Quote: Building Habits

Photo by smokedsalmon

About a month ago I decided that I wanted to establish some new habits.

 

I started by building on habits that I already had and added in additional steps when I felt that the previous ones had become part of my routine.

 

Now that I’ve been practicing them for several weeks, I don’t even think about it – they’ve become normal and expected parts of my day.

 

I wrote down the behaviors I wanted to change and posted the paper on my refrigerator, which made me remind myself every time I walked into the kitchen. You could post a note in the bathroom, at your desk or any conspicuous place you’ll see it.

 

The goal is to make the desired behavior become second nature so you don’t have to think about it at all.

The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken. –Samuel Johnson

It wasn’t easy at the beginning; I had to ask myself each day if I remembered to do each of the steps. I faced some challenges in the past few weeks and gave myself permission to opt out a few times, but now the thought of skipping any of the steps just doesn’t come up. That’s the power of habit.

 

Do you have a habit you'd like to create?

 

Organized by Marcie^TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value

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And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

 

Quote: Building Habits

Photo by smokedsalmon

About a month ago I decided that I wanted to establish some new habits.

 

I started by building on habits that I already had and added in additional steps when I felt that the previous ones had become part of my routine.

 

Now that I’ve been practicing them for several weeks, I don’t even think about it – they’ve become normal and expected parts of my day.

 

I wrote down the behaviors I wanted to change and posted the paper on my refrigerator, which made me remind myself every time I walked into the kitchen. You could post a note in the bathroom, at your desk or any conspicuous place you’ll see it.

 

The goal is to make the desired behavior become second nature so you don’t have to think about it at all.

The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken. – Samuel Johnson

It wasn’t easy at the beginning; I had to ask myself each day if I remembered to do each of the steps. I faced some challenges in the past few weeks and gave myself permission to opt out a few times, but now the thought of skipping any of the steps just doesn’t come up. That’s the power of habit.

 

Do you have a habit you'd like to create?

 

Organized by Marcie^TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value

Follow me on twitter, facebook and pinterest

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

 

Reader Question: Why am I so forgetful?

A reader told me that, like many people, she leaves things out so she doesn’t forget about them or she creates complicated systems for remembering to do things.

With everything you have going on, is it any surprise that you forget things?

The good news is that your forgetting is most likely not a sign of dementia. As you age, it simply takes your brain longer to recall information.

Setting up simple reminders and having systems in place will help you remember tasks. Developing habits allows you to put your mind on “autopilot” and saves energy for when you really need it.

Having less clutter means having fewer places to look when you can’t find something. It’s much easier to find things when you put them away. People tell me that they forget things once they’re unable to see them – the old “out of sight, out of mind” justification. If you think carefully about where you put things, however, and repeatedly put them back in the same place, you will be able to find them with little effort.

Start by designating a key spot. Put your keys in the same place every single time you come into your home. After a week or two you will automatically go to that spot for your keys. Once you have developed the key habit, do the same for other things you misplace – your glasses, phone, address book or TV remote.

Let me know if you are successful in creating a new habit and having one less thing to remember.

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter , facebook and pinterest

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

 

Reader Question: Why am I so forgetful?

A reader told me that, like many people, she leaves things out so she doesn’t forget about them or she creates complicated systems for remembering to do things.

With everything you have going on, is it any surprise that you forget things?

The good news is that your forgetting is most likely not a sign of dementia. As you age, it simply takes your brain longer to recall information.

Setting up simple reminders and having systems in place will help you remember tasks. Developing habits allows you to put your mind on “autopilot” and saves energy for when you really need it.

Having less clutter means having fewer places to look when you can’t find something. It’s much easier to find things when you put them away. People tell me that they forget things once they’re unable to see them – the old “out of sight, out of mind” justification. If you think carefully about where you put things, however, and repeatedly put them back in the same place, you will be able to find them with little effort.

Start by designating a key spot. Put your keys in the same place every single time you come into your home. After a week or two you will automatically go to that spot for your keys. Once you have developed the key habit, do the same for other things you misplace – your glasses, phone, address book or TV remote.

