My dad, a product development engineer for Ford, was also crack auto mechanic and so I spent many a Saturday handing him tools while he worked on our cars. I quickly learned the difference between a Phillips and flat head screwdriver; socket wrench and adjustable wrench; bolts and screws, etc.
In my last post, Goals, I talked about my problems with “goal backsliding” and wondering how I could design a goal so that once achieved, it stayed achieved. Health and fitness was the example.
Here is my current thinking.
Using a goal to achieve health and fitness is a good start but it is not enough. By design, goals have a beginning, middle, and end. Otherwise how do I measure success? The probem: Once I’ve achieved that goal, then what? (Hint: Oh hai, cheesy poofs and snacky cakes. How I’ve missed you…)
I need at least three other tools to complete and then sustain that particular transformation: new habits, decisions to just stop or start doing certain things, and priorities.
Of those three, priority is most important. Here’s an article about a woman who has maintained some kind of daily exercise for over 9 years. (h/t Dr. John Ratey) In it, she admits her house could be cleaner. This might sound dumb, but to me that is the money statement. Getting and staying healthy and fit takes time and there are only so many hours in a day.
Let’s say there’s 30 minutes a day for physical activity but the other component is food preparation. Realistically, I’m probably looking at about 60-90 minutes a day total investment.
To get my health and fitness where I want it to be and have it stick, I’ll have to bump the related activities up in priority and that means I’ll likely have to demote or cut some others.
This might get interesting.
I’ll come back to this topic when I have some more data. Meantime, thoughts?
xo hb
Links
https://www.tinyhabits.com/ Tiny Habits is an interesting system for behavioral change created by BJ Fogg. It contains a celebration tool (technique rooted in brain science) that I want to play with as I’m considering the above.
http://www.johnratey.com/