Hello Time Dorks!
Before we dive in, a quick announcement: On Monday, Jake & JZ are hosting a live online event to introduce a new sprint format called the Foundation Sprint.
I had a chance to preview this new method, and I’ll just say, it’s an incredibly useful tool for anyone kicking off any new project. You won’t want to miss it! Register here.
This week, I want to talk about making New Year’s resolutions that will actually stick. If you’ve tried to make big changes in the past that never really stuck, this one is for you.
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SOMETHING TO TRY
We’ve all been there: wrapped up in the spirit of the New Year, making bold promises that we’re going to write that book, run that marathon, or bake that six-tier cake (no prior baking experience required, apparently). By the end of January, where do those promises go? Well, we’re only human, and so they’re often out with the trash.
It’s easy to move into the New Year with radical hopes for change, and far more difficult to see them through. But reflecting on changes we’d like to make and actually making them is an important part of growing. There’s got to be some way, right?
In my experience, the answer is to make that change a small part of your everyday life. A few years ago, I took Jake’s advice and read “The Happiness Project”. I think about one lesson a lot, especially as the New Year rolls around:
“What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while”.
Last year, I made the resolution to read for ten minutes daily at breakfast. Guess what? It stuck.
FORGING DAILY HABITS (WITHOUT SUPERHUMAN DISCIPLINE)
I could’ve set myself a bigger goal of reading an hour a day, a book a week, or even a hundred books a year. Looking back, I would’ve set myself up for failure. While commendable, those goals don’t explain how to realistically integrate reading into my daily routine.
What would it feel like for each month to pass, feeling like my goal was slipping away from me? Not good. Maybe I would’ve started reaching for books with fewer pages to meet my target, or maybe I would’ve given up entirely. Feeling like you’re falling short of expectations is tough. Even worse than that, it would’ve taken the joy out of reading, something I really like!
When I resolved to read for just ten minutes a day, I relaxed my expectations of myself. I focused instead on forging a daily habit. I read books I was interested in, finding a bit of time at breakfast to do so. Reading became more natural and easier as time went on. On some days I stuck to ten minutes, but on others I found pockets of time to read for much more.
The success of this new habit inspired me to make a new resolution this year: writing for ten minutes a day. It’s going well. Finding a small stretch of time to do a burst of writing is slowly becoming an ordinary part of my routine.
Rounding up, I’d say there’s a simple seven-ingredient recipe for success.
1) Go easy on yourself
Maybe one day you’ll write that book, run that marathon, or bake that six-tier cake, but big results are best served by small changes. Focus on the day-to-day. Aiming to read for ten minutes a day took a lot of pressure off me. It made reading more fun, but also more expandable. Reading for more than ten minutes felt really good, not just like an obligation.
2) Specificity is key
If I’d set the resolution of reading more, I wouldn’t have been clear on how much or how often. The vaguer the goal, the harder it is to reach, integrate and achieve. I chose to read for ten minutes a day at breakfast, but you might be looking to do something else, like exercising or journaling. Those goals could look like:
- Exercise for ten minutes a day, at home or outside, doing any kind of activity that gets my heart rate up.
- Journal every day, writing down what I did that day at minimum, with more detail, such as how I felt about it, if I have the time.
3) Add the magic words “for at least ten minutes every day”
Set an amount of time you can reasonably set aside every day – just enough to meaningfully build the habit. I find ten minutes is ideal for me. Maybe for something like journaling, it could even be five (there are days where not much happens, after all!).
4) Do it every day for a month
365 days? That’s a lot. 30 days? Definitely more manageable. Concentrate on the here and now. If you have a calendar, try not to break the chain for a month – it’s a great and satisfying way to see your consistency manifest in front of you.
5) Life happens – it’s okay to miss a day or two
Life is hectic, something I know all too well as a new parent. There are days where you just can’t find the time. If for any reason you miss a day, don’t be so hard on yourself. Tomorrow is another day!
6) Find a friend
Involve someone else in your resolution, whether that means talking about it with them or doing it together. It’s a great way to stay accountable, but is also rewarding on its own merits. Talking about a book enhances my reading of it, all-in-all making for a more enriching day.
7) Make it fun
If you’re constantly nagging yourself to do something you don’t actually enjoy, it’s going to be hard to get it to stick. See if you can find something in your new habit you actually enjoy, whether it’s reading books you actually find interesting, or trying out a new exercise class that you find fun.
Now it’s your turn – go write yourself a doable resolution and remember to take it easy! Good luck.
Until next time,
Connor
P.S. When your 2025 strategy is locked in