Let me know if you are successful in creating a new habit and having one less thing to remember.

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter , facebook and pinterest

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

 

Organize Your Home Office Day

Photo by Sura Nualpradid

Next Tuesday is National Organize Your Home Office Day. If you’ve been working on your income taxes, you’ve probably been spending a lot of time in the area of your home you use for processing paperwork.

Whether you have an entire office to work in, or just a corner of a room, you’ll get more done when you don't have to search for a clear space to work.

It doesn’t take much time for a work surface to become cluttered with papers and supplies. Start by taking everything off your desk, sorting by category and putting it on the floor.

 

What do you see? If you have a huge pile of pens and pencils, put them in a container on top of or inside your desk. Tons of paper? Gather it all in one holding spot for right now. Toys, coffee cups, newspapers, clothing and assorted clutter? Move it out and throw away trash.

Now, get serious: Take stock of what you’re keeping and where you’re keeping it.

Be honest – if you don’t file because you won’t walk across the room, move the files.

Be inventive – if you don’t like file folders, try binders or envelopes to contain papers.

Be consistent – organizing is a process, not a project; work at it regularly to keep your office in check.

What can you do to make your home office function more efficiently?

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
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Organize Your Home Office Day

Photo by Sura Nualpradid

Next Tuesday is National Organize Your Home Office Day. If you’ve been working on your income taxes, you’ve probably been spending a lot of time in the area of your home you use for processing paperwork.

Whether you have an entire office to work in, or just a corner of a room, you’ll get more done when you don't have to search for a clear space to work.

It doesn’t take much time for a work surface to become cluttered with papers and supplies. Start by taking everything off your desk, sorting by category and putting it on the floor.

 

What do you see? If you have a huge pile of pens and pencils, put them in a container on top of or inside your desk. Tons of paper? Gather it all in one holding spot for right now. Toys, coffee cups, newspapers, clothing and assorted clutter? Move it out and throw away trash.

Now, get serious: Take stock of what you’re keeping and where you’re keeping it.

Be honest – if you don’t file because you won’t walk across the room, move the files.

Be inventive – if you don’t like file folders, try binders or envelopes to contain papers.

Be consistent – organizing is a process, not a project; work at it regularly to keep your office in check.

What can you do to make your home office function more efficiently?

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter , facebook and pinterest

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below

Habits – The Organizer Comes Clean

One of the things I’ve learned from reading Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business is that every habit consists of a cue, a routine and a reward. You can watch this videoexplaining how the process works. (It’s the book trailer for The Power of Habit, but it’s informative, too.)

 

True confession: I have never been a regular tooth flosser. It’s not a difficult habit, nor is it expensive or time consuming to maintain – I just don’t think about it. Brushing my teeth is an automatic behavior that is already part of my routine, but adding flossing just hasn’t come easily for me.

I floss the heck out of my teeth the week before my dentist appointment and then lose the impetus the day after the visit. Why? I could say that it’s because I’m too lazy or I’m forgetful, but it’s really because I haven’t developed a habit. The cue for brushing my teeth at night is going to bed; the cue for flossing can be brushing my teeth. Pretty simple, right? Except it hasn’t worked so far. The key, I think, is that there’s no reward.

It might be time for a sticker chart, where I get a tangible reward every time I floss. Studies show that it takes 21 days of consistently practicing a behavior before it becomes a habit. Seeing that page filled with stickers might be reward enough for this simple habit. Jerry Seinfeld has talked about a similar process that works for him, called “Don’t Break the Chain”, where he marks off on a calendar each day he performs a behavior. You could also post sticky notes with numbers on them and pull one off each day.

Behaviors, especially those that are well established, can be hard to change. What behavior would you like to adopt (or let go)?

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter , facebook and pinterest

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Habits – The Organizer Comes Clean

One of the things I’ve learned from reading Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business is that every habit consists of a cue, a routine and a reward. You can watch this video explaining how the process works. (It’s the book trailer for The Power of Habit, but it’s informative, too.)

