Berlin Eight out of ten Germans regularly put off important tasks. Market researchers at the Berlin Sinus Institute came to this conclusion in a survey. Those surveyed were self-critical: a third of them considered themselves too undisciplined to work in a concentrated manner over the long term. Respondents found social media, private conversations and incoming e-mails to be the greatest distractions. But is someone who allows himself to be distracted also undisciplined?
Not necessarily, say researchers, because those who compulsively want to increase their own discipline threaten to inhibit it by doing exactly that. Israeli and American psychologists, among others, have proven this in a study from 2017.
Anyone who wants to show “iron discipline” at any price can achieve exactly the opposite of what they actually want. And that’s just one pitfall among many, experts say. Here they reveal how you can recognize the biggest self-discipline traps – and how to avoid them.
Self-discipline mistake one: Your goals are unclear – and thus also the way to get there
If you want to be self-disciplined, you have to be motivated first. And motivation works primarily through good goals: only those who have internalized what they want to achieve are willing to make an effort to achieve it. You couldn’t answer right away what specific goals you are working towards? Then you should clarify this for yourself – and also identify what obstacles stand in your way.
The so-called WOOP method by Gabriele Oettingen, an acronym that stands for “Wish”, “Outcome”, “Obstacle” and “Plan” – which, according to Oettingen, can help four most important stations on the way to more self-discipline. The scientist is a professor of psychology at New York University and the University of Hamburg and primarily researches the topics of self-regulation and future thinking.
And this is how you work your way through the four stations. “The first step is to ask yourself: ‘What is my wish?’ says Oettingen. “Do I want to be more focused at work, improve my behavior towards others, or do more for my fitness?”
The second step is the question: “How would I feel if I had fulfilled my wish?” Imagine the answer as vividly as possible. And finally the question follows: “What is it in me that prevents me from fulfilling my wish?” You should also imagine this obstacle as visually as possible. Only then can you move on to step four – and make a plan.
As an example: Imagine you want to get off work early so that you can be in the restaurant on time for the meal you have arranged. The hours before you have to work even more concentrated. You know that social media is a major distraction for you. So mute your phone and put it in an adjacent room to avoid temptation—and get closer to your desire.
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Self-discipline mistake two: You take on too much
Sabine Votteler is an expert in career changes and has more than 25 years of managerial experience herself. Today, as a coach, she mainly advises managers who, like her, want to become self-employed – a step that requires a lot of discipline and a high degree of personal responsibility.
The coach advises to “portion” each project in the job well and to set milestones. Many people make the mistake of taking on too much when starting a new project, job, or position. “Small steps are often enough, because success consists of the regularity with which you take them – and not of their size.”
If you do set yourself too high, it is important to price in possible setbacks – and not see them as failure. “Stay agile in your planning,” says Christian da Silva Ley, sales coach at the Rheinland Insurance Group.
The sales expert also oversees a training platform there, where his customers can book seminars and coaching on self-management and personal responsibility, among other things. The topic of self-discipline is always in focus. His advice: “If you deviate from your plan, keep going anyway. Analyze the reasons for the setback, learn from it and adjust your approach to be better prepared in the future.”
Self-discipline mistake three: Your work environment is wrong
Anyone who has ever attempted to carry out a complicated task in an open-plan office should know how important it is to have an orderly and quiet work environment. Not only noisy offices, but also the home office can cause distraction: the inhibition to surf the net privately or to do the housework at the same time decreases.
The order in one’s own workplace also has an influence on productivity: A study by the Fraunhofer Institute showed that around 27 percent of the daily working time is wasted simply due to poorly coordinated processes at the workplace.
Sales coach Christian da Silva Ley therefore advises: “Design your workplace in such a way that it is free of distractions and you can concentrate fully on your tasks.” A possible first step can be to tidy up. “A tidy workspace can help you stay focused and increase your self-discipline.”
Another routine you can stick to is Japanese Taiichi Ohno’s 5S method. He became known because he helped shape the production system that the car manufacturer Toyota still uses today. Ohno’s model is not only applicable to entire companies, but also to individuals. To do this, follow five simple steps:
1. Sort: Divide all materials in the workplace into three areas: important (“are needed all the time”), partly important (“are needed from time to time”) and unimportant (“have no business here”). So take a good look around your workplace and sort out everything superfluous.
2. Systematize: Establish a meaningful order that suits your needs. Label drawers or compartments, for example, so that items that are no longer needed can be put back in their place and easily found again next time. The assigned place should be in sight.
3. Clean up: Clean up your workplace regularly – ideally every day. What is no longer needed is thrown away. Also, get to the bottom of clutter.
4. Standardize: If you have already followed the first three steps of the 5S method regularly, they should become standard in your workplace routine. So you don’t have to think long about which things have space on your desk, but have a clear classification straight away.
5. Self-discipline: Make the 5S method a habit. In order to be able to counteract your old behavioral patterns at the beginning, place a checklist on your workplace, for example, which reminds you of the method’s processes every day. At some point, sorting, arranging and tidying up will become automatic.
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