<p>Self-control is a necessary and much sought-after skill in this increasingly complex world. There are a million distractions, multiple stress-inducing outlets and a chronic lack of sleep for most of us, and self-control becomes the only <em>bandwidth</em> that we have.</p>
<p>People who are reactive will find self-control challenging, as compared to resilient and conscientious individuals.</p>

The One Thing We Can Control: Ourselves

Self Improvement

<ul>
<li><strong>Form better habits</strong>: you can practice self-control on a daily basis by switching off the phone when you need to sleep or work, walking more, and getting to bed early to be able to wake up early.</li>
<li><strong>Reframing your thinking:</strong> also called <em>cognitive reappraisal</em>, it essentially means broadening your perspective beyond the present moment.</li>
</ul>

Two Ways To Boost Self-Control

<p>By using a third-person point of view, you create a psychological distance between you and the ‘object of your temptation’.</p>
<p>Studies prove that this quirky practice of talking to yourself decreases anxiety and stress.</p>

Self-Control And Mental Distancing

<ul>
<li>A new identity, even if only in our imagination, makes us mentally transform into that person and imbibe their habits, and working style.</li>
<li>When kids pretend to be their favorite characters, they are able to regulate their emotions and manage their frustration.</li>
<li>Adults can use this ‘alter ego’ method to channel someone who is competent for the task at hand.</li>
</ul>

Creating An Alter Ego

<p>Thinking about past challenges that were resolved by us helps us get into the ‘glory’ mode and reclaim it in the present, along with envisioning a future point in time when things will be better.</p>
<p>Imagining our future self makes us harder to take the bait of instant gratification, and helps us identify the various challenges and obstacles that are inevitable.</p>

Time Travelling And Your Future Self

<h2 itemprop="description">We feel powerless over so many things in the pandemic. But learning to practice better self-control can help. </h2><img src="https://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/CH-AA158_Bernst_NS_20100111195708.gif" alt="" width="60" height="60"><div dir="ltr">
    
    
        By
    
              <div dir="ltr">
                <button dir="ltr">Elizabeth Bernstein</button></div>
</div><div><time>
        Aug. 25, 2020 9:00 pm ET
      </time></div><p>Early in the coronavirus pandemic, Zvi Band took out a blank piece of paper and drew a line down the middle. Then he made two lists.</p><p>On one side, he wrote down the things he can’t control: the length of the quarantine; whether he or someone he knows gets sick; whether his business suffers; if or when there will be a cure.</p><p>On the other side, he listed things he can control: how he spends his time and who he spends it with; how he cares for his wife and family; what he spends money on; the information he consumes; the food he eats; how well he follows safety precautions.</p><p>When he was done, Mr. Band ripped the page in half, crumpled up the list of things he can’t control, and threw it away. He taped up the list of things he can control next to his computer monitor.</p><p>“It reminds me to stay focused and that I am in command of my emotional state,” says the 36-year-old CEO of a software company in Washington, D.C. </p><div>
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We feel powerless over so many things in the pandemic. But learning to practice better self-control can help.

<p>Early in the coronavirus pandemic, Zvi Band took out a blank piece of paper and drew a line down the middle. Then he made two lists. </p>

<p>On one side, he wrote down the things he can’t control: the length of the quarantine; whether he or someone he knows gets sick; whether his business suffers; if or when there will be a cure. </p>

<p>On the other side, he listed things he can control: how he spends his time and who he spends it with; how he cares for his wife and family; what he spends money on; the information he consumes; the food he eats; how well he follows safety precautions. </p>

<p>When he was done, Mr. Band ripped the page in half, crumpled up the list of things he can’t control, and threw it away. He taped up the list of things he can control next to his computer monitor. </p>

<p>“It reminds me to stay focused and that I am in command of my emotional state,” says the 36-year-old CEO of a software company in Washington, D.C. </p>

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