How Do I Develop Self Control?

[LowPlanetary]

There are things in life that i don't want to do, or want to do, but only a little. I find that i can only create regular action for a goal if it's incredibly important to me, like meditation/life purpose work i find is relatively easy to do consistently compared to doing mundane school work for example, which i don't find much use for but i still consciously believe it is necessary to do regularly in order to create a safety net if self employment fails at the beginning. 

So what i'm really asking is how can i really develop self control? I've tried analyzing the resistance i feel when i try to do the activity and it is usually an emotion followed by myself trying to rationalize why i shouldn't do it, and why it's pointless, but that doesn't end up in action. I feel i am aware of what's happening but there is no action.

I've also tried the counting from 5 - 1 technique, which helps me to initially start the activity, but i end up procrastinating mid way and not being able to actually concentrate on the activity. 

Any tips would be appreciated.

[Christian]

Start small. Maybe just study for 5 minutes and take a 5 minute break and repeat this cycle until you're finished. Work yourself up from there, but make sure that you concentrate during those 5 minutes and in general when you study. On a scale of 1-10, let your concentration be within the range of 8-10 when studying.

I really like this formula from the book "How to be a straight A student" by Cal Newport:

Work accomplished=time spent*intensity of focus

If your focus is at a 10, and you work for 5 min, you will more work done than if you work for 45 min with a concentration of 3. See the importance of focus?

Other points:

-Remove distractions

-Clean your room

-Create a space to study

- Have water and healthy snacks within hands reach

Good luck

 

 

[HelloThere]

Thought you meant you had trouble starting for a second. That formula sounds really good indeed, nice and clear. Thanks.

I haven't bothered meditating much but I did give it a chance for a week once (20min timer). The method I tried was ridding my mind of any thoughts that came up as I noticed that they had come up. I was practicing how to stop thinking about stuff as soon as they popped up which is quite hard. Anyway days later at work I found I had a lot better focus. It makes sense since the things that are taking away your focus when you are studying or working on a problem or whatever are new distracting thoughts that just kind of interrupt whatever you are thinking about. 
"...followed by myself trying to rationalize why i shouldn't do it, and why it's pointless..."
"...but i end up procrastinating mid way and not being able to actually concentrate on the activity. "

These sound like exactly the kinds of things that I was practicing of killing as soon as they came up with this meditation. I really think it could help. Whatever you practice becomes more automatic so you might end up shutting down these thoughts without even realising when you practice it enough.

Edited April 20, 2017 by HelloThere

[Yellow]

Start to get up 1 hour earlier every morning and do the things you want to get done at the start of the day.

Willpower is a finite resource you have every day. The more you use of it, the less you have left.

It's easier to get stuff done before you go to work than it is after. (Especially since most people hate their job and are drained for energy and willpower when they come home).