It’s that time of year for setting goals and making resolutions. However, if you constantly struggle to reach goals or stick with your resolutions, this time of year can be more stressful than most.
Let’s face it, no one wants a constant reminder of something they feel they can’t achieve, do they?
Instead of feeling overwhelmed and defeated at the thought of another year of missed goals, it’s time to examine why you find it so hard to make progress. Is it because your resolutions are not planned out or are unrealistic?
Or, is it because you’re struggling to overcome impulsivity?
How impulsivity affects daily life
Many people living with impulsivity don’t realise it. It’s easy to blame poor decision-making on ingrained bad habits or extraordinary situations.
Common thought processes may include:
- That binge drinking session last week? That was just a celebration with the boys.
- Over-ate (yet again)? Who could pass up free food at the all-you-can-eat buffet?
- That designer handbag was too good a bargain to pass up!
- Sure, I got angry again last night but it’s just because I’m stressed out.
If the behaviour is one-off or unusual for you, then your thought process might be spot on. But, if this is another example of losing control in the moment, then you may be living with impulsivity.
Left unchecked, impulsive behaviours can impact your relationships, career, leisure activities and pretty much every part of your life. You could find yourself isolated, alienated and unable to live life to the fullest.
Impulsivity might be the real reason you can’t stick to your resolutions – whether that’s losing weight, settling down with someone, reducing your alcohol intake or saving money.
How can you manage impulsive behaviour?
Once you’re aware of your impulsivity, you’ll want to find ways to help manage your impulsive urges. Unfortunately, there is no magic pill or silver bullet for impulsivity but there are a few effective strategies you can use to regain control.
- Practice mindfulness – making the effort to be more mindful of your surroundings helps ground you in the present and distract you from your impulsive urges. Practice mindfulness by tuning into your senses – what you can hear, see, feel, smell and taste.
- Identify triggers – if you know the times or situations when you are most likely to act on impulse, it’s easier to manage them. Instead of going to after-work drinks to catch up with colleagues, initiate before-work coffee sessions to reduce temptation.
- Check in with yourself – pay attention to how you feel in the moment so you recognise the warning signs of impulsivity. Get to know what you are thinking and feeling when temptation comes your way. This makes it easier to step back and think rationally.
Managing impulsivity won’t just help you reach your goals. It will go a long way to strengthening relationships, boosting personal satisfaction and enhancing your professional standing.
How online courses can help manage impulsivity
Online courses, like Impulsivity, can be used alone or as extra support for therapy. For example, our online courses can help you reduce your impulsive behaviour, better understand yourself and recognise the underlying issues you’re dealing with in between formal sessions.
As a stand-alone approach, Impulsivity teaches you how to develop better self-control, address triggers and vulnerabilities, plan and develop better habits and use mindfulness exercises to help you respond to your urges and impulses.
If you’re unsure if an online program is for you, our 4-minute impulsivity test will tell you if our Impulsivity courses are a good fit.
Benefits of our online impulsivity courses
If impulsivity is a problem for you, you may be reluctant to seek professional help. Online courses remove many of these barriers to help you reclaim your life sooner.
- Safe – you don’t have to leave home or talk to a stranger to get help.
- Convenient – you can access the material 24/7 and refer to it as needed.
- Affordable – cheaper than paying for a series of sessions with a psychologist.
- Accessible – easier for those in rural and remote areas to access the help they need.
- Self-paced – learn as much or as little as you like to suit the demands of your life.
To ensure 2023 is your best year yet, it’s time to tackle impulsivity head-on. Our impulsivity courses are designed to help you do that – right now, from the comfort of your home.
Get started now
If you’re keen to get started, visit our Impulsivity online hub where you can access expert help and support, 24/7. Developed by trained professionals and designed to match your own pace, our online courses will help you manage impulsive behaviours for good.
Developed by a team led by Dr Yuliya Richard (a clinical psychologist specialising in impulsivity), our courses use scientifically-proven strategies to help you understand and overcome the specific impulsive behaviours affecting everyday life.
If you want to take charge of your life and manage your impulsivity for good, we can help. Offering a range of online courses, Impulsivity can guide you towards a healthier and happier life. Take our quick impulsivity test now to see if we can help!
