Weeks have passed since you welcomed the new year with hopes for a fresh start and a better future. Now, another holiday approaches: Groundhog Day. Featuring a bewildered rodent tasked with predicting the future, Groundhog Day could be easily written off as just a quaint and quirky tradition to mark the shift in seasons. Thanks to the movie Groundhog Day, however, the fun February holiday has come to represent a vicious cycle that can be changed for the better, making now the perfect time to reflect on the cycles or patterns in your own life that are not serving you well. As a student, maybe you want to procrastinate less or participate more. Whatever it is, A+ offers the following tips to help students banish bad habits.
Step 1: Make a Plan
Imagine you decide to switch up your diet by eating less sugar on a Sunday, but on Monday you end up eating your usual amount because you didn’t realize how much sugar was in your breakfast cereal or energy drink and you didn’t go shopping for alternatives. To be successful, you need to plan ahead. Spend a week or two gathering information. If you aren’t even sure what habits of yours are worth changing, the best place to start is to use your imagination—imagine what kind of person you want to be in general. Do you want to be a healthier person? Do you want to be a better student? Then, get specific. Think of what a healthy person or a good student does versus what you do (e.g. exercise daily vs. exercise rarely, pay attention in class vs. play with your phone). You should also observe your own behavior. For example, if you want to improve your sleep habits, take note of what you do on days when you sleep better and what triggers restlessness. Once you have identified potential bad habits to break and good habits to replace them, you’re ready to get started.
Step 2: Make up your Mind
Your planning and research should have helped you identify some specific habits to work on. However, it’s important that you don’t try to do too much at once. Take a larger goal and break it down into smaller goals that are both manageable and measurable. A goal to procrastinate less on homework is broad and overwhelming, but a goal to complete at least one assignment by 4:00pm every school night is narrow and doable. Likewise, a goal to get more involved in extracurricular activities by joining two new clubs and two new sports in the fall is doing too much too fast. Start with one, and then add more in the spring depending on how it goes. In short, set yourself up for success by making up your mind about what exactly you want to change. Don’t worry if you have a long list, just don’t try to tackle it all at once. The key is to prioritize and be patient. If you start small, you will gradually build up to something big.
Step 3: Make it Simple
When you exclude bad habit temptations and include good habit incentives, you are making it harder to regress into old unproductive patterns. To make things easier, switch up your environment so you will receive the right cues that will keep you on track. If your aim is to take better notes in class, don’t wake up late, grab a random nearby notebook, and get stuck in the back where it’s hard to hear and see. Instead, set your alarm, figure out if you prefer physical or digital notes, pick out fonts or pens/highlighters you like, set out your supplies the night before, and sit front and center. Lastly, remember to go easy on yourself. Fixing bad habits is difficult. You will make mistakes. That’s okay! Be flexible and forgiving, then try again after you figure out what caused it and make a plan to do better the next time.
Step 4: Make it Fun
Often we engage in bad habits because they are familiar or offer us some form of comfort—they let us indulge in something desirable or avoid something undesirable. So, when you make the process of forming a new and improved habit enjoyable, you will be less likely to backslide. You can motivate yourself to choose Spanish vocab study over some video game by playing music or burning a favorite candle while you work, for instance. Rewards work, too! Let’s say your goal is to increase class participation. You can do something simple, yet enjoyable, after each time you raise your hand and share your thoughts or ask a question. Sometimes what can make something fun is to work with others. Consider teaming up with a friend or family member. You can support each other in your mutual efforts to build better habits with honest feedback and welcome encouragement.
Step 5: Make it Count
Finally, it’s essential to be mindful throughout the habit forming process. You need to be aware of what’s working and what’s not whether you track your progress with an app, a chart, or a journal. You can also use that information to identify when a goal has been met. For example, your goal was to not skip breakfast by eating a meal before school at least three days of the week over the course of three months. A tracker will help you identify warning signs that you’re struggling, what caused it (e.g. you tend to skip breakfast on Fridays), and when you’ve accomplished your goal so you can move on to the next step (e.g. breakfast five days a week for five months).
How A+ Can Help
Unlike the six week weather forecast of Groundhog Day’s iconic namesake, Puxatawney Phil, building better habits often will take several weeks or more. It takes perseverance, discipline, planning, and encouragement to achieve your goals. Some can accomplish this on their own. Others might need more help. If you or someone you know has a habit in need of change, A+ Test Prep and Tutoring has skilled Executive Function Coaches who can assist you. Don’t let another year go by stuck in rut.
At A+ Test Prep and Tutoring, our practices are based on the latest developments in educational theory and research. We have an excellent team of tutors who can help you with standardized testing, executive functioning, or achievement in any other school subject. If you want to find out more about our services, contact us here.
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