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Instructional self-talk is the internal commentary that happens while we are trying to complete a challenging activity or task. For example, while completing a difficult report at work, your instructional self-talk might sound like, "OK – open up Powerpoint, find a title image, make a chart on the recent statistics…"
This kind of self-talk actually helps us in ways researchers are just beginning to understand – especially with regards to goal-setting. It can help you:
1. Battle distractions. In today's digital world – filled with Blackberries, laptops and iPads – it is difficult to focus on a task, especially a challenging one. Instructional self-talk actually lets us focus on the most important basics of the task at hand and help our mind block out anything happening around us. So, when you are working on a report and you only have a few hours to do it, instructional self-talk will help you get the report done faster by blocking out your pinging inbox and beeping phone.
2. Be more logical. Saying tasks out loud or at least breaking down tasks mentally helps us make calculated decisions on what to do next. Instructional self-talk will help you make better decisions. For example, think about when you are trying to decide how to split up a project at work. Engaging in instructional self-talk will help you make better decisions on who to choose because it ensures you are thinking through every logical step in the project.
3. Beat out emotions. For entrepreneurs, it's very important to keep emotions out of business decisions. Researchers found that instructional self-talk does exactly that: It helps you control your emotions as you move through each task. For example, if you are thinking about hiring someone or bringing them onto your team, but are swayed by your personal friendship, instructional self-talk can help you make a clear, unbiased decision.
How to Incorporate Instructional Self-Talk Now that you know the benefits of self-talk, there are a few ways you can incorporate it into your day-to-day work life:
- Plan ahead for the tasks you know you find the most challenging. Book into your calendar to try instructional self-talk before it is due.
- Researchers found that self-talk is the most successful when thinkers first ruminate on their end goal, make a plan and then walk through it. So, try planning out what you want to do before starting.
- After using instructional self-talk, reflect on how effective it was for you. Do you do better speaking out loud or does that embarrass you? Did you make a plan ahead of time or just dive in? Figure out how you want to incorporate self-talk into your routine by reflecting on what worked – and did not work – for you.
Instructional self-talk takes a little getting used to, but is worth the results!
Vanessa Van Edwards specializes in social and emotional intelligence research and development. The focus of her company is to combine human behavior research and tech trends.
The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab , a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.