the APPLE method : tips for self-discipline
💌 AWARENESS
identify the difference between your current and ideal priorities. be honest with yourself. if it helps, keep record of the time you actually spend studying vs. reading for pleasure vs. watching tv, for example. is your routine effective for what you need to accomplish?
💌 PLAN
for each ideal priority, create 2 goals focusing on them:
e.g. priority: coursework
❣️goal #1: write 1 page / day
❣️goal #2: read for 15 min / day
💌 PRACTICE
set time limits, such as pomodoros (or just regular timers) at first. discipline is about endurance. you won’t be able work steadily for 2hrs or complete 5 tasks in a row at first. i spent this year building my attention span back (in the beginning, i couldn’t even read 10 pages without feeling exhausted). i started with 15 min of reading per day, and kept increasing it by 15 min increments until time no longer mattered.
💌 LEARN
after a month (minimum!), re-analyze your goals. are they working well for you? can you increase them, or add more for each priority? what habits have you changed / added? It took several months to get my attention span back to a decent place, but now i can sit through 3 hour classes attentively (the entire time), and read all day without tiring.
💌 EVOLVE
self-discipline allows you to create strong foundations for success. motivation is more like ‘how much can i do while this candle is burning’, and you never know how long the candle will burn. self-discipline is a steady supply of logs into a slow-burning fire. you’ll be able to feel confident tackling larger goals, and keep your responsibilities operating even if you don’t feel like it.
if you have any questions, please send me an ask!