Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or simply a person looking to make a positive change in your own life, discipline is very important. While some people tend to believe that discipline is the same thing as punishment, that isn’t necessarily the case. In truth, discipline is about holding someone accountable to certain standards. If they develop the natural ability to play by key rules, they can more easily achieve their goals. In this discipline essay, you’ll learn why this topic is important in several different areas of life.
In the workplace, discipline has very practical benefits. It lets employees know that certain behaviors will not be tolerated, and it establishes a professional image for the company. More importantly, though, it helps to prevent lawsuits. If one of your employees isn’t abiding by the company’s official harassment or discrimination guidelines, you could be sued.
Discipline in the workplace also helps to maintain optimal levels of employee productivity. You don’t want to be harsh with your workers, but you do want them to clearly understand that a certain degree of focus is expected of them.
In schools, discipline also plays a significant role, especially when students are very young. Although their parents may be the ones most responsible for instilling in them a basic behavioral code, children spend a substantial portion of their lives in school. The immediate effect of disciplining children with behavioral issues may be to maintain an orderly classroom, but there are also long-lasting benefits when children are taught to follow the rules.
School serves not only to educate children but also to prepare them for lives in which they will be expected to be upstanding citizens. That means obeying the law, behaving well in their future careers, and treating others with the basic respect. Once again, parents absolutely play a role in helping children develop positive traits, but teachers who place an emphasis on discipline will also help students become better citizens.
That said, parents can’t neglect discipline, assuming that their children will learn everything they need about obeying the rules at school. When parents raise their children to follow the rules, those children are much more likely to succeed academically. Very often, students who haven’t been properly disciplined, struggle in school.
Finally, healthy self-discipline is also a very important trait to develop. When a child becomes an adult, their parents and teachers won’t enforce discipline. While supervisors and law enforcement will, for a good portion of a person’s adult life, they have to motivate themselves to follow essential rules. They need to maintain their homes, treat friends, and family members with the proper respect, take steps to ensure they remain healthy and work hard to succeed in all areas of life.
Without self-discipline, it’s very difficult to function as an adult. People who lack strong self-discipline may fail to move up their career ladders, or they may develop serious health problems as a result of indulging in bad habits.
References:
- Essentially, discipline is a major component of a person’s life from the time they are a child, through adulthood. That’s why it’s important to prioritize it in all settings.
- Etzioni, A. (2017). The Role of Self-Discipline. George Washington University.
- Gleeson, B. (2017). Why Creating a Culture of Discipline is the Path to Greatness. Forbes.com
- Kennedy, D. (2013). Why Self-Discipline Will Make You Unstoppable. Entrepreneur.com
- Macquarie University. (2017). Discipline more effective than monetary investment in education: new research
- Morrison, N. (2014). The Surprising Truth About Discipline in Schools. Forbes.com
- Quintero, E. (2014). New Research on School Discipline. Albert Shanker Institute.
- Strain, M. (2016). How Important is Discipline in the Workplace? SmallBusiness.Chron.com