How to Live Without the Clock
How to Live Without the Clock
“Clocks slay time… time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life.” - William Faulkner
Have you ever wished that time would just go away?
I don’t mean time or “existence” in the literal sense. I mean time in the way we count things.
Because we’re always counting, aren’t we?
• What time is it?
• How much time do I have left?
• How much longer until we arrive?
• I hate waiting so long, I don’t have time for this.
• We need to hurry it up.
• If we’re late, we’re going to be in trouble.
When you really take a close look at all the hangups we have about time, it’s amazing how much we obsess over it. We think we can control time, how long things take, and what kind of results we get. Time management, after all, is how we achieve success, isn’t it?
Or so we think. Because there are so many other factors to success that have nothing to do with time, and nothing to do with counting it. There are priorities, there is leverage, relationships, resources, focus, commitment, and all of these other things. Yet we call it “time management.”
What I’ve personally found in my life is that the more I try to manage (control) time, the more anxiety I have.
I’m always trying to…
• Make sure there’s enough time.
• Schedule things efficiently.
• Make sure I have time for this, or time for that.
• Not let time “run away from me.”
• Not spend too much time tracking time.
See how ridiculous this gets?
Jim Loehr, author of The Power of Full Engagement, says that “managing energy, not time, is the key to high performance.”
I have to agree. Trying to constantly manage and monitor my time has only led me to greater anxiety, and always feeling like I’ve not “done enough.” I’m always thinking about how I could have “spent that time more wisely.” But the purpose of life is to enjoy it, is it not? So can’t we perform highly without the anxiety of counting every minute?
I think so; at least I’ve been doing my best to live this way. After all, it takes time to ditch decades of time-bound conditioning.
So here are a few things I recommend to kill the anxiety of the clock:
• Pick a theme for each month. A lot of people like to set goals. Well, I don’t. I find that goals give me too much anxiety because I’m always measuring myself up against what I could have done better. So instead, I like to set a theme for each month and focus my energy on that. This month, my theme is improving my ability to focus. Less email checking, distractions, and more highly focused, deep concentration work.
• Work by the week. This has made a huge difference for me in getting the most important tasks done. Instead of setting my most important tasks for the day, I set them weekly. I’ve found this helps me better focus on the bigger picture. You may have heard the saying “We overestimate what we can do in a day, and underestimate what we can do in a year.” I was always overestimating what I could do in a day, and beating myself up for not getting everything done. By focusing on the week, I’ve eliminated this issue.
• Follow your rhythms. This may seem like a vague concept, but it’s about following the rhythms of your energy and listening to your body. When you need to take a break, take one. When you feel like plunging in, plunge in. Pay attention to what you’re drawn to working on and what you’re attracted to.
• Schedule when you need to. We obviously can’t remove all scheduling commitments. There is a benefit to having a specific time and date setup for a meeting. This would be difficult otherwise. What you can do, though, is give yourself enough time to prepare beforehand and to transition afterward. That way you won’t always feel in a rush; the prime cause of time-based anxiety.
• Flow. I personally love structuring my work around big, amazing and exciting projects. When I do this, I lay out the action steps and milestones necessary. Then I get to work. But the most awesome thing about working on big, amazing projects is that you are inviting the flow state. When you’re deeply passionate about a project, it’s easy to get absorbed in the work and lose track of time.
• Stand still. We spend so much time trying to “go places” and “arrive.” And we spend a lot of time preparing for things in the future. While this is sometimes a necessary part of life, it’s also important to play, to let go, forget the future, and forget the past. What is so important that it cannot wait? It will be there tomorrow. And there will always be more. So relax, and let the world pass you by.
I heard a story from a friend about some business men that went to vacation in Bali. They had purchased one of the typical vacation packages from the local travel agency, which of course, had a schedule of events. As they were sitting at an outside patio at the bar, they asked when the entertainment would be starting that evening. The hostess just said “Oh it will start when it starts.”
You can imagine how much this troubled the men. Uncertainty… lack of control. Not knowing.
The locals in Bali are famous for being an incredibly carefree and happy people. They are also well known for not caring much about measuring time, or trying to be on time. They don’t care much about it. They are also extremely happy.
