How to be more disciplined – 4 practical tips

Recently, I was listening to the Huberman Lab Podcast featuring Jocko Willink, a retired Navy SEAL officer. At one point they started discussing discipline, which got me thinking about how we can add more discipline into our daily routine as students. Discipline is so important for staying on top of the huge amount of material in med school without burning out. But it doesn’t come overnight. It comes from all the little things we do each day, every day which add up to have a big impact. Here are 4 practical tips on how to be more disciplined.

1. How to be more disciplined #1: clear the sink before going to bed

A great but simple starting point to become more disciplined is to clear the sink before going to bed.

Whether that means washing the dishes or putting them in the dishwasher. It’s a nice way to clear the day’s mess so it doesn’t roll over into the next day. And you can begin the next day anew.

Even if it’s just a single bowl or spoon in the sink. Promise yourself that you won’t go to bed without clearing the sink.

Also, creating a deadline to wash the dishes every night prevents them from piling up.

Not to mention, it’s nice to wake up to a clean (and empty) sink.

2. How to be more disciplined #2: finish Anki reviews

I wouldn’t be a good med student if I didn’t mention Anki.

A great way to become more disciplined is to finish your daily Anki reviews. By med school, Anki should be a staple in your daily study routine.

This is a win-win strategy. Doing Anki every day creates the habit of discipline and ensures you get some studying done every day.

3. How to be more disciplined #3: Sort out your laundry right away

After doing your laundry, make a habit of sorting it out right away. Whether that means folding and sorting into drawers or hanging them up in the closet.

Don’t let clean laundry pile up.

Personally, this is my favourite chore. I put on something to watch while sorting laundry or ironing clothes.

I can cross something off my to-do list while watching what I want. It’s such an easy way to be productive that it feels like cheating sometimes.

4. How to be more disciplined #4: maintain the same sleep schedule

I left the hardest for last but perhaps sleep discipline has the greatest overall impact.

By going to sleep at the same time every night, you’re more likely to wake up at the same time every morning. Which is important for optimizing the quality of your sleep.

When you consistently get good sleep, you wake up feeling rested and energized. And that’s so important as a med student when you have an endless number of things to do.

Not to mention sleep is important for consolidating what you’ve learned during the day.

So really, maintaining the same sleep schedule throughout the week is a win-win-win situation. You have a routine which helps you get better sleep and improve overall health, it helps with learning and memory consolidation, and you become more disciplined.

Final thoughts

Becoming more disciplined begins with our small daily habits. It’s like the saying goes – how you do one thing is how you do everything. If you can be more disciplined in the smaller things you do, it will translate to other larger projects in your life as well.

What’s 1 thing you can do to add more discipline into your routine?

-M

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