Post by The Big PINK One♥ on Aug 13, 2009 13:58:04 GMT -5
{From Yahoo! Shine}
"The act of keeping stuff is a self-reinforcing behavior,” says Joshua Klapow, PhD, associate professor in the school of public health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and coauthor of Living SMART: Five Essential Skills to Change Your Health Habits Forever. What that means: The more you do it, the more you, well…do it. Break the cycle by using the same behavior-modification techniques that work to break any bad habit. “It’s not a matter of willing yourself to change,” says Dr. Klapow. “You need skills.” Try this S.M.A.R.T. approach:
1. Set goals. Be specific; it’s too vague to say, “I will stop buying stuff.” Instead, set a specific and realistic goal, like “By the end of the weekend, I’ll gather up all the unused toys for donation.” The more specific, the more attainable.
2. Monitor your actions. List your goals, then cross out each one as you complete it. Visual cues boost your sense of accomplishment.
3. Arrange your environment for success. If you’ve just cleared out the junk drawer, put in some cool new drawer dividers. If you’ve gotten all the stuff from an unfinished project off the dining room table, place a beautiful vase of flowers there. “Filling the space with something other than clutter is a visual reminder of your success,” says Dr. Klapow.
4. Recruit support. “Having social support as you’re making a behavioral change is the biggest predictor of success,” says Dr. Klapow. Get your family in on the act; have them gently remind you not to clutter, and you remind them.
5. Treat yourself. The satisfaction of a clutter-free room isn’t enough. Promise yourself small treats, like a movie or a manicure.
