When things aren’t going your way, even for a few days, it can feel like a lifetime. Suddenly, feeling low becomes second nature, negative thoughts fill your mind, and you struggle to find the motivation to do anything. Even though you may feel that nothing can be done and this is how your life will be from now on, it’s important to recognize that it’s just a phase. And how long the phase will last is completely in your hands. Yes, it will take effort and time to turn things around, but, in the long run, you will achieve your goals and become the best version of yourself. In this article by TimeSquared, we lay down various good habits you can adopt starting today to make a positive change to your lifestyle and wellbeing.

 

Stop Craving Instant Gratification

How many times have you planned to watch just one more video on Instagram before starting work, and before you know it, an hour has passed? As reported by Positive Psychology, this is a classic example of chasing instant gratification i.e. choosing to sacrifice important long-term goals to gain short-term pleasure. While browsing Instagram for an hour would have given you a few laughs, in the end, you will feel stressed and less motivated to work.

An effective way to overcome this habit is to recognize your urges and take steps to overcome them. For instance, delete social media apps from your phone and block these websites on your work devices. Additionally, if you live with roommates and are easily distracted into socializing rather than working, create a workplace inside your room and request to not be disturbed during work hours.

Adapting these changes does not mean letting go of things that bring you happiness, rather it means prioritizing important actions such as work, managing finances, chasing career goals over short-lived pleasures that in the long run have no positive impact on your life.

 

Stop Fearing Change

Any meaningful change in life comes with its set of questions and uncertainties. However, while some choose to face this head-on and move towards becoming better, others refuse to distance themselves from their comfort zone. The fear of failing in our careers is one that all of us share. However, it is hard to imagine any successful person who has never failed in their professional journey, whether it be entrepreneurs like Elon Musk or sportsmen like Michael Jordan.

If you find yourself working a job that makes you stressed and doesn’t contribute towards achieving your career goals, take the leap of faith to make a career change. And when you do, remember to aim high and aim for growth. This could be getting hired by one of the Big Four, starting a company to build the next unicorn, becoming a reputed scientist, etc. Setting high expectations of yourself will provide you the motivation to face fear and work through the discomfort of undertaking activities to achieve these goals. This could involve networking with people even if you are shy, going back to school as an adult learner, or taking on debt to fund your business.

Over time, you will develop the ability to handle stress, make critical decisions and be way more confident compared to others.

 

Stop Running Away from Responsibility

The only way to successfully make changes in your life is by taking responsibility for your actions. There will always be things, some within your control, others beyond it that affect your mood, job, relationships, etc. While making excuses and passing the blame onto others is easy, in the long-term it will greatly affect your personal development.

As reported by TheMindFool, taking responsibility includes holding yourself accountable and taking necessary actions. For instance, if you never upheld your new year’s resolution of going to the gym, instead of blaming your work schedule, reduce the time you browse social media and dedicate it towards exercising. Similarly, if you missed out on a promotion, don’t be resentful towards others. Rather focus on areas you can improve on and work towards outperforming your colleagues in the following months.

While you will face challenges adopting these changes, it’s important to focus on the long term and persevere towards achieving your goals.