Download Article
Explore this Article
IN THIS ARTICLE
Other Sections
Co-authored by
Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
Download Article
X
This article was co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
. Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011.
There are 11 references
cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 82% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.
This article has been viewed 144,606 times.
Being impulsive can lead to a host of challenges. Being impulsive at the grocery store can mean spending too much money, or buying junk food and sweets when you meant to buy healthy items. You might spontaneously spend the day shopping instead of studying, or playing video games when you meant to go to the gym. You can become less impulsive when you learn to use effective organizational tools. Focus your attention through specific interventions, and develop daily habits to improve your attention.
Steps
-
Mindful breathing has been proven to lessen impulsive behaviors. A UCLA research study showed that a yoga-based breathing program called Sudarshan Kriya resulted in a significant decrease of impulsive behaviors among teens. [1] X Research source The breathing exercises include four basic types of breathing: [2] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
- Ujjayi or “Victorious Breath”, which is a type of slow, intentional breathing where focus is on the breath touching the throat.
- Bhastrika or “Bellows Breath,” in which breath is exhaled forcefully through nostrils, followed by a rapid inhale, at the rate of 30 breaths per minute.
- Chanting “Om” 3 times in a row, which requires sustained, controlled expiration.
- Breathing in a rhythmic pattern, whether slow, medium or fast.
Advertisement
-
Yoga has been shown to improve attention and decrease impulsivity. Schoolchildren who are taught to do daily sun salutations, and regulated breathing activities demonstrate better sustained attention. [3] X Trustworthy Source Greater Good Magazine Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living Go to source
- The benefits increase when yoga is done in different settings. For instance, if you’re getting ready to go shopping, take a few moments before entering the store to do yogic breathing. At home, do a sun salutation before grabbing junk food to snack on.
-
Exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, will help you be less impulsive. Exercise lifts your mood, and decreases feelings of stress and anxiety. [4] X Research source
- In addition, exercise keeps a person’s attention actively engaged. If you’re more likely to act impulsively out of boredom or frustration, you can put this energy to better use through exercise.
- Research suggests that 40 minutes per day of aerobic activity improved executive functioning in overweight kids.
- All ages will benefit from increased exercise.
Advertisement
-
Becoming aware of your feelings and learn to connect with your impulsive thoughts. Mindfulness helps by allowing you some distance from your impulses, offering you the opportunity to choose to act upon your impulses or not. [5] X Research source
- When you notice an urge, articulate that urge mentally to yourself before acting on it. For example, “I am angry that my partner just said that, and I want to criticize her.” Follow this with a more constructive response, such as, “I can try to calm down.”
- Mindfulness means to focus on what’s going on inside yourself, and it may take time to notice what’s going on in your body before you act impulsively rather than afterwards.
-
Research shows people who look at photographs of nature are less likely to make impulsive decisions. Photographs included pictures of mountains, forests, beaches, etc. [6] X Trustworthy Source PLOS ONE Online peer-reviewed, open access scientific research journal Go to source
- If you’re trying to become less impulsive, post a postcard or a photograph of your favorite natural environment near your desk or on your notebook.
- Before making a decision, pause and reflect by looking at an image of the natural world. Your decision is then less likely to be impulsive.
Advertisement
-
Napping helps decrease impulsivity in adults. The amount of nap time in the research study was a 60-minute, but you may not have to be asleep for the full 60 minutes in order to benefit from this approach. [7] X Research source
- Napping also appears to help people remain calmer and less frustrated as they work to complete a task. People who nap are more likely to remain focused on the activity until it’s finished.
- The benefits of napping are not limited to those people who don’t receive the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night. All research subjects appeared to benefit from napping.
-
Surround yourself with people you can go to for help. When your impulsivity is based in anxiety, you can help yourself by spending time with people you trust. Making sure to have people in your life with whom you can share things you’re concerned about may help ease your anxiety, and decrease your impulsiveness. [8] X Research source
- You might consider talking with a professional, such as a counselor, life coach, or professional organizer, about your difficulties with impulsivity.
- Just spending time talking with trusted friends can help address your anxiety, even if you’re not having a serious conversation.
Advertisement
-
A friend can help you stay accountable for the goals you've set for yourself. Find a friend who is reliable and nonjudgmental, and share with her what your goal is for yourself. You can decide how you'd like to be held accountable for your goal. [9] X Research source
- For example, do you want your friend to call you to check on your progress? Or do you want to schedule regular meetings so that she can check in on your commitment to your goal?
- You'll also need to have a plan for what your friend might do to support you if you're not staying focused on your goal, and acting impulsively instead.
- You might offer to help your friend stay accountable for something she's struggling with. This way, you'll be accountability partners.
-
Guided meditations and calming music can help you relax. Getting more relaxed can help you avoid acting impulsively. [10] X Research source
- Do a body scan to locate any areas of your body which are holding tension, then intentionally focus on relaxing these areas.
- Set a timer for 5 minutes, and allow yourself to focus on your breath for this limited period of time. This short break will help you relax, and prevent any hasty reactive actions.
