Discipline commonly refers to rule-following behavior, regulation, order, control, and authority.^{[citation needed]} It may also refer to the science of operant conditioning that studies how ideas and behavior are guided and managed with consequences that increase a behavior (reinforcements) or decrease a behavior (punishment). Discipline is used to reinforce good behavior in habits, athletic performances, insights, and obedience. Self-discipline involves self-restraint and deferred gratification that discourages emotional impulses in favor of one's desires.

All associations have disciplinarians that enforce, modify, and enact rules (contingencies of reinforcement).^{[citation needed]} The role and functions of the disciplinarian may be informal and even unconscious in every day social settings. Disciplinarians enforce a set of rules that aim at developing children in accordance with theories of order and discipline. They have been linked to child abuse in numerous cases and biographies.^[1]

In the Victorian era, disciplinarian governance over children was popular.^{[citation needed]} King Edward VIII (r. January – December 1936) had a disciplinarian father, and the English paralleled the royal families during the Victorian era. Edward's great-grandmother, Queen Victoria (r. 1837–1901), championed the role of the family unit during her reign.

Historically, task-driven discipline in sailing ships where the failure of crews to work together promptly can have swift adverse consequences due to wind and weather,^[2] slave plantations facing the fear of slave revolt,^[3] and the regimentation of the Industrial Revolution's factory system^[4] are examples with heavy reliance on punishment. Education, business, therapy, insurance, and most areas of modern society are replacing punishment (harm) with managed discipline (reinforcements without harm).^{[citation needed]}

Disciplinary techniques

Time management

Time management involves using time effectively by regulating and observing its usage. The goal is efficient utilization of time, achieved through methods that maximize the outcomes of various tasks within specified timeframes. Unlike multitasking, this approach enhances efficiency by promptly completing each task. Time management employs skills, tools, or techniques to allocate time based on different organizational strategies. Effective time management often begins "small and [builds] on success incrementally",^{[5][unreliable source?]} through three key aspects: defining goals, setting completion times, and maintaining focus on tasks.^[5]

Time management concerns modifying behavior to meet deadlines. It may prioritize swiftly completing short and non-urgent tasks first, followed by urgent and high-importance tasks. It's also about progressing on less pressing tasks that consume time during work hours. To avoid overlapping activities, tasks can be allocated among different individuals. Discipline methods in the workplace encourage group or personal responsibility and can lighten the workload before deadlines. Time management centers on constructive scheduling and goal-driven strategies. In team settings, employees can enhance time management by asking questions and discussing meeting purposes and how discipline supports team goals^[6]

Disciplined time management includes removing distractions. The author of No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs recommends treating time as a precious resource.^[7] Achieving positive outcomes hinges on a supportive environment of disciplined behavior that requires and rewards good actions.

Obedience-based

Discipline rooted in obedience centers on valuing hard work, diligence, adherence to authority, and self-discipline for job advancement.^[8] Reminders can be provided to guide members in meeting performance indicators, organizational objectives, adhering to rules, or following instructions. The downside to this model is that disobedience can occur when there are no punishments or rewards in place and when there is no one there to administer the member since obedience-based discipline is whether trouble^{[clarification needed]} is detected or not.^[9] An obedience-based model uses consequences and punishments as deterrents,^[10] whereas the responsibility-based model shifts away from using rules, limits, and consequences, as well as punitive measures like detention, suspension, expulsion, and counselling. Students have demonstrated improved academic success and better behavior management in schools with responsibility-centred discipline, where teachers use a five-step rule-based technique to resolve conflicts:^[11]

1. Support – makes the student feel valued
2. Expectation – reinforces what is expected
3. Breakdown – communicates how the expectation broke down or where there was a failure to meet
4. Benefit – relays to the student how important it is to meet the expectation and how it benefits them
5. Closure – determines whether the situation has been resolved or if the conversation is at a place where the student can move on

Responsibility

Responsibility-centered discipline, also known as responsibility-based discipline, classroom-oriented technique that empowers students to find solutions to organizational issues.^[12] This approach involves fostering appreciation and warmth among students, embracing their interests, recognizing their efforts, encouraging feedback, achieving consensus on ground rules, and engaging them in rule-making and problem-solving, all while maintaining dignity and well-defined boundaries. Concepts like remorse and empathy are taught through actions like apologies, restitution, or creating action plans. Limits express a teacher's beliefs, demands, and expectations within the context of clear values and goals that help create a learning environment. The essence of responsibility-centered discipline is making choices that embody core values such as integrity, perseverance, respect, and responsibility, rather than simply enforcing rules.

