Changing Habits

I have been away for over a month- totally inexcusable!

But in that time, I have been productive, so productive I stopped blogging! I have

• Been following a 10 km running program, and am up to 7km- 8 weeks ago I thought this was impossible
• Been starting up a new business, trying to get my website content written for when I go live.
• Started a new course for work so that I can change the work I do. This will help me transition to my new business.
• Started training for the 50km night walk for Coastrek 2013- I'm team leader for the Tireless Trekkers. Last year I completed the 100km walk (our group came in second!) but I don't want to risk another fractured foot this year, so the 50km trek is what I've chosen to complete.
• Been spring cleaning and decluttering my home to be better organised when I start my new business- its a constant work in progress.

I've also been not-so-productive and have started some not-so-good habits! I have

• Been sleeping too much- i.e.Ive done a few hours of cleaning and tidying, surely its time for a nap!
• Woken up multiple times during the night, so of course I deserve a sleep in (after taking children to school)!
• Been studying at 2am in the morning, sometimes til 5am which further interrupts my sleep and gives me another excuse to sleep in later.
• Been less than firm with my lovely puppy and let him sleep in my room, on my bed, in my bed. This is very very very hard to admit to!!!
• Scheduled in exercise in the morning, put on my exercise gear, then choose to nap instead! Then missed out because I was busy in the afternoon.
• Made excuses not to do my business work.

These are not new habits, they have just developed a life of their own at the moment. If I don't address them soon, the end of the year will come and I will have no website, no business and still be feeling hideous due to poor sleep habits! I am a life-long procrastinator and need to JFDI, so today I have woken at 6am, was up and showered by 7am and at work by 8am. Not a bad effort for Day 1, but it has me thinking of the other things I need to do.....

I obviously need a plan. To change a habit, you need to replace it with a good or better habit. So my habit of sleeping erratically is going to be replaced with going to bed at a reasonable time and getting up between 6am and 7am and not going back to bed. Procrastinating may be replaced by a timetable of activities or deadlines or daily to-do lists. I do have some bigger ideas of what I need to do, but they will need a little more work.

But for today, I am up early, at work and taking the first step to changing some bad habits!