Creating Your Environment for Your Success
Workspace Zhush
Have you given any thought to your work space this week? It’s Monday as I write this, always a good day to freshen things up for the week ahead.
I know my environment impacts my ability to concentrate, be healthier, achieve more and enjoy my day. If I’m feeling stuck I’ll get up and shift stuff off my desk, do a quick tidy up and change my books around. Just catching sight of new titles can help new ideas to arrive.
Shaking up environmental energy helps me stay motivated. I might work from home, a co-working space or occasionally, a cafe. I’m lucky that I can see trees and hear bird calls from my desk, I can see the sun shining, admire the blue sky, or appreciate the beauty of a crazy rainstorm, every time I remember to look up.
I can shift and change my energy with a quick walk. I recorded my goals into a voice memo so I can listen to myself and be reminded about what matters to me while I walk. It acts as a circuit breaker for frustration and gets me refocused.
I have my version of a ‘vision board’ where I can see it. Mine is a hand drawn A3 sheet using coloured pens, a simple brainstorm of my goals for the next three months.
Environmental Control
During the week I don’t have junk food in the house. I love biscuits, I just can’t have them here or the packet will ‘magically’ disappear. Acknowledging this means I set my environment up for my version of success. I have a big bottle of water just out of reach and a glass on my desk. So I have to move to refill the glass.
I only order groceries online after I’ve written a food menu for the week. This reduces temptation compared with when I go to the shops and we save money. A meal plan helps prevent excess food building up in the pantry, food sat there is money that could still be in your bank account.
Goals and Willpower
I recently read ‘Willpower Doesn’t Work’ by Benjamin Hardy. (Affiliate link at the end of this story). I want to share a little of it with you as he’s all about setting up your environment for success to achieve your goals.
Benjamin writes:
- Planning for the worst sets you up for reality.
- By following through with your plan you’ll get a boost of confidence to continue.
- Perfection is not the goal — what you want to do is respond to and minimise negative cues/influences in your environment — plan for the worst and know exactly how you will respond.
What’s your environmental control?
It might be a food delivery service, calendar reminders, clearing clutter or using a fitness tracking app.
I associate exercise with a good time, walking in fresh air, a fun instructor, listening to a podcast that supports my future goals or time with great music. ‘The only workout you’ll regret is the one you didn’t do.’
More from Benjamin
“Create environments that organically foster the behaviour you want.”
“To break out of rut you need clear and automated strategies in place.”
Action
- Imagine all the obstacles you’ll face to achieve your goal and write them down.
- Come up with an ‘if-then’ response to your obstacles, these help you develop trust and confidence in yourself.
Tackling barriers and finding solutions
I created these examples to share with a client who struggles with their health goals:
“If I go to the service station and crave a chocolate bar I will remember that I don’t eat food from service stations, I only eat food that is from home”
“If I can’t be bothered walking today I will still commit to myself by just walking for ten minutes. If I can’t do that then I will have to write down 10 reasons I didn’t go and share them with my coach and my accountability partner” (chances are there will always be more reasons to get out there than not!)
“Research has shown that by visualising the process, which includes obstacles to your goals and how you’ll deal with them, your performance will increase and your anxiety will decrease.” — Benjamin Hardy, PhD.
What changes can you make in your environment to enhance your well-being, perform better and have more fun this week?
MOJO FOR MOTIVATED PEOPLE
My clients want to build business, career, financial and personal success. Coaching is available worldwide.
To find the program that fits your goals, first decide what problem you are most motivated to solve.
Career Growth Coaching will help you find the perfect role, negotiate a raise, return to work or your plan career trajectory.
Practical Personal Coaching will help you review, reset and achieve goals related to your finances, health, relationships or purpose.
Sole Founder Coaching will help you break down and prioritise tasks to make your start up life less overwhelming.
I look forward to discussing how I can help you find your own Go Go Mojo!
Recommended Book/Affiliate Link: Benjamin Hardy’s, ‘Willpower Doesn’t Work’
