Time management is an important skill to have in all facets of life. However, as motivation runs out and new years goals cave in, we often find ourselves unable to stick to the plans that we have created. For lasting success, self-discipline is a must for consistent and enduring improvement. 

What is self-discipline and why is it important?

Also referred to as self-control, self-discipline is one’s ability to manage their impulses and desires in favour of focusing on their current task. This skill is immensely helpful in time management, as self-discipline is required to stick to schedules and finish work even when you don’t feel like it. When we slack off, tasks can often accumulate and become overwhelming, which could be prevented with a better plan in advance. But sometimes, even when we have a plan, it’s often hard to stick to it, which leads to procrastination. In other words, self-discipline is the ability to do what “should” be done rather than what “wants” to be done. According to a study by the American Psychological Association, self-discipline was a greater factor of success in school than IQ or intelligence. Those with better self-control often had higher grades, better attendance, and even higher self-esteem. 

How do you build self-discipline?

Self-discipline isn’t a skill that can be learned overnight and requires a conscious and consistent effort to build up. To start, emphasizing self-awareness is a must, as it can help us identify our weaknesses and patterns in breaking out of habits. As everyone is different, certain self-discipline tips may work better or worse than others. The only way to avoid wasting time on all of them is to compare these pieces of advice to your own experience, and use your judgement accordingly. That being said, feel free to change things up and step out of your comfort zone to try new methods, as it can allow you to discover new things about yourself. 

Setting clear and achievable goals is also important, as it allows you to have something concrete to move towards. Making sure your goals are not too drastic is also important, as it can be demoralising if a goal seems too difficult and lead to the quick abandonment of your aims. Using planning apps like Notion and Google Calendar can help with this, and training yourself to follow it day after day can build your self-discipline and time management simultaneously. 

Most importantly, remember that self-discipline is a vital but difficult skill to practise. Failure is common and is a part of the process, so do not feel disheartened when a plan doesn’t work out. Keep trying, and continue to work on it little by little. Just your starting efforts to improve are already commendable, and it is something that will aid you greatly in the future.