How to Reduce Impulsivity

Impulsivity/impulsivity can cause a lot of problems. Rushing to the grocery store can lead to spending too much money, or buying junk food and cakes when you’re planning to buy healthy food. You can arbitrarily spend a day shopping instead of studying, or playing video games when you intend to go to the gym. You can become less impulsive with effective control. Focus attention through specific interventions, and develop daily habits to improve attention span.

Table of Contents

Organized living

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Write down your goal. The first step to curbing impulses is to determine how you want to prioritize your time. Then, before acting impulsively, check to make sure that your behavior reflects the values/goals you wrote down for yourself. ^{[1] X Research Source}

That means you can write down your overall to-do list, or create a business plan. If you are a student, you can make a study plan. It’s important to keep track of your current goals to compare them to your impulsiveness.
You can view your journal as a repository of your values, intentions, commitments, best practices, and tasks that can support these goals.
You can use a notebook, spreadsheet, or other method that works for you. The important thing is that they are easy to use and useful.

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Take the time to regularly review and plan. To get the most out of your management system, you must try to double-check how well your system is working in life, as well as plan for any necessary changes. ^{[2] X Research Source}

You may find yourself needing to sit down once a week to consider your actions from the previous week. Did you follow the priorities on the list? Take note of what worked well, what challenged you, and what you could do better.
You may find yourself needing to do this testing more often until you find the system that works for you. A brief review should be written each day; you can also create a more comprehensive monthly review.

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Stick to the daily schedule. If the time of day is not well planned, you often fill that time with impulsive actions. Try writing out a daily schedule for yourself, by setting aside 30 minutes. It’s normal to spend more than 30 minutes on a task, but don’t leave too much time empty and free. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

If you don’t know how to plan specific activities in advance, write down a series of options for yourself. For example, if you are not sure whether a friend is coming, you can write: “She or ______”.
The daily schedule should also include socializing and free time. A schedule without a break will eventually fail.

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Write a list for yourself. If you’re the type of person who often rushes to change direction in the middle of a task, using a checklist can help you stay focused. The checklist minimizes the chance of acting impulsively by ensuring that you don’t forget anything and don’t add any unnecessary steps in your work. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Listings have been shown to increase focus on work, even for medical professionals. Many surgeons are required to follow checklists when performing surgery to help them focus.
The checklist for check markup can be applied in many cases. Use a travel checklist to help you stay organized; shopping lists help you buy only the things you intended; Worksheets help ensure you’ll attend every part of the assignment.
Cross-checking lists can provide motivation to complete tasks.

Take measures to prevent impulsive action

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See pictures of nature. Many studies show that people who enjoy images of the natural world are less likely to make hasty decisions afterward. The image should include mountains, forests, beaches, etc… ^{[6] X Trusted Source PLOS ONE Go to source}

If you’re trying to control a rush, stick a postcard or photo of your favorite natural environment near your desk or in your notebook.
Before making a decision, stop and reflect by looking at this picture of the natural world. Your decision will be less hasty.

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Take a short nap/sleep. According to a study from the University of Michigan, napping reduces impulsivity in adults. Also according to the same study, the duration of the nap is about 60 minutes, but you don’t have to get a full 60 minutes of sleep to get the benefit of this method. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Naps also help people calm down and less frustrated when trying to complete tasks. People who have a habit of taking naps often stay focused on the activity until it’s done.
Those who don’t get 7-9 hours of sleep a night still benefit from naps. All studies have shown the advantages of having a short nap.

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Limit impulsive actions. Setting boundaries for yourself will help protect you from rash decisions and actions. For example, if you’re having trouble stopping yourself from saying everything you think straight, consider writing down all comments and questions before saying them out loud. By taking the time to write everything down, you can avoid inappropriate hasty comments. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

If you have trouble overspending, keep your credit card at home every time you shop and pay in cash.
Postponing certain items for 24 hours will help prevent impulse purchases, and give you a chance to decide if you really need to buy them.

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Practice breathing exercises. A study by the University of California at Los Angeles demonstrated a yoga-based breathing exercise called Sudarshan Kriya, which helped reduce impulsive behavior in adolescents. ^{[9] X Research Sources} The breathing exercise includes 4 basic forms of breathing: ^{[10] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to source}

Ujjayi or “Victorious Breath”, is a form of slow and deliberate breathing, where you focus on the breath.
Bhastrika or “Bellows Breath”, is when you exhale forcefully through your nose, then inhale quickly, at a rate of about 30 breaths a minute.
Recite “Om” 3 times in a sequence, then you need to exhale long and controlled.
Breathe rhythmically, whether you breathe slowly, moderately, or quickly.

