by Kathy Mann, Author & Speaker
It’s not easy to maintain self-control, especially when things are difficult. Personally, I’ve found life very difficult over the past few months with the pandemic, lockdown and load shedding in South Africa. I’ve noticed that many people have abandoned their diets and have had difficulty staying focussed on their business objectives. So how can we keep motivated and working towards our goals?
I’m a big fan of sampling research-backed strategies and making them habits. Kelly McGonigal, a research psychologist, studies how the brain works and how we can optimise willpower. Some of the factors influencing willpower are:
Meditation – regular meditation strengthens self-control skills including attention, focus, stress management, impulse control, and self-awareness.
Exercise – following a workout, the effects of improved willpower are immediate. Exercise also makes the brain bigger and faster.
Influences – being around others who have the same goals makes us more inclined to persevere on things that matter to us.
Pause and breathe – when we take a second to consider whether that pastry will really be in line with our long-term goals, we tend to make better decisions, allowing our prefrontal cortex time to intervene.
Eating healthy foods – when we eat well, our brains operate more efficiently and we tend to make better decisions. Alcohol interferes with our impulse control and undermines willpower.
Hunger – low blood sugar weakens our self-control. Ensure you keep your energy up when you need to exercise willpower.
Stress – when we are in a fight-or-flight state we operate out of instinct and focus on the short-term goals, ignoring our long-term wellbeing. In these moments, it’s good to get into the habit of taking a few deep breaths to calm ourselves before taking action.
Sleep – when we are sleep deprived, we reach for unhealthy food and we tend to avoid exercise. This makes us more likely to make impulsive decisions.
Researchers have found that willpower is a limited resource. Try to limit the number of decisions you make during the day. Strategies like putting your exercise clothes out the night before, encourages you to simply put on the clothes without thinking about what to wear. It’s also a catalyst to get it done early since our willpower is highest in the morning. Even better, make plans to meet up with a friend while exercising.
As business owners, we tend to push ourselves to achieve all we need to do for a sustainable, thriving business to operate. Sometimes by pushing too hard, we are doing ourselves a disservice. I encourage you to use these strategies above to build your willpower and when it comes to expending it, be mindful. What are you holding yourself accountable to? Maybe there are areas where you could let go a little and be a bit gentler on yourself.
When you’re feeling drained or demotivated, it’s a good idea to do something you really want to do, something you enjoy. Getting in the zone and experiencing flow is ideal, whether by exercise or doing something creative. Being in flow, when we lose track of time because we are so immersed in the activity, lifts our mood and our happiness levels. It’s a great way to gain new perspectives on things and to feel inspired again.
When you fall off the willpower wagon, berating yourself makes you feel bad and when you feel bad, you do other impulsive things to feel better. Self-compassion, the act of treating yourself with love and empathy, is a much healthier way to address any mishaps on your journey.
We all have dips in our motivation to keep pushing forward. Entrepreneurship is a difficult and sometimes lonely path but it can be enormously rewarding. Connecting with the reason you started the business is a great method to kickstart your enthusiasm in times of struggle and using these tips, I wish you strength as you continue to reach for your dreams.
Kathy Mann is an author and speaker with a special interest in stress management. She is passionate about guiding people towards their best lives possible in harnessing their strengths and innate talents. She offers a stress re-framing service, which shifts beliefs to be more constructive around stress. She does this by educating her clients about the variety of stress responses that exist and how we can benefit from them. Kathy's books Avoiding Burnout and Harnessing Stress are available at major retailers and online at Amazon. She is a wife and mother of two beautiful daughters and lives in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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