How much better would your life be if you had more time? This is a question most of us ask ourselves. The answer is in your habits.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”
-Aristotle
Every day we make choices, and each of those choices either instills our positive or negative behaviors. If we want a specific outcome for ourselves, we must start by looking at what we do with our time. Who we surround ourselves with and effective methods to make our lives run smoother. We must take time to be open to change and be graceful to ourselves. Not a single person is perfect, perfection is not a standard we should perpetuate. Learning from our mistakes makes us better, and reflecting allows us to see our patterns.
Set up systems
Our brains prefer tasks to be simple. It is why it is more appealing to watch Youtube videos or swipe through TikTok than to complete that assignment with the approaching due date. We are in an era where social media is our go-to when we are bored. It is easy because of how accessible it is. You can reach in your pocket and open an app; if you want to get more done, create straightforward systems. If you wish to read more, put a book next to where you relax, so it is easy to grab. If you want to drink more water, buy a water bottle to carry around with you so you can easily take sips throughout the day. By making it more effortless to complete your goals, you are more likely to meet them consistently.
“The dread of doing the task uses up more energy than doing the task itself.”
-Rita Emmett
Focus on important tasks first. You may have a list of things you want to do, but by prioritizing the list in order of highest importance, you can weed out tasks that are a better use of your efforts. You have only a certain amount of time in a day. You will have more free time by implementing systems and reducing your list. More time provides you with more opportunities to learn skills, listen to music, travel, and relax. Start by making your list of tasks the day before. By ranking your tasks in order of importance, if unforeseen events arise, you will have completed the most difficult or time-consuming task first. By completing your task in the order of importance, you will reduce the amount of stress you have because you won’t be worrying about those challenging or time-consuming tasks, and all that will be left are your low-effort tasks
Quality habits
When you are deciding whether a habit is worth keeping, ask yourself if it aligns with your goals. Time well spent is time effectively spent toward your fulfillment. By wasting less time on things that are not necessary for your benefit, you will have more time and you will have a more productive day. The Pareto rule states that 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes.
That means by making the tasks easier with systems (the 20%) you will see a large difference in your life (the 80%). By following this principle you make your tasks lower energy and more effective. At the end of the day it is important to take note of what you did throughout the day. Reflecting helps you recognize you are making progress toward your goals and areas that need improvement.
Journaling and Mindfulness
Reflection allows us to ponder our actions and gain clarity from our experiences. We can start small by journaling once a week to reflect on our behavior during the week and learn. The objective is to start once we begin practicing better habits it will become easier to learn more. Reflecting using a journal or audibly recording our thoughts, we should take the time to listen to ourselves.
When we learn from our experiences, books, and other people, taking note of our feelings throughout the day can help us better comprehend our experiences and ourselves. Taking time to note the point you are at in life is transformative for the mind especially when you look back at the progress you have made throughout the year. Appreciate the ideas in your mind by documenting them; they will benefit you later.
Being present during the day helps us better understand ourselves and our experiences. It is easier to go on autopilot; taking time to notice the small details around us with fondness makes the experience better. Imagine going outside, breathing in the fresh air, smelling fresh cut grass while the sun’s warmth and light glides across your face as you walk on a spring day. You notice the ladybug on the green leaf of the tree, all this beauty you would have overlooked because you were busy thinking about your next task after your walk. We all get in our heads and miss things, but making it a goal to actively be mindful will make the day better.
Our knowledge from our successes and shortcomings teaches us what works and what does not. We would not have that knowledge if we did not push ourselves in hopes for better. Use your reflections to help you recognize your progress toward your goals and areas that need improvement. Make your daily tasks fun; find something enjoyable about the day that will make it more fulfilling.
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