Self monitoring the key to improvement.
One of the most influential authorities on behavioural change gives us a clear message on where to start. Bandura states, “People cannot influence their own motivation and actions very well, if they do not pay adequate attention to their own performance.”
We find this works extremely well in the areas of time management and personal efficiency. When we ask people to self observe by recording their activity, they always come back with either some interesting new observations or increased insight. Almost always it’s a very useful exercise.
With this insight people are much more open to trying to change, and their motivation is dramatically increased.
So not telling them what to do, but encouraging them to self observe and then decide what they need to do is far more productive.