Meanwhile, the business men’s day has been ruined. They can’t count the minutes till the evening’s event begins.
So what would you rather be: in control… or happy?
“Clocks slay time… time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life.” - William Faulkner
Have you ever wished that time would just go away?
I don’t mean time or “existence” in the literal sense. I mean time in the way we count things.
Because we’re always counting, aren’t we?
• What time is it?
• How much time do I have left?
• How much longer until we arrive?
• I hate waiting so long, I don’t have time for this.
• We need to hurry it up.
• If we’re late, we’re going to be in trouble.
When you really take a close look at all the hangups we have about time, it’s amazing how much we obsess over it. We think we can control time, how long things take, and what kind of results we get. Time management, after all, is how we achieve success, isn’t it?
Or so we think. Because there are so many other factors to success that have nothing to do with time, and nothing to do with counting it. There are priorities, there is leverage, relationships, resources, focus, commitment, and all of these other things. Yet we call it “time management.”
What I’ve personally found in my life is that the more I try to manage (control) time, the more anxiety I have.
I’m always trying to…
• Make sure there’s enough time.
• Schedule things efficiently.
• Make sure I have time for this, or time for that.
• Not let time “run away from me.”
• Not spend too much time tracking time.
See how ridiculous this gets?
Jim Loehr, author of The Power of Full Engagement, says that “managing energy, not time, is the key to high performance.”
I have to agree. Trying to constantly manage and monitor my time has only led me to greater anxiety, and always feeling like I’ve not “done enough.” I’m always thinking about how I could have “spent that time more wisely.” But the purpose of life is to enjoy it, is it not? So can’t we perform highly without the anxiety of counting every minute?
I think so; at least I’ve been doing my best to live this way. After all, it takes time to ditch decades of time-bound conditioning.
So here are a few things I recommend to kill the anxiety of the clock:
• Pick a theme for each month. A lot of people like to set goals. Well, I don’t. I find that goals give me too much anxiety because I’m always measuring myself up against what I could have done better. So instead, I like to set a theme for each month and focus my energy on that. This month, my theme is improving my ability to focus. Less email checking, distractions, and more highly focused, deep concentration work.
• Work by the week. This has made a huge difference for me in getting the most important tasks done. Instead of setting my most important tasks for the day, I set them weekly. I’ve found this helps me better focus on the bigger picture. You may have heard the saying “We overestimate what we can do in a day, and underestimate what we can do in a year.” I was always overestimating what I could do in a day, and beating myself up for not getting everything done. By focusing on the week, I’ve eliminated this issue.
• Follow your rhythms. This may seem like a vague concept, but it’s about following the rhythms of your energy and listening to your body. When you need to take a break, take one. When you feel like plunging in, plunge in. Pay attention to what you’re drawn to working on and what you’re attracted to.
• Schedule when you need to. We obviously can’t remove all scheduling commitments. There is a benefit to having a specific time and date setup for a meeting. This would be difficult otherwise. What you can do, though, is give yourself enough time to prepare beforehand and to transition afterward. That way you won’t always feel in a rush; the prime cause of time-based anxiety.
• Flow. I personally love structuring my work around big, amazing and exciting projects. When I do this, I lay out the action steps and milestones necessary. Then I get to work. But the most awesome thing about working on big, amazing projects is that you are inviting the flow state. When you’re deeply passionate about a project, it’s easy to get absorbed in the work and lose track of time.
• Stand still. We spend so much time trying to “go places” and “arrive.” And we spend a lot of time preparing for things in the future. While this is sometimes a necessary part of life, it’s also important to play, to let go, forget the future, and forget the past. What is so important that it cannot wait? It will be there tomorrow. And there will always be more. So relax, and let the world pass you by.
I heard a story from a friend about some business men that went to vacation in Bali. They had purchased one of the typical vacation packages from the local travel agency, which of course, had a schedule of events. As they were sitting at an outside patio at the bar, they asked when the entertainment would be starting that evening. The hostess just said “Oh it will start when it starts.”
You can imagine how much this troubled the men. Uncertainty… lack of control. Not knowing.
