.

1. Just start. All the planning in the world will get you nowhere. You need to take that first step, no matter how small or how shaky. My way of motivating myself to run or exercise is: Just put on my shoes and get out the door. The rest takes care of itself.

2. Forget perfection. Perfectionism is the enemy of action. Kill it, immediately. You can’t let perfect stop you from doing. You can turn a bad draft into a good one, but you can’t turn no draft into a good draft. So get going.

3. Don’t mistake motion for action. A common mistake. A fury of activity doesn’t mean you’re doing anything. When you find yourself moving too quickly, doing too many things at once, this is a good reminder to stop. Slow down and focus.

4. Focus on the important actions. Clear the distractions. Pick the one most important thing you must do today, and focus on that. Exclusively. When you’re done with that, repeat the process.
5. Move slowly, consciously. Be deliberate. Action doesn’t need to be done fast. In fact, that often leads to mistakes, and while perfection isn’t at all necessary, neither is making a ridiculous amount of mistakes that could be avoided with a bit of consciousness.

6. Planning isn’t action. Sure, you need to plan. Do it, so you’re clear about what you’re doing. Just do it quickly, and get to the actual action as quickly as you can.

7. Sometimes, inaction is better. This might be the most ironic thing on the list, but really, if you find yourself spinning your wheels, or you find you’re doing more harm than good, rethink whether the action is even necessary. Or better yet, do this from the beginning — is it necessary? Only do the action if it is.

Question: Do you use any of these rules to spur you to action? What other rules do you have?

Related posts:

1. Understanding discipline and the efficiency curve

1. Becoming more aware of the TV’s presence

The rest of my family didn’t join me in this experiment, so there was still some TV viewing in our home.  When I stopped watching TV, I became much more aware of the TV’s presence when others were watching it. Sometimes I found the TV a noisy nuisance, especially when the volume was really high.

2. Saving time

Over the past 40 days I was amazed to see just how much time I had on my hands. Normally I would pass time in front of the TV. With no TV in the evenings, I started reading more, going out more, and writing more.  I found all of these more enjoyable than watching TV.

3. Seeking better quality entertainment

TV also fills a desire for entertainment. I’ll be the first to admit it. There are some fantastically entertaining shows on television. Unfortunately, I started to notice that the quality of the entertainment was fairly hit or miss. By eliminating television I spent more time in social activities that consistently provided more entertainment.

4. Being a bit out of touch

As a result of not watching TV regularly I noticed that I was getting a bit out of touch with what was happening around me with regards to general news and events. I only noticed this when I would get together with friends and they would talk about something specific which they saw on TV. Other than that I generally got my info from the internet.

5. Feeling more ambitious

Over the past few weeks without TV, I’ve had a lot of time on my hands to really think about what I want to do, especially in regard to my personal projects and goals. I get the feeling that TV really dulls ones senses and depletes ones creative energy. I’ve noticed that I’ve become more ambitious with my goals and reaching out to help people. I’ve also accepted a couple of speaking engagements which has been keeping me busy in preparation.

6. Spending less time on the PC

Giving up TV has made me question how much time I spend on my computer at home. I’ve actually cut back on my computer related activities (gaming, watching series, movies, etc.) and spent more time offline tackling my personal projects. As a result I’m more productive as I’m engaging in things that really matter and the results of my work are positive.

7. Not missing TV

I’m actually surprised that I don’t really miss TV, except for the live sports. It was actually an easy habit to break. I just went cold turkey instead of gradually weaning myself, and I perceived no withdrawal symptoms.  You might think “giving up” TV means sacrifice, but in my experience it’s just the opposite.  Watching TV means sacrificing social outings, better forms of entertainment, and of course time.

Overall I’m really glad that I went through with this fast and really glad to have made this change. The benefits are great and in terms of results, it’s one of the best changes I’ve made in my life to date.

Related posts:

1. My TV Fast: Day 18
2. The Media World is Changing Fast — Really Fast!

The main motivation for me taking this fast was because I want to get out of the habit of watching TV. I also realized that I watch too much TV and can be using this time (which is a heck of a lot of time) to do something more constructive. The past 18 days have been interesting and here are some of my observations so far:

• I’ve become more aware of the TV’s presence because the rest of my family are watching it and when I’m at home it’s on most of the time. Sometimes it even becomes a nuisance because either the volume is too loud or it’s left on with no one watching.
• Watching TV for the sake of watching TV is a big waste of time. I’ve noticed how some of my family members just sit there glued to the screen flicking channels and not really watching anything particular. I do that too…and that NEEDS to change;)
• It hasn’t been all good though. I really miss watching live sports and have been missing my favourite teams compete in big matches. This is what I miss most and will probably confine my TV watching to live games once this fast is over.
• It’s amazing how much time I have now that I’m not watching TV and made me realize just how much time I was wasting sitting in front of that box. As a result I’ve been reading more and engaging in a lot more out door activities. I’ve even taken up squash as a new sport. Generally I’ve found that my overall productivity has increased tremendously as I’m more focused than ever before.

