Three Top Tools for Change

We often start out feeling highly motivated when we first decide to make a change. It might be that we want to get fitter, re-decorate a room or get a promotion. Within weeks or months, though, we can find that all our enthusiasm and great ideas don’t always result in the outcomes we hoped for.

Here are 3 top tools for change that will help keep you motivated and on track to make your ideas a reality.

1. 5 Why’s – when you have your idea for what you want to change, ask yourself why you would like that change. For example, you want to get more sleep and the answer might be because you want more energy. Then ask yourself “Why do I want more energy?” Perhaps it is so that you are a more patient parent or so you have energy left at the end of the day to go for a run. Why do you want that? With the parenting example this might be “I want to have a better relationship with my children” or “I want to enjoy parenting more”. In total ask yourself why 5 times.

When we truly know why we want something, we know if it really matters to us. When things really matter to us, we stick at them and we can be confident any effort required to change is worth it.

Bonus tip – write down your why’s somewhere you can come back to, to help keep you motivated!

2. Process Mapping- In many industries it’s common to review and improve processes with a tool called ‘process mapping’. We can use this in our personal lives too! A great example for this is leaving the house for the school run. It’s likely that you’ll have a series of steps that you go through. If these feel stressful or too time consuming, process mapping can help you find a better way.

Put each step on a Post-it note in the order you generally do them in. As you do so, consider what each person involved in the process is trying to get out of it. For example, a parent’s main aims might be to get everyone out of the house on time and with the right things. A child’s main aim might be to watch their favourite programme. As you do this, you will likely notice things that are in conflict with each other and start seeing why the process feels like hard work.

Next, have a go at moving your Post-its around into an order that you think will run more smoothly. You can involve everyone this exercise, including kids! By being included here, they are more likely to give the new process a try.

Next have a chat with everyone, perhaps over dinner, about why you’d like to change the process. Then agree a day to try it out. Set a reminder on your phone, tablet or calendar and on the day encourage one another. It seems cheesy, but it really helps!

After the first run of the process, talk about it with each other – what went well, what didn’t go so well and ultimately was the outcome what you’re aiming for.

Review your process as many times as it takes to reach the one that works best for all of you and if you need to adapt it in the future, you now know a great tool for doing that!

Bonus tip – stick a photo or piece of paper with the new process up so that everyone involved can see and easily remember it whilst you all get used to it.

3. Habit stacking – Forming a new habit is sometimes hard. We can make it easier for ourselves by “stacking” a new habit onto an existing one. First, identify a habit that you already do. The best ones are those you do without consciously thinking about it and that take place at the same time of day and in the same room as the new habit you want to create.

Then describe what you are going to do. For example, “I am going to do 10 lunges straight after I’ve brushed my teeth”. Put a note next to your toothbrush that says “Lunges” to help cue yourself in. Then take action!

Over time, you’ll find yourself automatically thinking about doing lunges when you brush your teeth. Reinforce your new habit by following through with that thought. Before you know it, you’ll have embedded the new habit and barely have to think about it. It will just become something you do!

Bonus tip – tell someone what you are intending to do and ask them to check in with your regularly. Knowing someone will ask about your progress is likely to help motivate you to stick to your new habit!

Laura Kirtley is an NHS Transformation Lead and founder of Time to Thrive - a wonderful community of people using positive change tools and techniques to get more of what matters to them in life.

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