Creating Positive Habits and Shiny Things

[frnkoleary]

Need some help with positve habits...I find that I am overwhelmed by all the positive things I want to introduce...

How many is good to focus on?

How does someone identify psychological triggers vs environmental?

Is it worth logging everything?

 

When should you let yourself get distracted by the "Shiny Things"( how to know you need a break)?

 

[marionette]

1) Start with a few small things, it is easier to maintain and you build momentum for bigger things. Break your big goals down into steps or stages to keep it small. You can't jump a building, but you can climb the stairs.

 

2) Lots of self reflection about the why of things. Do I want chocolate because I'm stressed and it releases happy chemicals in my brain? Do I want ice cream as a pavlovian response to an ice cream truck? What about the potato chip is it I'm after - the salt, the fat or the texture?

 

3) Depends on your goals. If you want to change your diet, yes. (I recommend logging it for a week with no changes or calorie counting to how you currently eat, putting it away for the weekend, and coming back to it divorced from the emotional aspects and evaluating it as data from there.) If you have a specific goal beyond "fitness" like a 5k, 1/2 marathon, bazillion pound deadlift, etc then you should log your workouts to track your progress.

 

As for shiny things. Don't get distracted by them, schedule them in. It makes life much simpler and less guilt ridden.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

I find it helpful to do 1 or 2 at a time and make them one of my challenge goals.  If I fail, it stays a chalklenge goal and I keep doing it until it is ingrained and I don't have to try to make myself do it anymore.  I then remove it and make new challenge goal of the next one.  One example would be lifting weights 3x a week.  It was a challenge goal probably 5-6 times but now I do it automatically. The goal that replaced it was snacking only a few times a week.

[frnkoleary]

Thanks for the strategies.

[Morrigainz]

I also like telling other people my goals (one of the reasons I like NF so much). They help keep me accountable - and they give me sympathy when I need it or maybe a swift kick in the ass!

[JakeJoh10]

Definitely take it one habit at a time. I was in your position a little while ago where I would overwhelm myself with all of the new things I had to apply to my life.

 

It's much easier, and more effective, to keep it simple and take on one or two habits at a time.

 

Jake

[sweetleaf5]

I love tracking! I have a great app I use on iPad called Lumen Trails...it's sort of high $20 (was cheaper when I bought it) but it allows unlimited tracking in the way of yes/no numbers, lists, checklist, memo. You can look at results by day or month, numbers or a graph. For me it's very motivating to look at the month for gym visits and see more yes than no!

I'm sure there are other cheaper habit trackers if you search.

Good luck in your quest to make healthy changes!

[Thestrel]

I am just starting out so you can take my thoughts for what you will.  I find, for me, I have to take it one or two at a time or I will become so overwhelmed that I just don't do ANYTHING.  Stupid?  Yes, but my brain works funny like that.  I started with my eating, moved to water and now I'm starting to focus on exercise.

[Wolfhorde]

It's not really a personal thing rather than a thing of how our brain and habits work. And I'd dare say without concrete plans, (tracking), automatisms and failsafes taking on more than one task even in an 'advanced state' won't yield the results it should. Our brains don't really work like modern computer processors, and the more you throw at them at a given time the more ineffective/inefficient they'll get.

[green eggs]

One goal at a time. Or max one private-life and one work-life goal at a time perhaps. Then the shiny stuff is less distracting. Or at least it detracts less from what you're trying to do.

And Thestrel, if I may - that's not "stupid" it's human nature. No use beating yourself up about it, just do what ya gotta do.

[frnkoleary]

Thank you all for the responses...

 

Plan of attack...

Work on two things...

1. private life goal

2. work life goal

 

Be as specific as possible,track it, and set a completition date.