So far I’m really glad that I’m making this change. Still have another 20 or so days to go till I break the fast. To be honest, I don’t think I’ll go back to my old TV watching habits, the chances of me giving up watching TV are high.

Question: Do you think you can reduce your TV watching? If you have, what positive changes has it produced?

Related posts:

1. 7 Changes I Experienced After My TV Fast

In my previous post, I said that I would share my 6 habits that I would focus on for this year. I’ve actually added an extra one to make it 7 (I love odd numbers!). Which 6 habits you choose for 2010 is a highly personal issue – it depends on what you want in life, where you’re at, what you’ve done already, and what kind of a person you want to be.  Well, I made a commitment to myself that I would go public with mine and blog about it.

So, here they are.

1. Give up TV

2. Eating healthier (become vegetarian)

3. Blog at least 4 times a week

4. Daily exercise

5. Become an early riser

6. Read/study the Bible everyday

7. Focus on creating. (Every day, set aside time at the beginning of the day to clear away distractions and just create that something amazing)

In my attempt to implement these habits, I’m embarking on a 40 day fast for all of them. I’m gonna do it one habit at a time. This is just to kick start the habit and really make a conscious effort to work on it relentlessly for the 40 day period with the hope that by the end of it the habit will be cemented and a part of my life.

I’ve started with the “No TV” habit from February 1. I’m two weeks into it already and will give an update soon on how that’s going.

Question: What habits are you focusing on for this year? How’s it going?

Related posts:

1. The 6 Changes Method
2. 7 Bad Eating Habits that Affect Your Productivity
3. 7 Health Habits That Will Help You Live To 100

Believe it or not, but my year just started about 2 weeks ago. Reason being I was away from home on holiday from mid December last year up until the beginning of February this year. So now that I’m home and back into the swing of things (and no longer on holiday) I feel that my “New Year” has finally kicked off.

Just like most of you, I too began thinking of some new year’s resolutions to implement and follow through on. Over the years I’ve not had much success with my new year resolutions, by the time mid February comes they all normally are history. Let’s face it: most of us fail when it comes to sticking to resolutions — so much so that many people swear never to make resolutions again. Not good, I know.

That’s why this year I want to try something different. It’s called the 6 Changes Method by Leo Babauta.

The 6 Changes Method

Here is the gist of the 6 Changes Method:

• We only focus on one habit change at a time, so our focus and energies aren’t spread thinly.
• We implement the habit changes gradually, so we don’t run out of steam.
• We start out really, really easily, so it isn’t intimidating.
• We focus on enjoyable activities, so we don’t need “discipline”.
• We have two months to do the habit change, so if something comes up, it’s but a small bump in the road. And because we’re publicly committed, we’re going to get back on track.
• We have a very specific plan with actions built in, using proven habit change techniques.

If you stick with the method, you’ll do much better than you’ve done in the past with New Year’s Resolutions. You’ll focus on creating long-lasting habits rather than trying to reach a short-term goal that fails. You’ll maintain your enthusiasm for longer and not become overwhelmed by the difficulty of change. You’ll have habits that will change your life, and that’s no small feat.

The Method

So how does the 6 Changes method work?

It’s simple:

1. Pick 6 habits for 2010.
2. Pick 1 of the 6 habits to start with.
3. Commit as publicly as possible to creating this new habit in 2 months.
4. Break the habit into 8 baby steps, starting with a ridiculously easy step. Example: if you want to floss, the first step is just to get out a piece of floss at the same time each night.
5. Choose a trigger for your habit – something already in your routine that will immediately precede the habit. Examples: eating breakfast, brushing your teeth, showering, waking up, arriving at the office, leaving the office, getting home in the evening.
6. Do the 1st, really easy baby step for one week, right after the trigger. Post your progress publicly.
7. Each week, move on to a slightly harder step. You’ll want to progress faster, but don’t. You’re building a new habit. Repeat this until you’ve done 8 weeks.

So that’s it! Next time I’ll share with you which 6 habits I’ll be focusing on this year.

Question: What do you think about this method? What would you suggest that works for you?

Related posts:

1. My 7 Habits for 2010
2. The 4 Stages of Competence
3. 7 Laws of Action