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Learn what impulsive behaviors are & what causes them
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Impulsivity. We’ve all made a quick on-the-whim decision at least once in our lives, but being impulsive all the time can lead to many challenges. If you’re hoping to curb your impulsive behavior, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll teach you how to be less impulsive , refocus your attention, and determine why you may be impulsive in the first place, with tips from psychologists, life coaches, and therapists.
Being Less Impulsive
Licensed clinical psychologist Supatra Tovar, PsyD, RD, suggests finding positive outlets and healthy habits to fill the void and control impulsive behaviors. Good options include:
- Developing a consistent exercise routine.
- Learning simple breathing exercises.
- Confiding in people you trust.
- Learning to meditate.
- Giving yoga a try.
Steps
Section 1 of 4:
How to Be Less Impulsive
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Write checklists for yourself. 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.
- Checklists have been proven to increase attention to a 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. For example:
- A travel checklist can help you pack more efficiently.
- A shopping checklist can help you stay within budget.
- A study checklist can make sure you don’t forget to complete an assignment.
- Crossing items off a checklist can also motivate you to complete a task.
Meet the wikiHow Experts
Supatra Tovar, PsyD, RD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and the owner of Dr. Supatra Tovar and Associates. She has experience in health education, clinical dietetics, and psychology.
Sandra Possing is a life coach, speaker, and entrepreneur based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She specializes in one-on-one coaching with a focus on mindset and leadership transformation.
Ken Breniman, LCSW, C-IAYT, is a licensed clinical social worker, certified yoga therapist, and thanatologist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has over 15 years of experience.
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Write down your goals. Create goals and 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. [1] X Research source
- This might mean writing a master task list or 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.
- 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.
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Follow a daily schedule. 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. Having a regular routine can help you stay organized and be less likely to make quick decisions. [2] X Research source
- 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 ______.”
- Make sure to include free time in your schedule too!
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Color-code your calendar. Keeping a calendar can be a big help for anyone who struggles with impulsivity. Color-codes can help you stay on task and visualize what needs to be done at certain times on certain days. While the method may not benefit everyone, it’s certainly a way to stay organized and on track.
- Use specific colors for certain types of activities or events.
- For example, if you’re a student, you might use red ink for upcoming tests, blue ink for long-term projects, black ink for daily schoolwork, and green ink for fun or social activities.
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Set aside time for regular review and planning. Notice how effective your schedule is. In order to make the most out of your time and be less impulsive, review your routine. If something's not working, plan out any needed changes. [3] 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.
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Practice mindfulness. Become aware of your feelings and learn to connect with your impulsive thoughts. Mindfulness helps by allowing you to create some distance from your impulses, offering you the opportunity to choose to act upon your impulses or not. [4] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- When you notice an urge, acknowledge it mentally before acting on it. For example, maybe your impulse says, “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 by going to the other room and taking time for myself.”
- 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.
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Look at pictures of nature. Research shows people who look at photographs of nature are less likely to make impulsive decisions. Photographs included pictures of mountains, forests, beaches, etc. [5] 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 wall.
- 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.
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Take a nap. Napping has been proven to help decrease impulsivity in adults. In a research study, adults were asked to answer a series of questions about mood and impulsivity. The participants who took a 60-minute nap were more likely to take their time with the question than those who didn’t, making them less impulsive. [6] 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.
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Try a breathing exercise . 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 in impulsive behaviors among teens. [7] X Research source The breathing exercises include four basic types of breathing: [8] 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 the 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.
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Talk to people you trust. Surround yourself with people you can go to for help. If your impulsivity is based in anxiety, aim to spend time with those you love when you start to feel an impulsive urge. Having people in your life you can share things with can help ease your anxiety and decrease your impulsiveness. [9] X Research source
- Just spending time talking with trusted friends can help address your anxiety, even if you’re not having a serious conversation.
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Practice yoga. Yoga has been shown to improve attention and decrease impulsivity. In one study, schoolchildren who are taught to do daily sun salutations and regulated breathing activities demonstrate better sustained attention. [10] 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 mind-body awareness yoga instills may help you be less impulsive by calming the mind and training you to listen to your body.
