Improving Yourself, Everyday. What Are Your Habits?

[PureA]

What are your favourite habits that ensure you keep growing into a better person day by day?

Mine are:

Meditation
Reading
Gym
Asking a cashier for a 10% discount at least one time each day.

What are yours?

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[carlolacson]

this 2016:

• trying to wake up early in the morning and do a light cardio.
• Avoid junkfood and videogames
• GYM (5x5 stronglifts) and meditation.
• Reading a book every day.
• Consistent learning a skill.
• Being grateful for things.
• talk to more people since I'm an introvert
• and at the end of the day, I ask myself what did I learn today?

It's not easy but once you become comfortable on things that you find uncomfortable then you become comfortable lol.

 

[ChrisJTurner]

For tomorrow (it changes every day)

• Wake up at 4am - 4.30am
• Read for 1 hour
• Get to gym at 6.30am
• Be at work for 8am (yes, I work full time)
• Make food for next day when get back home
• Make a list of 50 potential sellers for my website
• Complete PHP course
• Read for 1 hour
• Finish business plan (my business plan might need till the end of the week till completion)
• Define goals for the next day
• Bed by 9pm

 

[Formless]

A new habit I'm using is applying "Parkinson's Law" to completing work.

Parkinson's Law states that "Work expands to fill the time available for it." So I give myself a very ambitious (but still achievable) time limit to complete my tasks.

One of my goals this year is to eliminate the 'feeling of being busy.' And this is one of the systems I'm trialling. So far, it has been absolutely amazing.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[ChrisJTurner]

A new habit I'm using is applying "Parkinson's Law" to completing work.

Parkinson's Law states that "Work expands to fill the time available for it." So I give myself a very ambitious (but still achievable) time limit to complete my tasks.

I can see how this will work, I wouldn't disagree with your thinking on this. Though, dont you find that you might be rushing through things just so you can get to leisure time?
I know for me personally, I like to take my time so I can absorb everything; and I can and immerse myself into a particular area that I am working on.
If I rush, certainly I can complete it; but it is less complete?

Though I did tell one of my last employers that I could do the job in half the time... big mistake.

 

[Alxander]

Working out

Letting go of thoughts that are not serving me

Giving instead of wanting.

Most things above my post

 

[Formless]

I can see how this will work, I wouldn't disagree with your thinking on this. Though, dont you find that you might be rushing through things just so you can get to leisure time?
I know for me personally, I like to take my time so I can absorb everything; and I can and immerse myself into a particular area that I am working on.
If I rush, certainly I can complete it; but it is less complete?

Though I did tell one of my last employers that I could do the job in half the time... big mistake.

Well, what I've found is that for ME, More time =/= Better quality for the most part. I spend half the time mentally masturbating and 'thinking,' then the deadline sets in and I do the actual work. It does help to have a clear picture of what you want the end result to be like, and yes, proper planning does consume time, but I think it's worth it.

If you have a very clear picture of your desired outcome, then you will allocate only the time it takes to get the level of quality you've envisioned. So while you are 'rushing'. You're 'rushing' within the boundaries of your desired quality.

It takes some experimentation, especially when you're just starting out with something. If say, you're building a fence for your garden and you've never built one before, you can't know how long it'll take. In this situation, trying to apply Parkinson's law isn't very useful. But if you build 4-5 fences and monitor your results, you'll get an idea, and then you can start cutting out the non-essentials.

I don't believe this method as a compromise to quality when done properly. I see it as "It takes as long as it takes. (But not a second longer.)"

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[JordanW]

For 2016 Im focusing on morning routine. I read The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod recently and he has some great points. I'm going to average a book a week and take daily action towards fastlane.

 

[DST]

Get more clarity of mind, stop thinking I'm busy and feel the need to be productive. Relax and enjoy the ride.

 

[brewster]

The most important part of my day: sleep. I make sure I get 8 hours of sleep in a blacked-out room. When I'm well-rested, everything is easier.

After that, a morning routine is my next most important event. I never deviate from it when I wake up—because building positive momentum upon waking is huge.

• 30-minute walk and listen to a podcast
• Cold Shower
• Meditate 15 minutes
• Brew coffee
• Sit down and work

... and then I slide down a greased chute of productivity all day long. It still baffles me to this day how much more productive I am with my morning routine in place.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[jameslague]

For me making sure I eat small meals to keep me feeling light and lean throughout the day is key.

In addition:

• I'm always reading at least one book
• I try to meditate regularly, if I miss a session, I will take short meditative breath sessions throughout the day (might not be much but it works for me)
• Listen to informative podcasts driving to and from work
• Call a family member or friend almost every day to keep in touch, as I recently moved from my home town
• Run almost every day, sometimes in the morning, sometimes at night
• Use positive internal statements to stay in the right state of mind

These are a few things that work for me. I don't work for myself yet, but have a burning desire to do so. Almost all of my non-working time goes toward learning about money/investing and I will be turning this focus heavily toward entrepreneurship once I complete TMF !

 

[TonyStark]

• Meeting my daily Fitbit goals (5 miles)
• Eating healthy
• Drinking plenty of water.
• Practicing financial discipline.