Conduct grades reflect a student’s willingness to develop and internalize responsible behavior.

Larry Thompson developed responsibility-centered discipline as a framework to empower educators with the necessary skills and strategies for fostering a culture of student self-responsibility within schools. This approach shifts the onus from teachers to students, encouraging them to take ownership of their behavior. This represents a shift in organizational culture. In contrast to an obedience-focused "rule-based" approach, where rules can be contested, dismissed, or overlooked, responsibility-centered discipline focuses on nurturing responsibility, not punitive measures or consequences. It cultivates students' self-control and empowers them to assume responsibility for their actions and to devise solutions.^[11]

Assertive

The assertive discipline model was developed by Lee and Marlene Canter. It blends obedience-based principles with responsibility. It establishes certain truths within the classroom. Students are entitled to an environment free from distractions, which means the teacher has the right to discipline students if that would benefit the class. A peaceful working environment means the right to work comes at the expense of a student's rudeness or misbehavior. Safety and education are guaranteed only if the duty to control is upheld.

In this approach, teachers get all students to consent to the rules. They highlight both appropriate and inappropriate behaviors, clarifying the necessary corrections if a student goes beyond these limits. Assertive discipline reinforces positive behavior, upholds rules, and underscores the importance of respectful conduct. Teachers acknowledge repetitive behaviors, maintaining a consistent appreciation for good conduct. Consequences correspond to actions taken, although maintaining a positive focus is preferable, it might not always be feasible when boundaries are crossed. Disciplinary action must be applied throughout the classroom; this is so all students believe that the rules matter. Simply offering rewards and consequences isn't always sufficient; teachers need to earn students' respect and trust.

Assertive discipline involves modeling appropriate behavior to help students understand its principles. Teachers guide students on adhering to specific behavioral expectations. According to Canter^[which?], all students respond positively to this approach, including those with special needs.^{[citation needed]} Proactive discipline is emphasized over reactive discipline: having a plan in place, addressing misbehavior as it occurs, highlighting rules, and acknowledging positive behavior with praise. Lee and Marlene Canter emphasize building trust by engaging with students through greetings, using their names, having one-on-one conversations, acknowledging birthdays and special events, and maintaining communication with parents.^[13]

The model does not concentrate on individual students. It does not address the root causes of misbehavior, nor is it based on the needs of the students.^[13]

Team-building

Team-building is part of corporate culture that involves a group of people improving on working together as a team.^[14] This includes aligning around common goals, establishing effective working relationships, clarifying team members' roles, and collaboratively addressing team-related issues

Planned activities within corporate culture provide a platform for employees to share their perspectives on that culture. These organized activities encourage "thought, discussion, and employee buy-in into the company leadership philosophies".^[15] Organizations may focus on the processes behind team-building activities to explore what happens when the organization confronts challenges. Engaging in challenges that exceed the difficulty of daily tasks fosters team cohesion.

Examples of team-building strategies include promoting workplace civility; implementing group guidelines; sharing stories, management wisdom, or past achievements; and icebreakers.^[16]

Micromanaging

Micromanaging can lead to an improved relationship between an employee and their manager. In certain situations, micromanagement can be beneficial, especially when a manager's task performance falls short of expected quality or compensation levels. This could include instances where the manager spends excessive time chatting, misses deadlines, or fails to respond to urgent emails.^[17] The employee adapts their approach to align with the manager's perspective. If a step goes against company ethics, the plan can be abandoned. It's important for employees to verify if competence requirements are met, and if so, they can inquire about changing positions to gain more autonomy. Transparent communication can positively reinforce managers, as micromanaging can demonstrate to them that a self-reliant worker doesn't require constant oversight.

