Motivation and Persistence

Tips to help you to keep to your new plans

Tell people. If you tell people about your plans, they will ask about them. Telling people also helps you feel commited to your new aims. This will encourage you to stick with them, so that you can keep friends/family/colleagues updated.

Reminders for you. If a plan is not evident to you then you may not remember. Write up a version of your plan, or reminder bullet points, and have them visible where you work and anywhere else you spend a lot of time (in the car, by your bed, above the TV?). If you use computers, a mobile phone, and/or a personal organiser, set up reminder pop-ups, alarms, or emails to yourself.

Recruit a mentor or supporter to encourage, or nag, and to keep you on track. You decide what works best for you and set it up. They could be someone you can call when things seem to overwhelm you, as well.

Make your plans sequential. If you have one task at a time to achieve, it will be easier than trying to complete a whole list of things before you "tick it off".

Success is easier if the plan and the tasks are realistic and do-able. So if you slip, revisit the plan to adapt tasks so that you are sure you can achieve them.

Write down the benefits you will gain from achieving your plans. Read these regularly, and particularly when things seem tough.

Make sure the task targets are achievable and specific, rather than vague. For example, have a task to tidy your desk every Friday, rather "keep it tidy". When you have succeeded you can make the task "at the end of every day".

Carrot and Stick: Having set clear targets, reward yourself when you achieve it/them. And have a suitable "punishment" task to do if you miss the target. As before, write these down in advance so that they are clear to you!