The locals in Bali are famous for being an incredibly carefree and happy people. They are also well known for not caring much about measuring time, or trying to be on time. They don’t care much about it. They are also extremely happy.
Meanwhile, the business men’s day has been ruined. They can’t count the minutes till the evening’s event begins.
So what would you rather be: in control… or happy?
Your Life
“Our life is frittered away by detail … simplify, simplify.” - Henry David Thoreau
Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.
A lot of people seem to connect with my message of simplicity, and yearn to find a simpler life in this world of ever-increasing complexity, of overwhelming technology.
We want to take the good things in our lives, the benefits of technology, but simplify things, get rid of the complexities.
And while I’ve written dozens of articles on simplifying (and an entire book on it), I’d like to offer a simple method.
Something you can do today, without being overwhelmed.
A 12-step method, perhaps, simplified into just 6 steps.
1. Write down your top priorities. We all have a long list of things we want to do, to try, to learn, to accomplish. Just pick 4-5. You can do that right now — make a short list of the things that are most important to you. My list: spending time with my family, writing, reading and running. These are the things you’ll build your life around, for now. You can always change this list later, as your priorities change.
2. Reduce one commitment. What is something you do every day or week that’s not on your short list? Is there any way you can get out of it? Make a phone call or send an email right now that will get you out of that commitment. It might mean disappointing one or many people — but you are going to create the simple life you want, not the complicated life others demand of you. By reducing this one commitment, you are simplifying your life, creating more time and space for the important stuff. Make the choice to put your priorities first, to find the time for them, by reducing your commitments.
3. Simplify your to-do list. Same concept, but at a smaller level — what’s on your to-do list that doesn’t need to be there? Something you’ve been dreading that you don’t absolutely have to do? Can you tell someone you’re just too busy to work on this? Can you give it to someone else, or automate it? See if you can pare your to-do list to just the most important things. Alternatively, just pick 1-3 things to do each day, and don’t worry about the rest.
4. Set aside some disconnected time. If you’re connected all the time, this step is essential. Don’t skip it! Pick one hour to be disconnected — no Internet, no email, no IM, no phones. You can use your computer, but just for desktop computing, like writing in a word processor or text file, or working in Photoshop, or what have you. Use this time to really focus, to pour yourself into important tasks that you love to do. Or you can use this disconnected time to relax.
5. Create your perfect day. You’ve blocked aside some disconnected time, but let’s take that a step further: what would your ideal day look like? What would you do when you woke up, what would your work day look like (hint: it doesn’t have to be the work you’re doing now, but it could be), would you have time for exercise or sports or taking a walk or relaxing or reading or doing a hobby, would you have time for loved ones, time to clean or do errands, time for checking email, etc.? List the things you’d do, ideally, then simplify to the most important ones. Then lay them out in a schedule. You don’t have to stick to this schedule exactly, but knowing what’s ideal gives you something to work toward. In some cases, you can simply start living this day, tomorrow, but in others you’ll have to make gradual changes to allow this ideal day to happen. The key: taking control and responsibility for making the perfect day a reality.
6. Declutter. You want a nice, decluttered, serene space to surround you in your new simplified life. So you’re going to create it. Two ways to go here: if you don’t have much time, just do 10-15 minutes for now, and continue to do small increments until you get to where you’d like to be. Here’s how. Second method is if you have an entire day or weekend — set aside a big block of time and just overhaul your workspace or one or two rooms in your home. Here’s a good method.
Next Steps
Once you get to this stage, things should be a bit more simplified. But you’re probably interested in going beyond that. Here’s what you can do next — but please, please, don’t try to do these all at once. Pick one at a time, and do it slowly, over time. Simplifying isn’t a race — it’s a life.
* Declutter some more. Read.
* Letting go of wanting to buy more..
* Reducing more commitments.
* Transitioning to doing only work you love.
* Creating time for solitude, quiet and relaxation.
* Slowing down in everything you do.
* Being present more often.
* Single-tasking.
And most importantly: enjoy the process! The important thing isn’t a destination — a perfect, simple life — but the journey along the way.
