One of the things about the start of a New Year is that there is a lot of clarity that suddenly arises in your mind and your life about what’s important to you and what is not. Check your habits comes from that kind of thinking.
This is the main reason why many people start going to the gym in January. Because they realize all of a sudden that their health and longevity are extremely important to them.
In my case, the New Year has always been a time of self-reflection and going back to the basics. I am constantly prodding and poking at my schedule, and my habits to figure out if all of the different things I am doing on a daily basis are serving me or not.
And the flip side of that coin is figuring out if there are certain habits that I should add into the mix because it would serve me well.
I have a very rigid daily schedule that includes many different things that help me become the prolific writer and creator that I am. Without all of my routine, and rigidity, I wouldn’t have the time or the space or even the energy to create.
Based on my analysis of my schedule, the following are the things I have added and eliminated from my schedule. This will give you an idea of how this process works.
What Habits Have I Eliminated From My Schedule
I had a tendency in the previous year to say yes to everything. In the past, I liked living that way, because that meant that there was no FOMO. I could say yes, and yes, and yes.
Piling on more and more stuff onto my plate, and then from there, I could go on to burnout mode. And, exhaust myself from overwork. I’m not kidding. This was the way my mind worked in the past.
It was more important to me to do more and get more stuff done, just for the sake of doing. It made me feel like I was an important person with a lot going on in her life. Not a miserable idiot, who was just filling her plate with nonsense.
Of course, New Year brings in the new me, and this new me is more inclined to say no to something rather than yes.
I am constantly getting people sending me new opportunities and ideas. This is the world we live in, where there’s always some new social media app, or some new video to watch, or some new post to read, or some new person to follow.
There’s always more and more information overload. And many new courses to take.
My thing with all of this now is to say no. I have decided at least for 2019 not to add anything new to my plate, work-related. I already have a good cadence going with my writing, and my videos, and I would like to keep it minimalistic and keep the focus extremely narrow.
What Habits Have I Added To My Schedule
One habit that I have added to my routine is more physical exercise. I am the kind of computer nerd who could spend all of her days on the computer, typing away, and doing random nonsense.
If given the chance, I would spend all day in a dark room by myself, not eating anything, rummaging about on my computer doing different random things.
It can be a good thing, but also a really bad thing. It’s good because I get loads done, without being distracted or procrastinating, but it’s a bad thing because I don’t move all day.
And as you have heard, sitting too long in one position can really harm and degrade the physical human body.
Check Your Habits – Our Body Needs to Move On a Constant Basis
Thus, I have added the act of movement as one of my main daily goals. Before I do any work at all, after I finish my morning routine of journaling, Wim Hof breathing, and meditation, I go for a run. It’s a simple run.
Actually, maybe it’s a stretch to call it a run.
A jog would be more appropriate. It’s a slow jog, at a pace worthy of a snail. I go jogging for about 30 minutes, around my neighborhood, and then once I am home, I have my first meal of the day, usually, around 9 am.
After that is when I start my work for the day.
Interestingly enough, even though I felt like I was wasting time by running, and eating, it has actually boosted my morning work. Because my body has had a chance to move and exercise, it’s much more relaxed, as is my mind. I am able to focus better, concentrate longer, and get my work finished faster than if I don’t do my run in the morning.
Such a profound difference from such a little change.
Now, I can’t go without my morning run. On those days, when I skip it because I have to go somewhere or meet someone, I feel lost, like something is missing.
Check Your Habits – What Habit Are You Going To Eliminate And Add
Now, it’s your turn. The task is simple. Check your habits. Go through your daily routine, whatever it might be. And think of only one thing that you can add to your routine and one thing that you can eliminate from your routine.
It could be as easy as taking the stairs at work, rather than the elevator. Or it could be that you start a meditation practice before going to bed.
Whatever it is, I know that just the act of looking at your schedule and routine with new eyes will cause you to see things that you’ve never seen before. Sometimes we get stuck in a rut, without even knowing that we are in a rut until someone points it out to us.
This is what I am trying to do for you today. Hopefully, it helps.