Habit-tracking

Habit trackers are a practical self-discipline method. Often, there's a time lag before receiving feedback on time management, making it challenging to visualize expected habit changes. Activities like running, meditation, or exercise demand significant effort for delayed rewards, yielding minimal satisfaction during the activity. Habit tracking offers short-term motivation for desired outcomes. It triggers action, encourages timely goal completion, and fosters sustained commitment by delivering immediate satisfaction for each achievement. Each entry keeps people engaged in the process and assists in habit formation or cessation.^[18][19]

Precommitment

Precommitment is a technique for enhancing self-control. It involves putting limits or tolls on what one will do in advance, in order to prevent distractions.

Three pact variations exist: effort, price, and identity. An effort pact ensures focused work by deterring distractions. A price pact adds an accountability partner who enforces a penalty when mistakes are made during goal pursuit; a self-oriented price pact uses donations or offloading items as penalties. An identity pact alters self-perception and behavioral habits. All three approaches prove effective, especially for those seeking to bolster self-discipline without relying solely on willpower, according to Nir Eyal.^[20][21]

Dichotomy of control

Another self-discipline technique is the Stoic Dichotomy of Control.^[22] In this technique, one writes down influences judging on how much they can control those influences. This practice directs time and attention toward manageable aspects while acknowledging those beyond control, aiding in problem-solving without undue concern for unchangeable factors.^{[citation needed]}

Corporal punishment

Corporal punishment is a technique of discipline that includes spanking, slapping, whipping, deprivation, or hitting with an object using force. It aims to enforce immediate compliance by reminding the individual of consequences for their actions, thus deterring further misconduct. Corporal punishment is used in the military to punish unacceptable behavior. This form of punishment provides a disincentive for not acting when required to act.

Success spiral

A success spiral involves achieving consecutive small goals, leading to increased motivation. Each completed goal enhances confidence in one's capability to accomplish tasks. Success spirals start with breaking habits into manageable routines, then picking simple goals to help gain momentum. Progress is tracked, and reflection guides the decision to tackle more challenging objectives as confidence is established.^[23]

Miscellaneous

Other techniques:

• take time for personal growth
• form habit lists for proper learning
• track habits,^[18]
• make to-do lists or personal vision statements
• seek out inspiring stories, symbols, and books
• be orderly^[24]
• overcome obstacles for personal goals^[25][26]
• use the precommitment strategy^[20]
• eat healthily^[27]
• remove temptations
• not procrastinating
• reward yourself immediately
• schedule exercises and breaks appropriately
• forgive yourself
• calculate the best course of action^[28]

Self-discipline

Self-discipline refers to one's ability to control one's behavior and actions to achieve a goal or to maintain a certain standard of conduct. It is the ability to train oneself to do things that should be done and resisting things that should be avoided. This includes setting goals, staying focused, and making sacrifices to achieve those goals. Self-discipline requires practice and effort, but it can lead to improved productivity, better decision-making, and greater success in life.^{[citation needed]}

Self-discipline can also be defined as the ability to give up immediate pleasures for long-term goals (deferred gratification).^[29] Discipline is grounded in the ability to leave one's comfort zone. Habit is about wanting to change for the better, not for pain. To forego or sacrifice immediate pleasure requires thought and focused discipline. Self-discipline is about one's ability to control their desires and impulses to keep themselves focused on what needs to get done to successfully achieve a goal.^[30] It is about taking small, consistent steps of daily action to build a strong set of disciplined habits that fulfill your objectives. One trains themselves to follow rules and standards that help determine, coalesce, and line up one's thoughts and actions with the task at hand.^[30] Small acts allow one to achieve greater goals. The key component of self-discipline is the trait of persistence or perseverance.^[31] Daily choices accumulate to produce changes one wants the most, despite obstacles. Self-discipline, determination, and perseverance are similar to grit.

Discipline is about internal and external consistencies. One must decide on what is right from wrong (internal consistency) and adhere to external regulation, which is to have compliance with rules (external consistency).^[32] Discipline is used to "expend some effort" to do something one does not feel motivated to do.^[33] Discipline is an action that completes, furthers, or solidifies a goal, not merely one's thoughts and feelings. An action conforms to a value. In other words, one allows values to determine their own choices.