Manifest plainness,
Embrace simplicity,
Reduce selfishness,
Have few desires.
- Lao-tzu
Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.
A lot of people seem to connect with my message of simplicity, and yearn to find a simpler life in this world of ever-increasing complexity, of overwhelming technology.
We want to take the good things in our lives, the benefits of technology, but simplify things, get rid of the complexities.
And while I’ve written dozens of articles on simplifying (and an entire book on it), I’d like to offer a simple method.
Something you can do today, without being overwhelmed.
A 12-step method, perhaps, simplified into just 6 steps.
1. Write down your top priorities. We all have a long list of things we want to do, to try, to learn, to accomplish. Just pick 4-5. You can do that right now — make a short list of the things that are most important to you. My list: spending time with my family, writing, reading and running. These are the things you’ll build your life around, for now. You can always change this list later, as your priorities change.
2. Reduce one commitment. What is something you do every day or week that’s not on your short list? Is there any way you can get out of it? Make a phone call or send an email right now that will get you out of that commitment. It might mean disappointing one or many people — but you are going to create the simple life you want, not the complicated life others demand of you. By reducing this one commitment, you are simplifying your life, creating more time and space for the important stuff. Make the choice to put your priorities first, to find the time for them, by reducing your commitments.
3. Simplify your to-do list. Same concept, but at a smaller level — what’s on your to-do list that doesn’t need to be there? Something you’ve been dreading that you don’t absolutely have to do? Can you tell someone you’re just too busy to work on this? Can you give it to someone else, or automate it? See if you can pare your to-do list to just the most important things. Alternatively, just pick 1-3 things to do each day, and don’t worry about the rest.
4. Set aside some disconnected time. If you’re connected all the time, this step is essential. Don’t skip it! Pick one hour to be disconnected — no Internet, no email, no IM, no phones. You can use your computer, but just for desktop computing, like writing in a word processor or text file, or working in Photoshop, or what have you. Use this time to really focus, to pour yourself into important tasks that you love to do. Or you can use this disconnected time to relax.
5. Create your perfect day. You’ve blocked aside some disconnected time, but let’s take that a step further: what would your ideal day look like? What would you do when you woke up, what would your work day look like (hint: it doesn’t have to be the work you’re doing now, but it could be), would you have time for exercise or sports or taking a walk or relaxing or reading or doing a hobby, would you have time for loved ones, time to clean or do errands, time for checking email, etc.? List the things you’d do, ideally, then simplify to the most important ones. Then lay them out in a schedule. You don’t have to stick to this schedule exactly, but knowing what’s ideal gives you something to work toward. In some cases, you can simply start living this day, tomorrow, but in others you’ll have to make gradual changes to allow this ideal day to happen. The key: taking control and responsibility for making the perfect day a reality.
6. Declutter. You want a nice, decluttered, serene space to surround you in your new simplified life. So you’re going to create it. Two ways to go here: if you don’t have much time, just do 10-15 minutes for now, and continue to do small increments until you get to where you’d like to be. Here’s how. Second method is if you have an entire day or weekend — set aside a big block of time and just overhaul your workspace or one or two rooms in your home. Here’s a good method.
Next Steps
Once you get to this stage, things should be a bit more simplified. But you’re probably interested in going beyond that. Here’s what you can do next — but please, please, don’t try to do these all at once. Pick one at a time, and do it slowly, over time. Simplifying isn’t a race — it’s a life.
* Declutter some more. Read.
* Letting go of wanting to buy more..
* Reducing more commitments.
* Transitioning to doing only work you love.
* Creating time for solitude, quiet and relaxation.
* Slowing down in everything you do.
* Being present more often.
* Single-tasking.
And most importantly: enjoy the process! The important thing isn’t a destination — a perfect, simple life — but the journey along the way.
Manifest plainness,
Embrace simplicity,
Reduce selfishness,
Have few desires.
- Lao-tzu
How to Make the Most of the Fresh Start of a New Year
“Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” ~
Buddha
Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.
Were several days into the New Year, and many of us are still basking in
the glow of a fresh start.
Every year, January brings renewed optimism for change, for a better life,
for a better you. And thats a wonderful thing.