- 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.
EXPERT TIPLicensed Clinical Social Worker & Certified Yoga TherapistKen Breniman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Yoga Therapist and Thanatologist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Ken has over 15 years experience of providing clinical support and community workshops utilizing a dynamic combination of traditional psychotherapy and yoga therapy. He specializes in eclectic non-denominational yoga guidance, grief therapy, complex trauma recovery and mindful mortal skills development. He has a MSW from Washington University in St. Louis and an MA Certification in Thanatology from Marian University of Fond du Lac. He became certified with the International Association of Yoga Therapists after completing his 500 training hours at Yoga Tree in San Francisco and Ananda Seva Mission in Santa Rosa, CA.Set aside time each day to flow. To make yoga a daily habit, you must commit to the practice. Set aside time and space each day to practice, whether that’s for 5 minutes or 1 hour. The more consistent you are, the more benefits you’ll feel.
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Develop a daily exercise routine . Exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, may help you be less impulsive. Exercise boosts your mood and decreases feelings of stress and anxiety. By moving your body, your attention is actively engaged. If you’re more likely to act impulsively out of boredom or frustration, put this energy to better use through exercise. [11] X Research source
- Aim to do moderate aerobic exercise (exercise that uses large muscle groups) for at least 150 minutes a week. [12] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
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Ask a friend to hold you accountable. 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 them your worries and goals toward your impulsivity. Then, ask them to hold you accountable by checking in on you or halting your impulsive behavior. [13] X Research source
- This might look like not going shopping every weekend so you save money, or taking your phone away to prevent the urge to text your ex.
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Make it harder to act impulsively. Give yourself limitations to help curb impulsivity. Putting limits on yourself can protect you from impulsive acts and decisions, or at least make them harder to do.
- For example, if you have trouble blurting out everything you think, consider writing down all your comments and questions before saying them out loud.
- If you overspend often, leave your credit card at home when shopping, and pay with cash.
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Understand how impulsivity functions in your life. Learning why you’re being impulsive can help you understand your wants and needs. As life coach Sandra Possing says, “In order to change our mindset, we need to actually become aware of [impulsive] thoughts.” [14] X Expert Source Sandra Possing
Life Coach Expert Interview For some people, impulsivity can have positive and negative effects. For example, if you have a hard time making decisions, you may find yourself making last-minute decisions to avoid the anxiety you feel when trying to make a thoughtful decision. Knowing this can help you channel and focus your energy to stop impulsive behavior. [15] X Trustworthy Source Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Official peer-reviewed and multidisciplary journal for the National Academy of Sciences. Go to source- If you’re experiencing benefits from acting impulsively, try to find more effective ways of achieving this benefit.
- Impulsivity positively helps you make decisions without anxiety, but it can result in unthought-out decisions. Focus on why you get anxious about making thoughtful decisions to help curb this impulsive behavior.
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.
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Consider cognitive-behavioral therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) helps you focus on connecting thoughts and feelings with behaviors. CBT is a common treatment for anxiety and impulse disorders. The goal of CBT is to identify the thoughts that often result in impulsive activity. [16] X Trustworthy Source American Psychological Association Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists Go to 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.
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References
- ↑ https://marlacummins.com/adhd-and-memory/
- ↑ https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/health-benefits-of-having-a-routine
- ↑ https://marlacummins.com/adhd-and-memory/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356
- ↑ 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://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/note-to-teens-just-breathe-246556
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573542/
- ↑ https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/impulsivity
- ↑ https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/mindfulness_help_kids_learn_self_control
- ↑ https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/impulsivity
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916
- ↑ https://developmentcrossroads.com/2011/10/want-to-achieve-your-goals-make-yourself-accountable/
- ↑ Sandra Possing. Life Coach. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2321758121
- ↑ https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral
- ↑ https://dictionary.apa.org/impulsive
- ↑ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4080475/
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/25175-impulse-control-disorders#symptoms-and-causes
- ↑ https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2010/07/29/why-can’t-some-people-put-the-brakes-on-impulsive-behavior/
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/25175-impulse-control-disorders
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