A CONCEPT OF CHANGE FOR A GREATER PRODUCTIVITY

If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, if you keep on being what you’ve always been, nothing changes unless you make it change.

There are a lot of resources about the subject of change. Habits are hard to break and people usually tend to revert back to what they are comfortable with. The truth remains that there are somethings you would like to change about yourself, another truth is that it is possible to actually change.

The acronym LAP represents the three factors that makes your habits powerful to the point where you are made to think that they can never be broken. 

“L” represents ‘location’. Most habits are location based! It means when you are in a particular place you tend to do a particular thing. For instance, drinking is usually done in a bar. In some cases, the location has its own influence. You may tend to drink more when you are in a particular bar though sometimes the reason could extend to the people that usually show up there.

“A” represents the ‘activity’. This stands for what you actually do like drinking… Activity covers all the negative attributes that you are trying to change be it overspending. Here, you should be able to understand your problem. For instance, if overspending is the issue, you may have to quantify it. Think about how much you’ve spent in recent times and what you actually spent on. Also examine the motivations and see it you can tie the habit to an external influence.

“P” represents ‘people’. Most habits are influenced by people especially when it has not yet gotten to the stage of addiction and obsession. You would notice that sometimes you tend to do a particular thing because of the people around you. Here, the golden rule is :’do not overload your back with your tongue, learn to say no’. You should not care so much about people’s opinion especially when it is to your own detriment.

Categorising your habits helps you to identify the influencing factors and help shed light on the best approach to tame it. On the other hand, try to do what you have been doing in a different way. If you have been eating outdoors and you notice it is affecting your budget, you can try cooking or have someone else cook for you. Try to occupy your time with more positive events. Other approaches would be to write down the things you are trying to change and keep a journal on your progress towards change. The last approach is a mechanical method that may not survive on its own. Understand you need to change so you can be a better person in what you do, think about the benefits of what the change will do for you and then devise your plan. Take a step! Don’t fail to discuss your resolution and your approach with a friend.


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