Its wonderful, because this fresh start gives us a chance to reinvent our
lives and ourselves. It allows us to reinvigorate ourselves, to shed the
baggage of the previous year and do anything. Anything is possible!
That is a gift, my friends, and I suggest we make the most of this gift.
Not just by creating and sticking to resolutions (heres my guide for doing
that), but by reinventing the way we live.
Heres how.
1. Let go.
Many times we are held back by the tangled web of previous failures,
commitments, emotions, barriers. We cannot change careers because were used
to what were doing and its too hard to change. We cannot find time to get
healthy and fit because we have all these other things to do. We cannot
find time for our loved ones because we have too many commitments.
This is all old baggage. A fresh start demands a clean slate. Let
everything from the past go (easier said than done, I know). Clear your
plate and your palate.
Let go of attachments to what youve been doing for the past year, or years.
Let go of failures. Let go of fears youve built up. Let go of reluctance.
Let go of your ideas about what your life has to be like, because thats the
way its evolved so far. Let go of long-held beliefs and habits.
You have a fresh start. Let go of last year, and start anew.
2. Decide what matters most today.
Forget about your goals for all of this year. Instead, decide: what do you
want to do today?
What matters most to you, to your life? What are you most passionate about,
right now? What excites and invigorates you? What would give you the most
fulfillment?
Often the answer is in creating something, making something new, helping
other people, becoming a better person, working on a project that will be
an accomplishment to be proud of. But whatever your answer, have it clear
in your mind at the beginning of the day.
This might be something you work on all year, or it might just last a
month, or it might last a week or a few days, or just today. It doesnt
matter. What matters is today that youre going to work on this with all
your heart, today. Tomorrow well decide on that tomorrow.
3. Clear away distractions and focus.
Clear away email and Facebook and Twitter and your favorite blogs and news
websites and social forums, clear away the iPhone or Blackberry or Android
or cell phone, clear away all the little nagging work and chores and
errands that pull at your attention, clear away the clutter that surrounds
you (sweep it off to the side to deal with later).
In fact, if you can, shut off the Internet for awhile. You can come back to
it when you take a break.
Now, find focus. Even if only for 15 or 20 minutes at first, but preferably
for 30-60 minutes. You can take a break and check your email or whatever
after youve focused. Focus on the thing that matters most. Do it for as
long as you can, until youre done if possible. Feel free to take breaks,
but always return to your focus.
When youre done, focus on the next thing that matters most, and so on.
4. Find happiness now.
Dont look at happiness as something that will come when youre done with
this goal, or when youve attained a certain accomplishment or certain
amount of wealth or material goods. Dont look at happiness as a
destination, something that youll get later.
Happiness is possible right now. Always remember that. When you push it
back until later, itll never come. When you learn to be happy now, itll
always be here.
When youre doing whatever youre passionate about, whatever matters most,
whatever you decide is worthy of your time and heart and focus be happy!
Youre doing what you love. And that is truly a gift.
5. Reinvent yourself, every day.
Every day, you are reborn. Reinvent yourself and your life, every day. Do
what matters most to you, that day.
It might be the same thing that mattered most yesterday, or it might not
be. That isnt important. Whats important is today right now. Be
passionate, be happy, right now.
Youll have a fresh start every single day not just on January 1. And that,
my friends, is the best thing ever.
If you liked this guide, please bookmark it on Delicious or share on
Twitter. Thanks, my friends.
Read more about simplifying in my book, The Power of Less.
Buddha
Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.
Were several days into the New Year, and many of us are still basking in
the glow of a fresh start.
Every year, January brings renewed optimism for change, for a better life,
for a better you. And thats a wonderful thing.
Its wonderful, because this fresh start gives us a chance to reinvent our
lives and ourselves. It allows us to reinvigorate ourselves, to shed the
baggage of the previous year and do anything. Anything is possible!
That is a gift, my friends, and I suggest we make the most of this gift.
Not just by creating and sticking to resolutions (heres my guide for doing
that), but by reinventing the way we live.
Heres how.
