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!

Fighting genetics

Last weekend we had a family dinner, the usual sister, brother, kids, but also with my mums first cousin and husband who we hardly ever see (except at weddings and funerals).Three generations. Over dinner we were discussing family member traits, comparing how one generation is so much like the previous generation in mannersims, personality and habits.This can be expected. 

But we started to talk about those traits that we may not be so proud of, like compulsive hoarding or disorganisation. It appears that this runs in our family. You know the type, those who both keep every newspaper and piece of "rubbish" from years back and never throw out anything. But we started to compare notes on those of us who fight this urge on a regular basis, we know we have it in us to be disorganised and compulsive, but we find ourselves actively fighting it when we see it happening. Days of disorganisation are followed by days of manically oganising to avoid being like our relatives. Or we just do things that don't really get us anywhere- the photo below is a habit of my mother's. She cuts stamps off envelopes, soaks them off, dries them (around the sink!) and reuses them!

I often feel like I am fighting a losing battle, so while I can look organised on the outside, I don't get done what I want to do, and I always feel like I could be more productive and efficient. To reach my 2012 goals I knew something had to change. While I may not waste my time on stamps, I could procrastinate less.

Then while searching Amazon, I found a book that suited me to a tee called Eat that Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy. In two days I have started making lists and actually getting things done. I am working wholeheartedly towards my 2012 goals. I am not wasting as much time. I am confident that this will help me fight some of my genetic tendencies and actually achieve my goals. I am so excited.

What will you do in 2012 to help you reach your goals? Or will you be a slave to past habits? The choice is ours.