Daily Living Tips
Written by the experts at Innovative Spectrum
We all get off track during the day. You’re not alone! Some days can seem a bit more challenging than others. Wondering how you can begin to make change for yourself or a loved one? The ideas below may sound simple and familiar, but they can be challenging to implement. Motivation, consistency and support are often key.
Expectation management and goal setting
Setting appropriate expectations may be the single most important part of making a change. Setting manageable, realistic but growth producing goals may be more challenging than you realize. We tend to measure ourselves against high aspirations and we may not have an appreciation of our strengths and needs. Start by thinking about change that you tried to make in the past. What helped you to succeed? What interfered? Generally, we need a certain amount of “mental bandwidth” to succeed at making a change. When we feel overwhelmed, have impending deadlines, or lack support - change is likely to be more challenging. Deciding when to begin making a change requires a realistic appraisal of your individual circumstances. Consider all of this before you pick an activity that you’d like to change. Not sure where to begin? Ask someone you trust to pay attention to this activity for a couple of days and listen to their observations.
Self monitor
Self monitoring actually begins the change process. Once you pick the behavior you want to change, gather information about it by simply observing and recording its occurrence or lack thereof before you make a specific plan. There are many free Apps that help you to record behavior, such as “It Happened” or “Behavior Tracker.” Or simply write notes in your calendar with a “smiley” or “frowny” face to indicate occurrence, or use an old fashioned pen and paper to make notes. After a few days of data collection, review the information that you collected. You may notice an unexpected pattern or triggering event.
Positive reinforcement
With your sights set on small change, offer yourself some small token of positive reinforcement whenever you record a change or step in the right direction. Let someone who cares about you know of your effort. Support can go a long way to bolster your effort to make change. Consider creating visual aids like a simple slogan or written reminder posted prominently (but discreetly) in your view.
Practice, practice, practice!
Once you have an effective strategy in place, consistent practice helps to master a new behavior and ensure it becomes a part of your every day living skills.
Don’t give up
It’s normal to get discouraged when you are trying to change. You will inevitably hit bumps along the way that are difficult to predict. Some goals may take longer to meet, and that’s okay. If you have given change an earnest try on your own, reach out for support.
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