Develop healthy daily habits

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Start practicing yoga. Regular application of basic yoga practices has been shown to improve attention span and reduce impulsivity. The kids at school were taught a daily “salutation to the sun” (morning exercise) exercise and balanced breathing was effective in prolonging their attention span. ^{[11] X Trusted Source Greater Good Magazine Go to Source}

This benefit increases when yoga is practiced in different contexts. For example, if you’re going shopping, take a few minutes to practice yoga breathing exercises before entering the store. At home, practice “saluting the sun” before eating junk food.

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Develop a daily exercise routine. Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, will help you be less impulsive in many ways. Exercise also boosts mood and reduces feelings of stress and anxiety. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Plus, exercise helps a person stay actively in control of their attention. If you often act impulsively out of boredom or frustration, you need to use your energy more efficiently through exercise.
Research shows that aerobic exercise for 40 minutes a day improves executive function in overweight children.
Strengthening exercise is beneficial for all ages.

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Learn more about practicing mindfulness. Being aware of your feelings and learning how to connect impulsiveness with thoughts, feelings, and impulses will help you gain greater control over your actions. Mindfulness gives you space to see your impulses, giving you the opportunity to choose whether to act rashly or not. ^{[13] X Research Source}

When you notice an impulse, let yourself think twice about it before you act. For example, “I get angry when my girlfriend says that, and I want to criticize her.” Then create a more positive response: “I will try to stay calm.”
Mindfulness means focusing on what’s going on inside of you, and it takes time to notice what’s going on in your body before you act hastily, rather than later.

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Talk to someone you trust. When anxiety is the cause of your impulsivity, you can help yourself by spending time with people you trust. Surely there are people in your life with whom you can share problems that bother you. This can help ease anxiety and reduce impulsivity. ^{[14] X Research Source}

You might consider talking to a professional, such as a counselor, life counselor, or professional organization, about the difficulty of controlling impulses.
Just spending time talking with trusted friends can help deal with anxiety, even if you don’t have a serious conversation.

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Ask your friends to remind you to live responsibly. Friends can help hold you accountable for the goals you set for yourself. Find someone reliable, non-critical, and share your goals with them. You can decide how you want to take responsibility for your goals. ^{[15] X Research Source}

For example, would you like your friends to call you to check on your progress? Or do you want to schedule regular meetings for them to check on your commitment to the goal?
You also need to plan what your friend can do to support you if you’re not focused on your goals and acting rashly.
You can offer to help your friend take responsibility for something they’re having trouble with. This way, the two of you will be responsible teammates.

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Understand how impulsivity affects your life. At times, being hasty can have both positive and negative effects. For example, if you’re having a hard time making a decision, you may find yourself making a last-minute decision. It’s a way to avoid feeling anxious when trying to make a prudent decision. ^{[16] X Research Source}

If you are experiencing the benefits of impulsive action, try to find a more effective way to get the benefit.
Remember that you can still act on your own even if you keep your temper under control. Being less impulsive doesn’t mean life becomes boring and stereotypical. It just means you’ll have more control over how you spend your money, spend your time, and give attention to something.

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Participate in activities that help you calm down. Each person will have different calming activities, but activities can include listening to guided meditation, soft music, or practicing deep breathing exercises. More relaxation can help you avoid acting rashly. ^{[17] X Research Source}

Examine your body to find any areas of stress, then actively focus on relaxing those areas.
Set the timer for 5 minutes, and focus on the breath for this limited time. A short break will help you relax, and prevent any hasty reactions.

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Consider cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), helps an individual focus on associating thoughts and feelings with their behaviour. CBT is a common treatment for anxiety and impulsivity disorders. The goal of this method is to recognize that thoughts often lead to impulsive actions. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

Impulsive behavior is often the result of automatic thinking, which is thoughts that come to mind as an immediate response to certain circumstances. These thoughts can be negative and cause you to make bad decisions. ^{[19] X CBT Research Resources} helps you recognize these automatic thinking patterns and reframe them in new directions.
A therapist or counselor can help you discover the many ways CBT can help your life.

Steps

Organized living

Take measures to prevent impulsive action

Develop healthy daily habits

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