You may recall that I am taking a nutrition course right now through Precision Nutrition. My coaches for the course are slowing us down and having us focus on one habit at a time.
{I mentioned the one-habit method previously in this post about sustainability.}
I’m gonna share a few details about the first habit that we worked on during the course. Sorry, but I can’t give away the super top-secret information I learned about how you can lose as much weight as you want by next week, keep it off forever and still eat brownie sundaes every night.*
*Please note: I’m kidding.
For the first two weeks of the Precision Nutrition course, we had to check-in every day with a yes or no as to whether or not we completed our daily habit:
Make Time
Oh, and we were also told busy is not an excuse…
With this habit we were simply supposed to carve out time each day to get our lesson done and spend time communicating with other students in our online group. That’s it.
Before actually starting, I felt a little disappointed with how easy the habit seemed and even found myself doubting that this so-called habit would help me change anything significant.
Guess what?
This one habit has changed the whole way I work and even the way I approach each day. It’s been less than six weeks since I started making an appointment and it now feels like the natural thing to do, just like taking my probiotics and vitamins or making a cup of coffee in the morning.
I realized I was ignoring my own advice. Small changes done consistently can produce big results. In fact, consistency is way more important than perfection. Asking when I will complete the work instead of if I have time to fit it in, has been a game-changer for me.
Now that I am in the habit of booking an appointment every day instead of using my busy life as an excuse, I feel empowered. In fact, I might even have time for other things I’ve been wanting to make time for too.
While I find it easy to tell clients they should stop making excuses and using “I’m busy” as a reason they can’t exercise, I am guilty of the same thing when it comes to prioritizing learning, staying focued on a task or even just getting sh#$ done.
How I know this habit thing is working…
I’m not feeling scared about making time anymore. I don’t question whether I have time each day to complete the coursework. In fact I know I have time (ALMOST every day…this is real life after-all), it’s just a matter of scheduling that time with myself.
#maketimenotexcuses
Think about the last thing you wanted to do, but decided (either out loud or to yourself) you didn’t have time.
Today’s homework: choose one thing you’ve been wanting to do. Something that you know is good for your health or happiness. Increase exercise, plan your meals, do yoga, sleep more, read for fun, etc. Don’t get overwhelmed here. Pick one thing.
Instead of wasting another minute deciding if you have time, or even worse, convincing yourself that you don’t have time, schedule an appointment for later today to take one step to get you closer to that goal. Maybe it’s walking 5 minutes today, and every day for the next two weeks or planning out your breakfast every evening for the following morning. Sound too simple? Good. It should.
Stay consistent and pretty soon your new habit will be just that, a habit.
Ready…go! Create a habit and make it stick!
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