Advertisement
-
Determine how you want to prioritize your time. The first step to being less impulsive is to figure out what you want and hope to achieve. Then, before acting impulsively, check and make sure your actions reflect the values you’ve written down for yourself. [11] X Research source
- This might mean writing a master task list. It might mean creating a business plan. If you're a student, you might want to create a study plan. The important thing is to record your current goals in order to measure them against your impulses.
- You might think of this written record as a kind of container for your values, intentions, commitments, best practices for yourself, and tasks that support these goals.
- You can use a notebook, a spreadsheet, or another method that works for you. The main thing is that the framework is accessible and functional.
-
Notice how effective your schedule is. In order to make the most out of your organizational system, you’ll need to commit to reviewing your routine. If something's not working, plan out any needed changes. [12] X Research source
- You might find you need to sit down once a week to consider your actions of the previous week. Did you follow your listed priorities? Note what went well, what you found challenging, and what you might do better.
- You might find that you need to do this review more often until you find a system that works for you. Doing a brief daily review is recommended; you might also do a more extensive monthly review.
Advertisement
-
Unstructured time can lead to impulsive acts. Try writing down a daily schedule for yourself, using 30 minute blocks of time. It’s okay if you spend more than one 30-minute block on a task, but don’t leave any blocks empty and unstructured.
- If you don’t know how to plan ahead for certain activities, write in a series of choices for yourself. For instance, if you’re not sure yet whether a friend is coming over or not, write: “Friend or ______.”
- Your daily schedule should include your social time and free time too. A schedule that doesn’t include any downtime will ultimately fail.
-
Keep yourself on track with a to-do list. If you’re the kind of person who’s prone to impulsively changing directions in the middle of a task, using checklists can help you stay focused. Checklists minimize opportunities to act impulsively by ensuring that nothing is forgotten and that no unnecessary steps are added to a task. [13] X Research source
- Checklists have been proven to increase attention to the task even for medical professionals. Many surgeons are required to follow checklists when they perform surgery to help them stay on task.
- Checklists can be used across multiple settings. Use a travel checklist to help you pack more efficiently; a shopping checklist to help you only purchase the intended items; a study checklist to make sure you attend to each part of the assignment.
- Crossing items off a checklist can provide motivation to complete a task.
Advertisement
-
Keeping a calendar is essential for anyone who struggles with impulsivity. You’ll need to have access to daily, weekly, and monthly calendars in order to prioritize your attention. Using different colors for different categories of activity will help support your use of a calendar.
- For example, a student might use red ink for upcoming tests, blue ink for long-term projects, black ink for daily schoolwork and green for fun or social activities.
- A portable calendar, such as an app on your phone, will help you access your calendar across settings.
-
Sometimes being impulsive can have positive as well as negative effects. For example, if you have a hard time making decisions, you may find yourself making last minute decisions as a means of avoiding the anxiety you feel when trying to make a thoughtful decision. [14] X Research source
- If you’re experiencing benefits from acting impulsively, try to find more effective ways of achieving this benefit.
- Remember that you can still be spontaneous even if you’re less impulsive. Being less impulsive doesn’t mean your life will be dull and conventional. It just means that you’ll be more in control of what you choose to spend your money, time, and attention on.
Advertisement
-
Putting limits on yourself can protect you from impulsive acts and decisions. For example, if you have trouble preventing yourself from blurting out everything you think, consider writing down all your comments and questions before saying them out loud. By taking the time to write them down, you may be able to avoid inappropriate impulsive remarks. [15] X Research source
- If you have difficulty overspending, leave your credit card at home when shopping, and pay with cash.
- Putting items on hold for 24 hours will help prevent impulsive purchases, and give you a chance to decide whether you really need to buy the items.
-
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) helps your focus on connecting thoughts and feelings with behaviors. CBT is a common treatment for anxiety and impulse disorders, among others. The goal of CBT is to identify the thoughts that often result in impulsive activity. [16] X Research source
- Impulsive behavior is often the result of automatic thoughts, which are the thoughts that your mind produces as an immediate reaction to certain situations. These thoughts can be negative and may lead you to make poor decisions. CBT helps you to identify these automatic thought patterns and reframe them in new ways.
- A therapist or behavioral specialist can help you explore the ways that CBT might work in your life!
