May’s challenge: read at least 10 pages every day
This month I set my challenge of reading at least 10 pages every day for 30 days, in an attempt to get into the habit of reading.
I have loads of good books, and still buy more — it’s a bit like buying food when you already have loads in the pantry. I start books, lose interest, then buy other ones thinking that will be different.
I was in the middle of scratching an itch to learn more about Life Coaching, and I was recommended a book called The Portable Coach. I started it a few days before this challenge, and I liked it, so it was a great book on which to execute the full 30 day challenge.
I didn’t stick to exactly 10 pages, but the book is in chapters that are more-or-less that length, and conveniently there are 28 chapters, so it fit beautifully.
How did I do?
Really well!
100% in fact! For the first time! And on some days, I even doubled up. I was investing anything from 20 minutes up to an hour. It didn’t feel like that much effort.
I finished The Portable Coach and started The Chimp Paradox (again — I’d started it ages ago the first time).
Procrastination lessons learned
Above anything, the lesson I have learned this month, which is probably the most important thing I’ve learned from any month, is:
- an easy way to beat procrastination is to be really interested and invested in the thing you are trying to do
I really, really wanted to read that book. And it was an interesting read. And it was easy to read. Almost every day, I was looking forward to reading the next chapter, and that made it easy to find time in which to do it.
This was more apparent when I finished the first book and started the next one, The Chimp Paradox. The subject matter is just as interesting, but the book is so hard to read — so much so, that I’ve all but stopped my reading habit as a consequence. This shows just how easy it is to slip out of a habit once the habit becomes more difficult. Removing barriers — to make things easier and/or more interesting — is clearly key to overcoming procrastination.
Next month’s challenge
It’s another two-fold challenge for June:
- To do the planking exercise again, that I’d tried for March
- To work on my abs, not just my core — I like the fitness ones, and I’ve never had strong, prominent stomach muscles, and with my body fat being about as low as it’s been since adulthood began, it would be a good chance to see if I make a visual impression…. 6 pack in 30 days? We’ll see.
