Five Ways To Make More Conscious Choices

It's a common complaint that there just isn't enough time. That's often a sign that some, or all, of your time is being taken up with things that may not be all that important to you in the big picture. When that happens, it becomes harder to be successful with your goals. When you let your focus wander by making unconscious choices, you'll find that you don't end up with the results you want. Achieving your goals requires you to make conscious and deliberate choices.
Here are five ways to help you make more conscious choices:
1. Reflect on your goals.
Before you can make more conscious choices in your life you have to know what your priorities are. What are the most important goals in your life at this time? Those should be the things that most often guide your choices. Take a few minutes at the beginning of the day to reconnect with your priorities. Remind yourself of your most important focus for the day. This will help you to have your priorities, rather than other people's, foremost in your mind.
2. Slow yourself down.
If you feel like you are running at full speed, you are likely less focused on your priorities. Overwhelm is a good sign that there is too much on your plate. When that happens it's easier to make less conscious choices. Give yourself permission to slow down and let go of some commitments.

3. Pause in the moment.

Practice pausing in the moment before you take action or make a decision. Take a deep breath and reconnect with your priorities. At first this might seem uncomfortable or unfamiliar. You might have an "I don't have time for this" reaction. It's taking the time to pause and be conscious about your choices that will allow you to create more time for the things that you want to achieve.

4. Ask yourself.

A great little technique to help you make more conscious choices in the moment is to ask yourself, "Does this get me closer to my goal(s)?" If the answer is no, then be fully conscious to the fact that you are making a choice that does not move you forward. You can always choose something else in the moment. If the answer is yes, then you'll know that you are making a deliberate choice. If you have to think too hard about it, the answer is probably no.

5. Monitor your satisfaction.

Pay attention to how often you feel like you don't have enough time for the things that are most important to you. If you feeling unsatisfied with your success in achieving your goals, consider how many unconscious choices you have been making. Then cut yourself some slack. We all make unconscious choices from time to time that cause us to shake our head in hindsight. Just use your new awareness of them as motivation for more conscious choices next time.

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