving constructive, even painful, feedback. Real experts are extremely motivated students who seek out such feedback. They're also skilled at understanding when and if a coach or mentor's advice doesn't work for them.

The elite performers I've known and worked with always knew what they were doing right while concentrating on what they were doing wrong. They deliberately picked unsentimental coaches who would challenge them and drive them to higher levels of performance. The best coaches also identify aspects of your performance that will need to be improved at your next level of skill and aid you in preparation.
STEP EIGHT: Forgive yourself and move forward.
Even with all our best intentions and well laid plans, we sometimes fall short. It happens. You will have ups and downs, great successes and dismal failures. The key is to keep going. A very close SEAL buddy of mine has had a lifelong dream of not just serving in the SEAL Teams but also making it to our tier one special missions unit. He has every qualification this unit could possibly want, but for some reason they didn't select him on his first application attempt. Did he wallow in sorrow? Not for one second. He immediately developed a plan to request even more "schools," train even harder, and he transferred to a different SEAL Team for a better chance to get picked up next time. Easy day.

If you stumble, find the root cause by asking the five WHY's and move on. Don't let yourself get wrapped up in guilt, anger, or frustration, because these emotions will only drag you further down and impede future progress.

Learn from your missteps and forgive yourself. Then get your head back in the game and violently execute. Good luck!

... Read More

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8 Powerful Ways To Cultivate Extreme Self-Discipline

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"The first and best victory is to conquer self." ~ PLATO Learning to effectively lead yourself and others all comes down to discipline. Happiness, success, and fulfillment stem from focus and self-control.

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I chose this article because this technique has been very useful to me, and I think it could help many other people. This article fits with the theme of self-discipline because it is a technique of disciplining oneself to work or study for long periods of time.

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Admittedly, I've never been big on productivity hacks and tricks. Instead, I keep things pretty simple. I take a look at my planner (yes, a real paper planner -not my phone), jot down a list of things I want to get done that day, and then start hustling.

But, after hearing so much chatter about the Pomodoro Technique, I figured I should at least do my due diligence and give it a try. I listened to so many different people rant and rave about how it helped them greatly improve their focus and increase their productivity. So, I thought testing it out couldn't hurt -and, if all went well, maybe I'd even identify a new tactic for tackling my never-ending to-do list.

Needless to say, testing it out is exactly what I did. In fact, I utilized this time management method for an entire week in order to share my findings. And, like any good journalist would, I kicked things back old school and used the scientific method to share my results. If only my sixth grade science teacher could see me now.

What Is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management system that encourages people to work with the time they have-rather than against it. Using this method, you break your workday into 25-minute chunks separated by five-minute breaks. These intervals are referred to as pomodoros. After about four pomodoros, you take a longer break of about 15 to 20 minutes.

The idea behind the technique is that the timer instills a sense of urgency. Rather than feeling like you have endless time in the workday to get things done and then ultimately squandering those precious work hours on distractions, you know you only have 25 minutes to make as much progress on a task as possible.

Additionally, the forced breaks help to cure that frazzled, burnt-out feeling most of us experience toward the end of the day. It's impossible to spend hours in front of your computer without even realizing it, as that ticking timer reminds you to get up and take a breather.

The concept of keeping such detailed track of my workday seemed a little cumbersome to me. So, I downloaded a pomodoro timer on my phone. It made things much easier, and I highly recommend it if you're planning on trying this yourself. If you have an iPhone, try Focus Keeper. Meanwhile, Android users can check out Pomodoro Timer Lite.

Hypothesis

If I'm being perfectly honest, I anticipated not liking this at all. I'm the type of person who tends to sit in front of her computer and hammer out four hours of work without so much as a bathroom break.

Because I was so used to working in those long chunks of time (during which I thought I was being productive), the idea of splitting up my workday and-gasp!-wasting time on breaks seemed totally counterintuitive. How could working less actually help me accomplish more?

The premise didn't seem like it would mesh well with me. But, I went for it anyway.

Results

Let's just get right to the heart of the matter: My hypothesis was wrong. I actually ended up really liking this method-and it's probably something I'll continue to implement when I want to kick my productivity up a notch.

At first, working in such small increments felt unnatural. There were quite a few times-especially in the beginning-when I was tempted to ignore the timer and continue working. But, I forced myself to stick to the format.

After some time, the technique started to really gel with me. I was focused and insanely productive during my work time, as I was eager to get as much completed during that 25-minute interval as I could. I didn't find myself mindlessly scrolling through Facebook or getting sucked in by those pesky clickbait articles. And, as a notorious multi-tasker, I noticed that I was totally zoned in on the one project at hand.

Because I was forced to get up and give myself a rest from staring at my laptop screen, I found that I actually did feel better at the end of each day. Not only did I feel like I had put in an honest day's work, but I also felt less stressed, blurry-eyed, and cramped up.

Go figure-actually standing up a couple of times throughout the day really does help.

However, I wouldn't be an honest journalist if I didn't outline at least one drawback. While it worked great on the days when all of my time was my own, it became quite complicated when I had scheduled calls and meetings. I didn't think my clients or colleagues would react too favorably to me yelling, "Be back in five! My timer just went off!" in the middle of a conversation.

So, I ended up just completely deactivating my timer during these meetings-whether they were 15 minutes or an hour-and picking back up with the technique when those appointments were finished. Perhaps that means I bent the rules a bit, but I couldn't figure out a better way to handle that situation.

All in all, I was surprised to find that I actually really liked the Pomodoro Technique, and I think it lived up to its promises of making me more focused and productive. I'm planning on using it on those days when there's nothing in my calendar. However, I'm curious to see how well it works for someone who regularly has a lot of meetings, phone calls, and appointments.

Kat is a Midwest-based freelance writer, covering topics related to careers, productivity, and the freelance life. In addition to The Muse, she's a contributor all over the web and dishes out research-backed advice for places like Atlassian, Trello, Toggl, Wrike, The Everygirl, FlexJobs, and more. She's also an Employment Advisor at a local college, and loves helping students prepare to thrive in careers (and lives!) they love. When she manages to escape from behind her computer screen, she's usually babying her two rescue mutts or continuing her search for the perfect taco. Say hi on Twitter @kat_boogaard or check out her website.

More from Kat Boogaard

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I Hate All Productivity Hacks, Except for This One

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Admittedly, I've never been big on productivity hacks and tricks. Instead, I keep things pretty simple. I take a look at my planner (yes, a real paper planner -not my phone), jot down a list of things I want to get done that day, and then start hustling.