“Employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for.” ― Socrates
Most of us are learning new things by reading books, listening to podcasts, or watching videos. But only a few have the habit of learning every day. Habits can help us to be much more consistent. Do the right thing not only from time to time but literally every day. If the behavior is a complete habit (it is fully automated), we will do it without any internal struggle and without spending the limited resource of self-discipline.
Specify precisely what you will do each time a trigger occurs. Maybe you will:
a) log in to your e-learning course and do 1 lesson.
b) open your podcast app and listen to an episode from your favorite show
c) go to the website www.ted.com and watch 1 inspiring TEDtalk
Choose a trigger for your new behavior. Often the best trigger is a habit that you already have in your life. Old habit or a thing that you do every day can work beautifully as a trigger to a new habit. For example:
a) AFTER I take the first break from work, I will IMMEDIATELY log in to my e-learning course and do 1 lesson.
b) AFTER I turn on the computer (for the first time of the day), I will IMMEDIATELY open the podcast app and listen to an episode from my favorite show
c) AFTER I make a coffee or tea, I will IMMEDIATELY go to the website www.ted.com and watch 1 inspiring TEDtalk
In many cases, to keep yourself motivated, you should choose an attractive reward that you can apply just after you finish your behavior. However, there is an exception to this rule. If the behavior is pleasant in itself, we don’t need an extra reward. If you learn things that you are interested in, this is your reward. But if you need to learn something boring (for example, new laws or regulations), then it is a good idea to reward yourself after the learning session.
a) THANKS TO THAT, I’ll relax for a while by listening to my favorite song
b) THANKS TO THAT, I’ll watch something that I enjoy (a video, photos, piece of art)
c) THANKS TO THAT, after completing the task, I’ll mark it in the app/notebook
Write down a sentence with all 3 critical elements of your freshly designed habit:
AFTER I take the first break from work, I will IMMEDIATELY log in to my e-learning course and do 1 lesson. THANKS TO THAT, I will feel great because I gained valuable information.
