How to Live a Strict Life

Understand what strict living is. Strict in this context means disciplined and is not about self- restricting any pleasures or good things in life. It is about getting your life on track in a healthy way.

Create order. There are several aspects of keeping your life orderly:

• Aim at getting rid of the chaos, anxiety, confusion, fear etc. Aiming directs you to the positives of being otherwise. Then you have to follow strictly with determination.

Decide on your goals. Think about what you really want: it may be saving up for a holiday, or improving your health etc.

• Accept that you will be fighting your demons like procrastination, ignorance, etc.

Your goals should be S.M.A.R.T. Each letter stands for a word, as below:

• Sensible/Specific: Make sure the goal is precise. Don't just say, "Exercise and Do Homework." Instead, say things like "Do 30 minutes of stretching and work on your essay for english class." This will allow you to achieve more because if you are not specific, then you will only do a small amount.
• Measurable: Make sure you can measure progress. For example, a goal should not be 'write the first part of a new blog post.' Instead, a goal should be something like 'write 500 words of a new blog post.'
• Achievable/Attainable: Make sure you can achieve your goal. If you are going to be awake for 16 hours one day, then doing 15 hours of work and leaving the remaining hour for eating is not going to be achievable. You need to assign a realistic amount of time to do work, and leave time to do other things.
• Realistic/Relevant: First, do not try to do things which have a very low likelihood of success. For example, a business owner may plan to be the leader of the market within three months. However, if they are going through a hard time and three other companies are giving strong competition, this will probably not happen. Secondly, do not do irrelevant things. If you are asked to write a report on the effects of flooding to Victorians, then you do not need to research the causes of rainfall.
• Time based: Set a time limit to accomplish things. Deadlines increase productivity quickly.

Decide the best way to achieve this plan. What can you do and what will you need help from others to do? Do you need to get kits or equipment first for your project?

Set a time frame. If, for example, you need to have a project finished in time for a meeting, chart out how much time you'll need to do the job and where you can fit it in. Use a diary or calendar or even put reminders on the fridge.

Balance your judgements. Stand firm on your goal without trying to go to the extreme of being too control conscious. If you find yourself making excuses, then it's time to step back and re-evaluate if your goal is really important.

Avoid distractions. They will make your life more difficult.

Let people involved know what you need and when. They are doing you a favor by helping you, but by the same token, you also need to be independent. If your goal is to wake up and exercise at 6 a.m., make sure they respect your decision.

• Don't expect others to be extra helpful or to feel obligated to do anything extra for you.
• If no one supports you, work alone.

Put your plan into action. Monitor how it goes and improve things you feel can be improved. Have fun and enjoy completing whatever project you're working on.

Be organized. Keep a notepad with pen and a calendar to write things on.

• The moment you realize you are thinking too much about something or someone, turn to your goal and continue with it.
• Adjust each task according to the time available and keep aiming at fulfilling them on time.

Be clean. A good life is a lot about being clean both inside and outside. For being tidy, make sure you dust and vacuum and have everything put away. Rejuvenate your body by making way for its cycle on time. Refresh your senses with breaks and fun activities that you enjoy. Don't lose anything by underestimating its value. Little things make a big difference when done well and well on time.

Eat well. To control food intake, limit your portion to a required serving and eat it slowly with a drink of water or milk. Give yourself time to eat your meal slowly so that you not only enjoy it more, but that you don't eat too much and still feel hungry. It's okay to have dessert, but choose healthy snacks between meals.

• Replace junk food with a well-defined diet including proteins, calcium, vitamins etc. Include fruits, vegetables, and nuts as you can. No need to add them if you don't like them. Just use a good substitute.

Get into tidy habits,and clean as you go in the different areas of your home. Take care of the spaces around you. Your surroundings affect your sense of comfort, so do what you can to keep them clean and do not add clutter in any way.

Practice letting go. Let go of any goal or project you're not able to do, or you'll be miserable.

• You are free to be liberal with your capacities. You don't have to satisfy all your mind's cravings and planning. Do what you can by listening to your body.

Multi-task. If you can multi-task right away, go for it. If you need time, learn your ways and balance it per your circumstances. For being flexible, this means to have time to be able to do things spontaneously. Do it appropriately or don't do it at all if you don't get the hang of it. Just fulfill one thing at a time.

• If a friend calls you and invites you out for a meal, you don't want to say no just because it will ruin your daily routine. Check your schedule to see if you have time, and let your friend know about any dietary restrictions you have.

Clean out your home by getting rid of anything you don't wear or use. Give them to charity.

• If you think you don't have to contribute to charity, think of it in terms of decluttering your space and your home. It is for your own good too because when you don't have a lot of things around, you will finally be able to see what you really want.

Work with yourself, other people, and events. By finding a balance, you can improve your life and regain some self-control. Working harmoniously with others can create a satisfying balance since we are social animals. Arguing less, staying silent when appropriate, and helping when asked can all create balance in your immediate surroundings. Doing this won't make you weaker, it will build your self-control.