Self-discipline may prevent procrastination.^[34] People regret things they have not done compared to things they have done.^{[35][better source needed]} When one procrastinates, they spend time on things that avoid a goal. Procrastination is not always caused by laziness or relaxation.^[36] One can procrastinate due to failure or inability to learn.^[37]

Habits

A life-changing habit enhances health, working life, and quality of life. Habits are established in three stages:^[38]

1. Trigger (the thing that initiates the behavior)
2. Behavior (the action one takes)
3. Reward (the benefit one gains from doing the behavior)

To effectively utilize this three-step process, it is essential to recognize emotional triggers and maintain a consistent reward. Identifying one's emotional responses helps pinpoint behavioral patterns that prompt learned routines and outcomes. These patterns might hinder goal achievement. Transforming these responses involves finding alternative ways to fulfill emotional needs and adopting preferred behaviors. Discovering the required emotional state requires effort, as does establishing new, healthier habits that satisfy one's needs.

There are connections between motivation, self-discipline, and habits:^[39]

Motivation is the initial emotional drive or inspiration to help one develop their goals and actions.

When motivation begins to waver, it is a self-discipline that makes one continue despite their emotions and thoughts.

Over time, self-discipline diminishes as one's behaviors and actions become habits.^{[citation needed]}

It takes two months for a new habit to form, according to research by Phillippa Lally and colleagues.^[40] Making a mistake has no measurable impact on any long-term habits.^{[citation needed]} Habit-making is a process and not an event.

When one is developing habits to overcome impulses that represent easy paths to short-term gratification, they need control over their mind.^[41] Gaining control over one's minds, and taking a proactive approach, enables them to navigate challenges without becoming overly fixated on failure, financial strains, or anxiety. Mental anxiety, in particular, can contribute to heightened sensitivity to our surroundings, possibly leading to unnecessary alarmism.^[22] Chronic stress can be detrimental to the development of the executive function, and may make us perceive problems where they do not exist, as outnumbering the solutions, according to Hauser-Cram Heyman.^[22][42]

Brett McKay recommends to focus on one's circle of influence—what one can control—rather than their sphere of concern, which encompasses things beyond one's control. Self-discipline can be as straightforward as tackling a challenging task before bedtime or during other moments of the day; it is about carving out a portion of your day to cultivate self-discipline.^[43] It involves resisting the temptation of opting for the easiest route (primitive urges) to achieve long-term goals.

Your actions are a product of your ability to control yourself, both positively and negatively. Habits are automatic mechanisms that conserve our willpower energy. About 40% of our actions are driven by programmed habits.^{[citation needed]} To be self-disciplined, you need to manage your habits and remain task-oriented. Habits free up our minds to focus on more significant tasks. The longer we hold to bad habits the more difficult it is to break free from them.^[44] The more we resist temptations, ironically, the more we tend to ruminate and thus the stronger those desires tend to get.^[45] An example of a good habit is maintaining an organized physical space, which creates a relaxed and stress-free environment.

Choices often involve a trade-off between what gives us short-term pleasure but long-term pain (immediate gratification) or short-term pain and long-term pleasure (delayed gratification).^[46] Discipline entails executing habits precisely as intended, transforming "should do" into "must do," enhancing the likelihood of accomplishment and overcoming competing behaviors. Discipline is about adhering to an ideal routine even without cues. Acting promptly exemplifies discipline, while habits are built on preparedness and inclination. This requires a suitable level of buffering against competing behaviors. Achieving behavior change requires discipline.

There are three ways to learn to build discipline, according to Sam Thomas Davies.^[46]

self-assessment

determine the underlying reason for requiring discipline, use a focusing question, and prioritize the key factor that will lead you to your goal. Address resistance by identifying its source and counteracting it through commitment to your routine instead of making excuses, succumbing to sleep, or yielding to peer pressure.

self-awareness

learning to understand why you do not break your habits. Often, it's due to a lack of awareness about the ease of succumbing to impulses rather than staying committed. The answer is to eliminate anything that will distract you, become indestructible, and become a Choice Architect.^{[needs copy edit]} The principle "Out of sight, out of mind" applies here.^[relevant?]

self-celebration

celebrate and reward your daily accomplishments, even if you fail to live up to your expectations. Each outcome provides an opportunity for learning and growth.

There are active goals and passive goals.^[47] Passive goals are ideas, while active goals are concrete plans with specific measures and steps. This includes setting long-term objectives and planning daily tasks. Creating active goals provides direction and helps prevent distractions by outlining precisely what needs to be done.

