Self-management has to include a critical look at what we have managed to surround ourselves with. Our stuff, our friends, our habits.
Dr. John Norcross, of Norcross and Prochaska fame (their great Stages of Change model is one example of brilliance), reminds us all that our environments – that which surrounds us all – is powerful in shaping our behavior.
This is especially critical as we go about affect positive change in our lives – e.g. quitting smoking, sleeping more, and even to improving our self-esteem. Oddly enough, however, the technique of using our environment is underused. Says Norcross,
“People can be so preoccupied with examining their inner thoughts and feelings that they neglect to keep their surroundings in sync with their goal.”
In his book, Changeology: 5 Steps to Realizing Your Goals and Resolutions, Norcross goes about setting forth the Big Five Ways by which we can affect change through adjustments to our environment:
- Remember environment extends beyond geography.
“Your environment is not defined simply by where you are; it’s also characterized by the people who surround you and the situation you’re in,” according to Norcross. He reminds readers that we can adjust our contact with people, places and things.
For instance, if you’re trying to quit smoking, what situations make this goal especially hard? If you’re trying to improve low self-esteem, which people are especially critical or supportive?
- Identify the “detractors” and the “facilitators.”
Think of yourself as a detective, and notice “what detracts from and what facilitates your change.” For instance, problematic factors might include the time of day and your own feelings. For me, I am at my least-best in the mornings, and also when I am hungry.
When you’re stressed out, you might reach for a drink. When you’ve had your morning cup of coffee, you might reach for a cigarette. When you get home from work, you might start to feel your self-esteem sinking. These are facilitators of the negative.
- Create a positive environment.
According to Norcross,
“If you don’t see the appropriate environmental options around you, create the environment you need.”
He quotes writer Orison Swett Marden: “A strong, successful man is not the victim of his environment. He creates favorable conditions.”
What kind of environment can you create to help you engage in positive changes? What things does your supportive environment include (or exclude)? For me, recent experiences suggested that I remove myself from a particularly toxic group of people (faculty members) and work on being an individual contributor.
- Add reminders to your environment.
Research has found that text messages help people quit smoking, and reminders help people who’ve stopped drinking stay on track.
Norcross observed the power of reminders while consulting with a pharmaceutical company. The goal was to help patients take their medication. The medication was highly effective. But the regimen was complicated.
Norcross gave the patients a variety of reminders, including special pillboxes, watches with pre-programmed alarms and stickers for their calendars. These reminders led to a 90 percent compliance rate!
You might use the following reminders to foster your positive changes: Post-it notes on various mirrors; to-do lists on your desk and in your bag; and messages on your phone and computer.
- Avoid problematic people and situations.
“Avoid high-risk situations and people that rekindle the problem,” according to Norcross. He gives the example of Andrew, who wanted to stop overspending and over-partying, which his environment made all too easy.
Here’s how Andrew changed his environment to support and sustain his goals:
“He made the default behavior a quiet night at the movies with non-drinking friends; he had his employer put his pay check into direct deposit so that he was not flooded with cash on Friday; and he scheduled chores, church, and breakfasts for Sunday morning instead of sleeping into the afternoon.”
Our environment plays a powerful role in shaping our behavior. Use that to your advantage when making positive changes in your life.