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Tips
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
You Might Also Like
How to
Buy Nothing
How to
Be Less Perverted
How to
Be a Less Boring Person
How to
Improve Your Self-Control
How to
Discipline Yourself
How to
Behave Yourself
How to
Resist Temptation
How to
Bring Discipline into Your Life
How to
Develop Self-Discipline As a Teenager
How to
Deal With Temptation
Advertisement
References
- ↑ https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/note-to-teens-just-breathe-246556
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573542/
- ↑ https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/mindfulness_help_kids_learn_self_control
- ↑ https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/impulsivity
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/07/08/adhd-in-adults-5-tips-for-taming-impulsivity/
- ↑ https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0097915
- ↑ https://ns.umich.edu/new/releases/22984-feeling-impulsive-or-frustrated-take-a-nap
- ↑ https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/impulsivity
- ↑ https://developmentcrossroads.com/2011/10/want-to-achieve-your-goals-make-yourself-accountable/
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/07/08/adhd-in-adults-5-tips-for-taming-impulsivity/
- ↑ https://marlacummins.com/adhd-and-memory/
- ↑ https://marlacummins.com/adhd-and-memory/
- ↑ https://www.businessknowhow.com/growth/checklists.htm
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/07/08/adhd-in-adults-5-tips-for-taming-impulsivity/
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/07/08/adhd-in-adults-5-tips-for-taming-impulsivity/
- ↑ https://www.cbtdenver.com/treatments/cognitive-behavioral-therapy
About This Article
This article was co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
. Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011. This article has been viewed 144,606 times.
22 votes - 82%
Co-authors: 19
Updated: October 25, 2024
Views: 144,606
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 144,606 times.
Reader Success Stories
-
Anonymous
Nov 16, 2023
"I've been taught to hold myself back too much, I've realized. And it's discouraged me from new and positive experiences and protecting myself. A little, focused anger, is okay and inspires me to improve myself and inspire others to do healthy things." ..." more
Did this article help you?
Advertisement
Co-authors: 19
Updated: October 25, 2024
Views: 144,606
82%
of readers found this article helpful
.
22 votes - 82%
Click a star to add your vote
% of people told us that this article helped them.
Anonymous
Nov 16, 2023
"I've been taught to hold myself back too much, I've realized. And it's discouraged me from new and positive experiences and protecting myself. A little, focused anger, is okay and inspires me to improve myself and inspire others to do healthy things."
..."
more
D. Woods
Dec 12, 2016
"The article gave me some points to consider that I hadn't thought of before. I appreciated that it was concise, and I enjoyed the pictures. "
..."
more
James Cluey
Oct 10, 2016
"I know all this, but I still am impulsive, because half an hour later, I've forgotten it all. Maybe I'm a little jumbled up as well?"
..."
more
Quizzes
Do I Have a Dirty Mind Quiz
Take Quiz
Am I a Good Kisser Quiz
Take Quiz
Rizz Game: Test Your Rizz
Take Quiz
What's Your Red Flag Quiz
Take Quiz
Am I Smart Quiz
Take Quiz
How Insecure Am I Quiz
Take Quiz
You Might Also Like
How to
Buy Nothing
How to
Be Less Perverted
How to
Be a Less Boring Person
How to
Improve Your Self-Control
Featured Articles
13 Signs Your Friends with Benefits Is Falling For You
How to
Love an Overthinker
Do I Have Rizz Quiz
How to
Improve Your Personality
How to
Force Yourself to Seriously Study
11 Ways to Confuse and Disarm a Narcissist
Trending Articles
How to
Hand Out Halloween Candy to Trick-or-Treaters
How to
Talk to Girls at a Party
He Calls Me Babe but I’m Not His Girlfriend: 5 Reasons Why
How to
Brush Your Hair
Safe Ways to Light Your Jack-O’-Lantern This Halloween
The Meaning of the Eagles' "Hotel California"
Featured Articles
"Hot to Go!" by Chappell Roan: The Flirtatious Lyrics & Their Meaning
How to
Dress for Fall
What Human Emotion Am I Quiz
How Strong Is Your Intuition Quiz
People with Big Eyes: What Are They Like, and Are They More Attractive?
50 First Date Conversation Starters to Spark a Connection
Featured Articles
118 Cute, Flirty, and Romantic Good Night Texts to Copy and Paste
How to
Achieve the Messy Fringe Look
21 Common Hand Signs & Gestures (& What They Mean)
3 Realistic Fake Blood Recipes (Plus Fake Guts, Scabs, & Flesh)
How to
Stop Being Scared After Watching Scary Movies
How to
Start Working Out if You're Out of Shape: Tips & Beginner Exercises
Watch Articles
How to
Remove a Toothpaste Stain
How to
Make Couscous
How to
Properly Take Off a Face Mask
How to
Know when Oat Milk Is Bad
How to
Blow Dry Bangs
How to
Prepare a Pop Tart
Trending Articles
What Do Rainbows Symbolize? Spiritual Meanings & More
How to
Make Money on Your Phone: 18 Apps & Side Hustles
27 Ways to Make Your House Smell Great
How to
Feel Awake, Alert, and Calm After Only 4 Hours of Sleep
How to
Make Siri Say Your Name + Fix Pronunciation
How Do You Make Pizza at Home? 12 Easy Steps
Quizzes
What Disney Princess Am I Quiz
Take Quiz
Do I Have a Phobia Quiz
Take Quiz
Guess My Age Quiz
Take Quiz
Am I a Genius Quiz
Take Quiz
Depression Test
Take Quiz
What Human Emotion Am I Quiz
Take Quiz
