If you’re reading this post, it’s probably because you need to do something you don’t particularly want to do, but you’ve realized it’s important, necessary, or you’ve simply reached your limit. Am I right?
Grab a piece of paper, a pencil, and maybe a coffee, and let’s make a plan to build a habit you don’t want to do now but that your future self will admire and thank you for. Got them? Great, let’s go…
- First, think about why you want to build this habit. Be honest with yourself. There’s no point in choosing something that won’t be meaningful or sustainable in the long run. Write this reason down on your paper and keep it visible for those tough moments when you need a reminder of why you’re doing this.
It’s worth mentioning that, in a world increasingly driven by instant gratification, the concept of discipline as a noble trait – of order and persistence – needs a comeback. Sometimes, in our pursuit of happiness and pleasure, we forget the immense value of discipline—a critical quality for setting and achieving goals, especially ones that don’t immediately spark joy.
- Once you’re clear on your reason and have embraced the idea of discipline, it’s time to set a goal. Think about how you create learning outcomes for your students—apply that to yourself. Ask yourself, “What do I want to achieve by the end of this process? How will I know I’ve reached my goal?”
Write down a few possibilities, but pick the smallest, most achievable goal to start with. Here’s a tip: start small. It’s better to create a simple, manageable goal to build momentum and establish a success story to build upon. Wrote it down? Let’s move on…
- What’s the plan? Like a plan for achieving a learning goal, you need an objective and a way to reach it. Write down all your ideas, even the wild or impractical ones. Keep them—you might need them later.
Analyze what’s feasible from your list and choose one action that’s realistic, requires minimal effort, and leads to a small but positive change. Now, play devil’s advocate. Think about what might derail your plan and write down what you’ll do if those obstacles arise. This exercise will help you reframe discipline, overcome inertia, and silence unhelpful thoughts when they arise.
- Test it for a week and evaluate the results. Sometimes, what works in theory doesn’t work in real life—sound familiar, teacher? Leave room to test your idea and uncover unforeseen challenges. Did you manage to address all the obstacles? Were you able to stick to your routine even when you didn’t feel like it (have discipline)? Do you need to adjust the plan? If you didn’t come close to your vision, that’s okay! Reassess, choose another idea from your list, and try again. Just because one action didn’t work doesn’t mean you should give up on your goal. Like in the classroom, it’s all about trying a different strategy.
- As you experiment with actions through trial and error, eliminate temptations that could sabotage your efforts. This might mean avoiding certain objects, routines, people, or places that interfere with your goal. For example, if you’re trying to cut back on sugar but don’t want to remove it entirely from your home, store it somewhere inconvenient, like a high shelf requiring a step stool.
Now, let’s debunk the myth that doing something for two weeks magically turns it into a habit. You’ve heard that one, right? Well, here’s a pause for an interesting snippet from a 2010 study by Lally et al., titled “How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world” (https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.674):
“The time it took participants to reach 95% of their asymptote of automaticity [habit] ranged from 18 to 254 days; indicating considerable variation in how long it takes people to reach their limit of automaticity and highlighting that it can take a very long time.”
With that “encouraging” news, remember it’s better to enact your plan consistently at the same time or day, and initially, every single day while establishing the routine. But what if you’re someone who dislikes routines or struggles to stick to them, like a busy mom who rarely gets to stick to her plans? Plan for a backup!
Complete this sentence on your paper: “If I can’t stick to (Plan A), I will do (Plan B) + time/day.”
Here’s some good news from the same study for those who struggle with consistency: “Missing one opportunity to perform the behaviour did not materially affect the habit formation process.” Now, this isn’t an excuse to slack off (you’ve embraced discipline, right?), but look at it as a relief and motivation to keep going, even if you miss a day.
Now, some extra tips to refine your action plan: Can you make it enjoyable in some way? Can you pair something you love with this new habit? For example, if you’re trying to go for a daily walk, combine it with listening to a favorite podcast or audiobook. If you want to start reading daily, treat yourself to a special cappuccino mix that you only use during your reading time.
Another tip is to connect your new habit to an existing one. For example, write down, “Every time I brush my teeth in the morning, I’ll start to apply face cream right after before leaving the bathroom.” Or, “Every time I start my car to go to work, I’ll play an audiobook on the way to school to practice listening to English.”
Will your new habit impact your basic needs, like sleep or nutrition? Think about trade-offs—if you’re cutting back on sleep to achieve your goal, find another time to make up for that lost sleep. If you’re removing something from your diet, decide what you’ll replace it with. This is crucial for sustainability.
Lastly, accountability. Tell others—friends, family, or colleagues—about your goal and action plan. When you share your intentions, they become more real, and you’re more likely to hold yourself accountable because you know people will ask, “How’s your goal going?” You won’t want to admit you gave up, right? So, share your plan!
On the same note, keep someone who’s already achieved your goal close. Learn from them, ask for tips, or even invite them to mentor you. Positive influences can be game-changers when building new habits—just choose wisely!
By now, your paper should be filled with ideas. It’s always great to have a plan you believe in and even better when you turn a wish for change into a reality. Remember, take baby steps and stay disciplined!
We’re here to support you in the tough but rewarding journey of being a bilingual teacher!