1. Let go.
Many times we are held back by the tangled web of previous failures,
commitments, emotions, barriers. We cannot change careers because were used
to what were doing and its too hard to change. We cannot find time to get
healthy and fit because we have all these other things to do. We cannot
find time for our loved ones because we have too many commitments.
This is all old baggage. A fresh start demands a clean slate. Let
everything from the past go (easier said than done, I know). Clear your
plate and your palate.
Let go of attachments to what youve been doing for the past year, or years.
Let go of failures. Let go of fears youve built up. Let go of reluctance.
Let go of your ideas about what your life has to be like, because thats the
way its evolved so far. Let go of long-held beliefs and habits.
You have a fresh start. Let go of last year, and start anew.
2. Decide what matters most today.
Forget about your goals for all of this year. Instead, decide: what do you
want to do today?
What matters most to you, to your life? What are you most passionate about,
right now? What excites and invigorates you? What would give you the most
fulfillment?
Often the answer is in creating something, making something new, helping
other people, becoming a better person, working on a project that will be
an accomplishment to be proud of. But whatever your answer, have it clear
in your mind at the beginning of the day.
This might be something you work on all year, or it might just last a
month, or it might last a week or a few days, or just today. It doesnt
matter. What matters is today that youre going to work on this with all
your heart, today. Tomorrow well decide on that tomorrow.
3. Clear away distractions and focus.
Clear away email and Facebook and Twitter and your favorite blogs and news
websites and social forums, clear away the iPhone or Blackberry or Android
or cell phone, clear away all the little nagging work and chores and
errands that pull at your attention, clear away the clutter that surrounds
you (sweep it off to the side to deal with later).
In fact, if you can, shut off the Internet for awhile. You can come back to
it when you take a break.
Now, find focus. Even if only for 15 or 20 minutes at first, but preferably
for 30-60 minutes. You can take a break and check your email or whatever
after youve focused. Focus on the thing that matters most. Do it for as
long as you can, until youre done if possible. Feel free to take breaks,
but always return to your focus.
When youre done, focus on the next thing that matters most, and so on.
4. Find happiness now.
Dont look at happiness as something that will come when youre done with
this goal, or when youve attained a certain accomplishment or certain
amount of wealth or material goods. Dont look at happiness as a
destination, something that youll get later.
Happiness is possible right now. Always remember that. When you push it
back until later, itll never come. When you learn to be happy now, itll
always be here.
When youre doing whatever youre passionate about, whatever matters most,
whatever you decide is worthy of your time and heart and focus be happy!
Youre doing what you love. And that is truly a gift.
5. Reinvent yourself, every day.
Every day, you are reborn. Reinvent yourself and your life, every day. Do
what matters most to you, that day.
It might be the same thing that mattered most yesterday, or it might not
be. That isnt important. Whats important is today right now. Be
passionate, be happy, right now.
Youll have a fresh start every single day not just on January 1. And that,
my friends, is the best thing ever.
If you liked this guide, please bookmark it on Delicious or share on
Twitter. Thanks, my friends.
Read more about simplifying in my book, The Power of Less.
The Definitive Guide to Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolutions
The Definitive Guide to Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolutions
‘Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables.’ ~ Spanish Proverb
Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.
Let’s face it: most of us fail when it comes to sticking to resolutions — so much so that many people swear never to make resolutions again.
And yet the rest of us are eternally hopeful when the New Year comes around, believing without any credible evidence that we can improve our lives, that change is possible, that we’re not going to be stuck in the same old rut again this year.
I’m here to tell you that you can do it. It’s possible. I’ll show you how.
The Problem with Most Resolutions
While I love the optimism of New Year’s Resolutions, unfortunately, the enthusiasm and hope often fades within weeks, and our efforts at self improvement come to a whimpering end.
New Year’s Resolutions usually fail because of a combination of some of these reasons:
• We try to do too many resolutions at once, and that spreads our focus and energies too thin. It’s much less effective to do many habits at once (read more).
• We only have a certain amount of enthusiasm and motivation, and it runs out because we try to do too much, too soon. We spend all that energy in the beginning and then run out of steam.
• We try to do really tough habits right away, which means it’s difficult and we become overwhelmed or intimidated by the difficulty and quit.