 

True confession: I have never been a regular tooth flosser. It’s not a difficult habit, nor is it expensive or time consuming to maintain – I just don’t think about it. Brushing my teeth is an automatic behavior that is already part of my routine, but adding flossing just hasn’t come easily for me.

I floss the heck out of my teeth the week before my dentist appointment and then lose the impetus the day after the visit. Why? I could say that it’s because I’m too lazy or I’m forgetful, but it’s really because I haven’t developed a habit. The cue for brushing my teeth at night is going to bed; the cue for flossing can be brushing my teeth. Pretty simple, right? Except it hasn’t worked so far. The key, I think, is that there’s no reward.

It might be time for a sticker chart, where I get a tangible reward every time I floss. Studies show that it takes 21 days of consistently practicing a behavior before it becomes a habit. Seeing that page filled with stickers might be reward enough for this simple habit. Jerry Seinfeld has talked about a similar process that works for him, called “Don’t Break the Chain”, where he marks off on a calendar each day he performs a behavior. You could also post sticky notes with numbers on them and pull one off each day.

Behaviors, especially those that are well established, can be hard to change. What behavior would you like to adopt (or let go)?

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter , facebook and pinterest

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Take Charge Of Change Week

Have you been meaning to get around to making some changes in your life? The first week in July is Take Charge of Change Week.

There are lots of reasons why we don’t make changes; the greatest of which is fear. It’s easier, and sometimes more comfortable, to stay stuck than it is to make a change. Even when the change makes your life better, it’s hard to do.

Any habits you have created have taken a long time to become established. They become familiar, even though there are more positive behaviors you could be practicing.

How can you take charge of change? A little bit at a time. Set small goals toward finding a new job, eating better, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, putting things away after using them or whatever change you want to make.

Don’t create huge expectations that you won’t be able to face. Instead, set a goal for today. Take charge of your attitude and your behaviors today and make one small change. Do the same thing tomorrow and the rest of this week. Keep at it. New behaviors take about three weeks of daily practice before they become habits. Start now.

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
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And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

 

Take Charge Of Change Week

Have you been meaning to get around to making some changes in your life? The first week in July is Take Charge of Change Week.

There are lots of reasons why we don’t make changes; the greatest of which is fear. It’s easier, and sometimes more comfortable, to stay stuck than it is to make a change. Even when the change makes your life better, it’s hard to do.

Any habits you have created have taken a long time to become established. They become familiar, even though there are more positive behaviors you could be practicing.

How can you take charge of change? A little bit at a time. Set small goals toward finding a new job, eating better, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, putting things away after using them or whatever change you want to make.

Don’t create huge expectations that you won’t be able to face. Instead, set a goal for today. Take charge of your attitude and your behaviors today and make one small change. Do the same thing tomorrow and the rest of this week. Keep at it. New behaviors take about three weeks of daily practice before they become habits. Start now.

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
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And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

 

Quote: You Can Accomplish Excellence

All great achievements require time. – Maya Angelou

If you spent a small amount of time each day on one thing, what could you achieve?  Click on Post a Comment, below, and tell us.

Organized by MarcieTM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter and facebook

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Quote: You Can Accomplish Excellence

All great achievements require time. – Maya Angelou

If you spent a small amount of time each day on one thing, what could you achieve?  Click on Post a Comment, below, and tell us.

Organized by MarcieTM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter and facebook

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Quote: The Power of Consistency

A small daily task, if it be really daily, will beat the labours of a spasmodic Hercules.

- Anthony Trollope

What small change can you make today (and repeat every day) that will create big changes in your life? Click on Post a Comment, below, and tell us.

Organized by MarcieTM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter and facebook.  And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Quote: The Power of Consistency

A small daily task, if it be really daily, will beat the labours of a spasmodic Hercules.

- Anthony Trollope

What small change can you make today (and repeat every day) that will create big changes in your life? Click on Post a Comment, below, and tell us.

Organized by MarcieTM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter and facebook.  And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!