Life is full of distractions; your phone, e-mail, the Internet, people who stop by to chat while you’re working, etc. Successful people have developed a few tricks to instill discipline in their daily lives. The following are a few that may prove useful to you:
1. Keep a schedule. That tells you want you need to focus on and accomplish each day. Record your upcoming meetings and appointments, log in the projects you want to finish, and then mark them complete upon completion—which will give you a tangible sense of accomplishment and help you feel more organized and disciplined. At the same time, set aside time for routine activities, like the early morning for expense reports.
2. Include exercise in your schedule. Physical discipline can help you be more mentally disciplined.
3. Know when to stop. Often, the work will still be there tomorrow, and unfinished business in many cases is better than doing bad work. Move on to the next thing and stay on schedule.
4. Try not get stuck on perfection. If you only accept your ideal and nothing else, it is possible for you to feel like you’re falling short, even when you aren’t. Be content with doing the absolute best, learning from your mistakes, and move on.
This article was written by an independent writer for Brewster Financial Planning LLC and is not intended as individualized legal or investment advice.