• We try to be “disciplined” and do very unpleasant habits, but our nature won’t allow that to last for long. If we really don’t want to do something, we won’t be able to force ourselves to do it for long.
• Life gets in the way. Things come up unexpectedly that get in the way of us sticking with a habit.
• Resolutions are often vague — I’m going to exercise! — but don’t contain a concrete action plan and don’t use proven habit techniques. That’s a recipe for failure.
There are other reasons, but the ones above are easily sufficient to stop resolutions from succeeding.
The 6 Changes Method
So what are we to do? I’ve created the 6 Changes Method, along with a new site called 6Changes.com, to solve these problems:
• We only focus on one habit change at a time, so our focus and energies aren’t spread thinly.
• We implement the habit changes gradually, so we don’t run out of steam.
• We start out really, really easily, so it isn’t intimidating.
• We focus on enjoyable activities, so we don’t need “discipline”.
• We have two months to do the habit change, so if something comes up, it’s but a small bump in the road. And because we’re publicly committed, we’re going to get back on track.
• We have a very specific plan with actions built in, using proven habit change techniques.
If you stick with the method, you’ll do much better than you’ve done in the past with New Year’s Resolutions. You’ll focus on creating long-lasting habits rather than trying to reach a short-term goal that fails. You’ll maintain your enthusiasm for longer and not become overwhelmed by the difficulty of change. You’ll have habits that will change your life, and that’s no small feat.
The Method
So how does the 6 Changes method work?
It’s simple:
1. Pick 6 habits for 2010.
2. Pick 1 of the 6 habits to start with.
3. Commit as publicly as possible to creating this new habit in 2 months.
4. Break the habit into 8 baby steps, starting with a ridiculously easy step. Example: if you want to floss, the first step is just to get out a piece of floss at the same time each night.
5. Choose a trigger for your habit – something already in your routine that will immediately precede the habit. Examples: eating breakfast, brushing your teeth, showering, waking up, arriving at the office, leaving the office, getting home in the evening.
6. Do the 1st, really easy baby step for one week, right after the trigger. Post your progress publicly. (Read more.)
7. Each week, move on to a slightly harder step. You’ll want to progress faster, but don’t. You’re building a new habit. Repeat this until you’ve done 8 weeks.
You now have a new habit! Commit to Habit No. 2 and repeat the process.
Further Reading
Read more on creating your new habits for the New Year:
1. Suggest habits. Which six will you choose? Some recommendations.
2. The Importance of Public Accountability. Why it’s one of the foundations of the method, and how to do it.
3. What’s a Trigger & Why Is It So Important? Another key to the method.
4. Why You Should Do Only One Habit at a Time. Answers one of the most common questions people have about the method.
5. How to Be Patient as Your Habit Develops. It’s not easy to do it this slowly, but here’s how it works and how to do it.
6. The Art of the Start of a Habit. Why starting is so hard and how this method overcomes it.
7. How to Kick a Bad Habit. Suggested method that has worked for me in the past.
8. How to Form the Exercise Habit. How to apply the method to the habit of exercise.
9. Key to Habit Change: Enjoy the Activity. Don’t force yourself to do something you hate. Find ways to enjoy it instead.
10. Make Your Habit Change a Priority. How not to let it drop by the wayside.
11. Don’t Worry So Much About Long-term Goals. Focus on the process, not the end point.
12. Why Daily Frequency of Habits is Important. Daily habits are better than ones you do once a week, or even 2-3 times a week.
‘It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop.’ ~ Confucius
If you liked this guide, please bookmark it on Delicious or share on Twitter. Thanks, my friends.
‘Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables.’ ~ Spanish Proverb
Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.
Let’s face it: most of us fail when it comes to sticking to resolutions — so much so that many people swear never to make resolutions again.
And yet the rest of us are eternally hopeful when the New Year comes around, believing without any credible evidence that we can improve our lives, that change is possible, that we’re not going to be stuck in the same old rut again this year.
I’m here to tell you that you can do it. It’s possible. I’ll show you how.
The Problem with Most Resolutions
While I love the optimism of New Year’s Resolutions, unfortunately, the enthusiasm and hope often fades within weeks, and our efforts at self improvement come to a whimpering end.