In religion

Self-discipline is an important principle in several religious systems. For example, in Buddhist ethics as outlined in the Noble Eightfold Path, the element of commitment to harmony and self-restraint^{[clarification needed]} has been described as a moral discipline.^{[48][full citation needed]}

For some varieties of Christian ethics, virtues directed by the beatitudes were formally replaced by ascetical theology and obedience-based discipline. This shift transformed the focus from the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to one of authority, which, though blessed, didn't carry the same happiness as that derived from adherence and observances. During the Medieval period, spirituality and morality were closely intertwined and often seen as practically synonymous.^[49] The beatitudes gained prominence as an organizational principle after the time of Saint Augustine. However, Christian ethics as a discipline didn't fully emerge until the later Middle Ages. Alongside Lutheranism and the post-Enlightenment era, obedience-based discipline has been the new form.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "[t]he object, the intention, and the circumstances make up the three 'sources' of the morality of human acts."^[50] However, a good intention doesn't justify improper means, and certain acts are universally wrong to select. The Holy Spirit is essential for comprehending "the eternal Word of the living God, [and] must... open (our) minds to understand the Scriptures."^[51]

Alexander Maclaren proposed that the responsibility and cultivation of grace, along with the enduring hope that accompanies life, can be articulated in the following manner:^[relevant?]

'grace' means the sum of a future life's felicities [happiness]. That is clear from two considerations — that this grace is the object of our hope all through life, which only an object beyond the grave can be, and also that its advent is contemporaneous with the revelation of Jesus Christ. The expression, though unusual, is valuable because it brings out two things. It reminds us that whatever of [the] blessedness we may possess in the future it is all a gratuitous, unmerited gift of that loving God to whom we owe everything.^{[52][relevant?]}

Self-discipline is how our self-control is gained, and the way our hope is maintained. "Hope follows desire. The vigour of our hopes is affected by the warmth of our desires. The warmth of our desires towards the future depends largely on the turning away of our desires from the present."^[53]

Self-control

Gaining self-control involves managing reactions. External events or outcomes in one's life can never be controlled, yet reactions and attitudes can.^[32]

Maintaining a disciplined mind leads to effective reactions. Firstly, boredom can be created if one is not occupied. Secondly, lack of discipline may cause problems for social, mental, and academic performance, as excessive worry about future events consumes time. Thirdly, discipline helps preserve peace and order. Lastly, the disciplined person understands the consequences of their actions.^{[citation needed]}

Self-control includes avoiding impulsivity, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors.^[54] Overcoming such tendencies is an initial step for personal improvement. The ability to regulate one's emotions and behavior is a key component of our brain's executive function that helps us to plan, monitor, and attain goals. Succumbing to immediate impulses hinders both our internal growth and external impact. Self-control entails resisting certain actions, whereas discipline involves adopting routines to cultivate positive habits. Self-control means effective decision-making amid competing choices, while discipline fosters the accumulation of habits to bolster success; thus self-control and discipline may overlap. Debates persist over the concepts of ego depletion (limited willpower) and whether self-control is inherent or a learnable skill. Willpower, akin to physical energy, fluctuates throughout the day.^{[citation needed]} Anyone can benefit from healthy habits and can take measures to control their behavior. This is difficult but everyone has domains of life in which they could use greater willpower.

Four strategies are:

situation selection

avoiding situations where we will be likely to confront temptations

situation modification

doing what you can to reduce the pull of the temptation in the situation that arises

distraction

trying to distract yourself with better alternatives

reappraisal

changing the way you think about the bad habit so you do not favour it as much as you once did^[55]

Child discipline

Positive discipline

School discipline

School discipline relates to actions taken by teachers or school organizations toward students when their behavior disrupts the ongoing educational activity or breaks a rule created by the school. Discipline can guide the children's behavior or set limits to help them learn to take better care of themselves, other people and the world around them.^[62]

School systems set rules, and if students break these rules they are subject to discipline. These rules may, for example, define the expected standards of school uniforms, punctuality, social conduct, and work ethic. The term "discipline" is applied to the punishment that is the consequence of breaking the rules. The aim of discipline is to set limits restricting certain behaviors or attitudes that are seen as harmful or against school policies, educational norms, school traditions, etc.^[62] The focus of discipline is shifting and alternative approaches are emerging due to notably high dropout rates, disproportionate punishment upon minority students, and other educational inequalities.