Note: This post is part of a 31 day treatise on habits. For the entire list of posts, go here: 31 Days of Habits It’s funny how you can struggle with an idea, only to have someone else come along and succinctly solve it for you. That’s sort of what happened to me when I […]
Habits are Better Than Goals
I have nothing against goals. Goals can be a great way to motivate yourself. However, in my life, I’ve found that creating habits that align with what I want to accomplish in life work far better than goals. I’ve read all about SMART goal setting (specific, measurable, attainable, reasonable, time-oriented). I know how and why to […]
Ben Franklin on Habits
I had a terrible night last night. Instead of writing an entire blog post, I’m going to leave you with a quote. “Your net worth to the world is usually determined by what remains after your bad habits are subtracted from your good ones.” Benjamin Franklin It occurred to me that I’m actually one day […]
My Best Habit: Waking Early
Note: In October, I’m doing a month-long treatise on habits. All of the posts will be found here if you’d like to read them in order. I’m in a grumpy mood and feeling stressed, and it’s 8:41 A.M. on a Sunday. I’ve had my cafe au lait, and the hubz is cooking breakfast. What could […]
My Bad Habits
Sharing my bad habits with the internets? Well, this is embarrassing. When did I sign up for this? Oh, I remember: when I decided to tackle 31 Days of Habits (go there if you want to read all the posts). I have two bad habits that I need to work on eliminating. This gamine lady […]
The Right and Wrong Time for a Habit
[Note: This post is part of a 31 day treatise on habits. To see the whole list, go here: 31 Days of Habits.] One of the simplest things I’ve done – that ended up being life-changing – is keeping a time log. One thing I learned that has to do with habits is this: some habits, […]
Why Habits Are So Awesome
Wait a second. I need to backtrack for a moment to talk about something very important, something central to this whole discussion on habits. Why are habits so awesome? Here are a few reasons habits are worth giving attention to, and why I can talk about them for an entire month. – Habits preserve willpower. […]
Keystone Habits and Spillover
Some good habits are better than others. Why? Because they create a spillover effect that improves every other area of your life. The folks that study this kind of thing call these keystone habits. Researchers who study habits have noticed some curious things: namely that when a person begins to A (good habit), they will […]
What The Happiest Moms Do Before Breakfast
“What the happiest moms do before breakfast” was inspired by an ebook by one of my favorite authors, Laura Vanderkam: What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast: A Short Guide to Making Over Your Mornings – and Life. [2023 update: When I wrote this post, which continues to be one of my most popular, […]
Habits Are Better Than Goals
In recent months I’ve noticed a trend among a few bloggers I read. Perhaps because it’s early in the year, when people traditionally make plans and goals, or because minimalism and simplicity are so huge right now. Whatever the reason, the idea is this: Stop setting goals. Yeah, you heard me. It sounds pretty radical, […]