New Year’s Resolutions usually fail because of a combination of some of these reasons:
• We try to do too many resolutions at once, and that spreads our focus and energies too thin. It’s much less effective to do many habits at once (read more).
• We only have a certain amount of enthusiasm and motivation, and it runs out because we try to do too much, too soon. We spend all that energy in the beginning and then run out of steam.
• We try to do really tough habits right away, which means it’s difficult and we become overwhelmed or intimidated by the difficulty and quit.
• We try to be “disciplined” and do very unpleasant habits, but our nature won’t allow that to last for long. If we really don’t want to do something, we won’t be able to force ourselves to do it for long.
• Life gets in the way. Things come up unexpectedly that get in the way of us sticking with a habit.
• Resolutions are often vague — I’m going to exercise! — but don’t contain a concrete action plan and don’t use proven habit techniques. That’s a recipe for failure.
There are other reasons, but the ones above are easily sufficient to stop resolutions from succeeding.
The 6 Changes Method
So what are we to do? I’ve created the 6 Changes Method, along with a new site called 6Changes.com, to solve these problems:
• We only focus on one habit change at a time, so our focus and energies aren’t spread thinly.
• We implement the habit changes gradually, so we don’t run out of steam.
• We start out really, really easily, so it isn’t intimidating.
• We focus on enjoyable activities, so we don’t need “discipline”.
• We have two months to do the habit change, so if something comes up, it’s but a small bump in the road. And because we’re publicly committed, we’re going to get back on track.
• We have a very specific plan with actions built in, using proven habit change techniques.
If you stick with the method, you’ll do much better than you’ve done in the past with New Year’s Resolutions. You’ll focus on creating long-lasting habits rather than trying to reach a short-term goal that fails. You’ll maintain your enthusiasm for longer and not become overwhelmed by the difficulty of change. You’ll have habits that will change your life, and that’s no small feat.
The Method
So how does the 6 Changes method work?
It’s simple:
1. Pick 6 habits for 2010.
2. Pick 1 of the 6 habits to start with.
3. Commit as publicly as possible to creating this new habit in 2 months.
4. Break the habit into 8 baby steps, starting with a ridiculously easy step. Example: if you want to floss, the first step is just to get out a piece of floss at the same time each night.
5. Choose a trigger for your habit – something already in your routine that will immediately precede the habit. Examples: eating breakfast, brushing your teeth, showering, waking up, arriving at the office, leaving the office, getting home in the evening.
6. Do the 1st, really easy baby step for one week, right after the trigger. Post your progress publicly. (Read more.)
7. Each week, move on to a slightly harder step. You’ll want to progress faster, but don’t. You’re building a new habit. Repeat this until you’ve done 8 weeks.
You now have a new habit! Commit to Habit No. 2 and repeat the process.
Further Reading
Read more on creating your new habits for the New Year:
1. Suggest habits. Which six will you choose? Some recommendations.
2. The Importance of Public Accountability. Why it’s one of the foundations of the method, and how to do it.
3. What’s a Trigger & Why Is It So Important? Another key to the method.
4. Why You Should Do Only One Habit at a Time. Answers one of the most common questions people have about the method.
5. How to Be Patient as Your Habit Develops. It’s not easy to do it this slowly, but here’s how it works and how to do it.
6. The Art of the Start of a Habit. Why starting is so hard and how this method overcomes it.
7. How to Kick a Bad Habit. Suggested method that has worked for me in the past.
8. How to Form the Exercise Habit. How to apply the method to the habit of exercise.
9. Key to Habit Change: Enjoy the Activity. Don’t force yourself to do something you hate. Find ways to enjoy it instead.
10. Make Your Habit Change a Priority. How not to let it drop by the wayside.
11. Don’t Worry So Much About Long-term Goals. Focus on the process, not the end point.
12. Why Daily Frequency of Habits is Important. Daily habits are better than ones you do once a week, or even 2-3 times a week.
‘It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop.’ ~ Confucius
If you liked this guide, please bookmark it on Delicious or share on Twitter. Thanks, my friends.
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