As someone who has been interested in self help and Self help strategies for a long time, I’ve explored various books, online courses, and general research on the subject. Recently, I hit a low point in my life due to issues with managing my finances and other things, which led me to develop a strategy that has helped me get back on track to success. I call it IBMBM, or Incremental Benchmarking Based Management, which can be applied to almost anything in life.
The basic theory behind the Self help strategies IBMBM involves setting a benchmark or standard for the lowest point or level of comfort in any activity. The goal is to incrementally increase this benchmark while continuing to maintain the current benchmark, rewarding oneself at each new benchmark. I’ll explain this concept through two examples: cleaning/maintenance and finances.
Let’s start with cleaning/maintenance. Everyone has a benchmark for cleanliness in their home, which they use to maintain it. For instance, a really dirty person might consider a sink full of dishes, non-vacuumed floors, rotting food in the refrigerator, and other dirty habits as standard benchmarks. With IBMBM, one can raise their benchmark and maintain it. To start, one should take note of their current benchmark for each area of the house and set a benchmark for how dirty it is. The goal for the next few days would be to maintain that level consciously, then gradually perform additional special work to increase the benchmark.
Now let’s apply this strategy to finances. Someone who is broke might consider 0 as their benchmark for funds, hovering around that and spending all their money on bills or urgent expenses. With IBMBM, they can raise their benchmark to 1000, then 5000, then 10000, even with an average job. To start, set the benchmark at 1000 and pay bills with the extra money, avoiding going below 1000. Gradually work up to 2000, 3000, and so on, incrementally raising the benchmark until reaching 5000. At this point, take $500 to pay off debt, then gradually raise the benchmark to 10000, rewarding oneself with a portion of the extra money to put towards debt each time.
IBMBM is a flexible strategy that can be applied to various areas of life. By incrementally raising one’s benchmark while maintaining the current benchmark, one can achieve success and build self-esteem along the way.
If you’re interested in learning more about self-help techniques, check out the archived blog posts at http://realmofwriting.net/category/archived/.
External link: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/10-self-help-books-actually-help.html