The first in a series focussing on Career and Self Development

Habits have a significant impact on our lives. In a sense, we are the sum of our habits. Therefore, our habits are certainly worthy of our close attention. Good habits enrich our life helping to ensure success, happiness and freedom just as bad habits can send us in the opposite direction.

There is evidence all around us that forming and maintaining good habits is a key career and life skill. Think about the people you know living good lives and the role that good habits play in their lives. We also know that experience is the best teacher – that the real power of habits comes when reflecting on our actions and experience the benefits. The mindset shift that can occur when individuals experience and understand these benefits can have a powerful, positive effect on our life journey and outcomes.

For teenagers this could mean introducing small steps to build good habits around:

• health and fitness (experience how good nutrition and moving/exercising makes you feel)
• managing devices and social media (fight the dull ache and boredom of seemingly endless screen time)
• organisation and planning (start with making your bed/keep a tidy room – feel the power of having control over your personal space)
• controlling emotions (practise not letting emotions control you)
• studying and learning (fix the bad habits around studying you just can’t seem to shake!)

There are many websites, YouTube channels, TED talks etc that parents and students can access to learn how to implement good habits in their lives. See the books here which I recommend as being particularly helpful: Atomic Habits, The Power of Habit , The Compound Effect.

During a career counselling session, students can learn the strategies, tools and techniques to introduce good habits into their daily life. 

Mr Mark O’Mara
Careers & VET Coordinator
Chisholm Career Services