How You Can Use Technology To Build Discipline
Do You Procrastinate a lot? Do you want to be more productive and focused? This is for you. Continue reading.
One of the primary purposes of technology is to solve problems. Our lives are made simpler through its utilization. Nowadays, we are all increasingly struggling with procrastination and a lack of discipline. There are many reasons for this. Some of it has to do with not having clear goals set, and some might come from our “addiction” to instant gratification. Nonetheless, the issue still exists, and we must take action. And what better reason to use technology than to solve these problems? Technology, in different forms, can be used to help build discipline and prevent procrastination. This is not to say that technology will "cure" your procrastination; rather, it will provide you with the support you would otherwise lack. So how does technology help us build discipline? Generally, it can do so in two ways: Organization & Motivation.
Organization
One of the primary causes of our lack of discipline is a lack of clarity. Lack of clarity will make us feel overwhelmed, regardless of whether it pertains to our goals or the duties we are expected to perform. We then postpone the task "for tomorrow" or abandon it entirely. Clarity, on the other hand, can assist us in better understanding our goals, responsibilities, and priorities. This understanding will allow us to tackle our tasks one at a time without feeling overwhelmed or lost.
Organizing is the key to having clarity. Technology’s role in this is immense. Nowadays, there are countless software programs that can help you organize your tasks. Whether it is arranging your day-to-day tasks or compiling your reading list, applications such as Notion can help you organize them so that you can dedicate your time to each of them. That way, you will clearly know what to expect from yourself and your activities, making you more productive. Apart from this, technology can also remind you of the tasks you are likely to forget. Utilizing an online calendar program, for example, can help you keep track of your scheduled tasks while also reminding you when it’s time to start working.
Once you have organized your day, the greatest challenge to completing your tasks is the constant distraction, mainly stemming from devices such as phones and computers. Fortunately, technology also offers a solution for that. A great way of avoiding distractions from various applications is using mobile phone blockers like Offtime and FamiGuard App, which pause notifications on your devices for some time until the task at hand is completed. As a result, your chances of becoming sidetracked will be significantly reduced, making your day more productive.
Motivation
Staying motivated is essential if you are going to do something that requires discipline. We often start highly motivated and gradually lose our motivation. The main challenge here is to maintain the motivation we had when we started. Technology is a great resource for inspiring people. Perhaps the best way technology motivates us is through goal tracking. Take Duolingo (a language learning application) as an example. Duolingo has a feature called streaks which learners are advised to keep. The learner's streak increases by one day for every uninterrupted day of learning. Having a large number of streaks will unlock many achievements in the app. There is no physical reward for maintaining your streak, but Duolingo has figured out that through gamifying discipline, learners are more likely to stay motivated and disciplined. There are also many other applications like GoalsOnTrack that track your achievements and document your progress. Having such applications will make building discipline a little bit easier.
In addition, technology, particularly the internet, can function as a subliminal motivator by enabling us to study and learn from successful people. It helps us find inspiration when we are in need of it and allows us to learn from the best.
Building discipline is no easy task. You need to be willing to commit and put a great amount of effort into achieving your goals. Discipline, much like Rome, is not built in a day. It requires consistent effort for a considerable amount of time. While technology can be a helpful tool, it can also serve as a distraction. You must therefore be mindful of the technology you use and ensure that it will aid rather than hinder your cause.
