Is it hard to change my study habits?
How long will it take to change?
What are the steps to habit change?
Click Read More (below) to find out ....
Steps involved in habit change ..
1. Recognise your
need to change
2. Make the decision
to change
3. Collect
information on study habits (and involve others)
4. Make a plan on how to improve your study habits
5. Start on the plan
6. Monitor you
progress
7. Keep a diary
8. Seek feedback
9. Stick with the plan
Please remember
It is important to PRACTICE all the time ...
In the begginning this takes CONSCIOUS MENTAL EFFORT ..
With more practice it will become less effortful
After a while
(usually 4 weeks or so) your NEW HABITS will become AUTOMATIC
Habit change is mostly a LEARNED behaviour ..
Starts with
conscious effort and then becomes an automatic habit ..
It's important to stick to your plan!
There can be ups and
downs along the way ... it's natural .. as one masters the new skill
The problem is many
people initially have good intentions .. but never start the plan ..
or drop out of the plan (that's why monitor, diary, feedback all
helps one to stay on track)
The other important
factor is the making of little excuses or reasons to "give it a
miss today" or "wait a bit" ... that's the start of
the slippery slope .. to failure and dropout .. motivation begins to evaporate
Each time you tell
yourself the little excuse the easier it becomes to make excuses next
time.
So you see the steps
/stages playing out here? .. starting fired up and motivated then
sliding through excuses (and guilt feelings) .. and finally giving up
.. telling yourself that that was never for me ... I was stupid to think I could change .... that's full
self-deception (The Plan has crashed and burned)
As an incentive the
can be little rewards for milestones along the way (eg, My learning efficiency must be getting better ... today I scored full marks on my class test!)
So ... beware that naughty little inner voice (singing the Siren Song) and trying to lure
you off track.