 

[AustinS28]

Everything boils down to organization and the carryover it has to everything else. It's what I struggle with and what I am getting better at day by day, year by year. It's always a battle of two steps forward, one step back, but it is still a winning battle because if I look over the past year, and the year prior, I am more organized today than I was then.

Organization stems from routine. Making my bed in the morning, keeping my house clean, writing blog content, sending out emails to clients, managing my personal finances, devoting time to my relationships, devoting time to myself....

The more organized I become, the more things fall into place. My business operates better, I achieve more goals. My relationships become healthier, I become happier.

It's hard. I'm sitting here with a messy home. I fell off track. I was so good for so long and I slipped up. I caught up on work I've neglected for a few weeks tonight. But that is how life is, it's far from perfect and you can't maintain perfection, but I look at it in the same light as how I have given up some bad habits.

I didn't give up those bad habits overnight. Instead the process was more of, how long can I go before I break and the bad habit reappears. As time moves on, the bad habits happen with much longer gaps in-between. For instance my messy home. In college (2008-2013) I’d have dirty dishes in the sink every night. My first year in my apartment (2013), it was every couple of nights before they piled up. 2015, my kitchen has been clean almost everyday. The past few weeks with the holidays, guests and lack of focus, it built up into a mess. 2016 will be better.

It’s the same with everything else, the dishes are relatable example.

To avoid bad habits, you need to fill void where the bad habits used to be with good habits and better lifestyle/business choices. In the case of the dishes. Instead of finishing a meal and putting my plate in the sink, I’d wash it.

TLDR: Organizing every aspect of my life is how I plan on continuing to improve every aspect of my life.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[fastattack03]

As I wake up:

1. Read for an hour
2. Do the Gary Halbert challenge for 30 minutes
3. Practice writing for another 30 minutes
4. Start working

I have to add some physical workout to my routine.

 

[ChrisJTurner]

Well, what I've found is that for ME, More time =/= Better quality for the most part. I spend half the time mentally masturbating and 'thinking,' then the deadline sets in and I do the actual work. It does help to have a clear picture of what you want the end result to be like, and yes, proper planning does consume time, but I think it's worth it.

If you have a very clear picture of your desired outcome, then you will allocate only the time it takes to get the level of quality you've envisioned. So while you are 'rushing'. You're 'rushing' within the boundaries of your desired quality.

It takes some experimentation, especially when you're just starting out with something. If say, you're building a fence for your garden and you've never built one before, you can't know how long it'll take. In this situation, trying to apply Parkinson's law isn't very useful. But if you build 4-5 fences and monitor your results, you'll get an idea, and then you can start cutting out the non-essentials.

I don't believe this method as a compromise to quality when done properly. I see it as "It takes as long as it takes. (But not a second longer.)"

Hmm, I like this train of thought.
I guess if you are measuring it, it gets managed.

Though because I am starting out fresh, I am unlikely to understand how long things are going to take but when I get more experienced, I;ll certainly give this a try.
Thanks for the heads up

 

[Buickestate]

Since I'm trying to change my habits and thought patterns as I get out of my sidewalk mindset, I often look to this forum for insights, tid bits of knowledge that I can use to work into my own journey towards a better future.
I don't have a set daily ritual. Never have.
There are things I do and try to accomplish daily, but no pattern. I like to keep a fluid schedule so that I can tend to whatever pops up, be it a customer needing me, or family things that pop up.
I get some reading done, be it books or information from google searches. I try to find some relevant learning materials to my goals on line and in print form. I write down quotes and make notes. I have to prepare meals and spend some time with she who demands attention. Prior to going to sleep I like to write out out my goals and fine tune, or improve my vision each time I re-write them.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Delmania]

Accepting myself. Seriously, one of the assumptions of "self improvement" is that there is something to be fixed or improved on. I personally found it a lot better for my mindset to adopt the Buddhist philosophy that we are complete and whole as we are, but we tend to forget that. I have adopted some good habits, such as exercise and healthy eating, but self improvement, in my opinion, is not worth it unless you have a defined purpose (and goal!)

 

[eliquid]

I do mine a bit differently to keep it simple.

In everything I am going to do, from going out to eat to purchasing a new cell phone to planning what I do the next day, I am going to ask myself:

• Will this make me truly happy
• Does this align with my Priorities, Mission Statement, Core Values, and/or goals?
  
• If what I am doing does not align, can I dump it and spend time on doing something that does instead?
• Is this something that will benefit me 1 time, or multiple times into the future?
• Can I build a system around it or do I have to touch it 2-3 times?
• Is this on my list of things NOT TO DO for 2016?

So instead of trying to make sure I stick to a hard goal like reading 1 hour a day or going to bed at 9pm and having to remember those sticking points and set alarms, etc.... I just make those things be a part of my core values and priorities and then ask myself if what I am doing is aligned with that...

For example, if one of my priorities and core values is being healthy.. I am going to ask myself when I get ready to go out to eat ( or if there, what I pick to eat ) aligns with those goals of mine. Same with going to bed ( I consider that healthy ) and not so much what time I get up or go to sleep, but how many hours I got in and if that aligns.

I honestly dont have education on my list this year.. so reading for an hour a day is going to take a backseat. If I find myself wanting to buy a book on amazon and listen to it or read a blog post, I am going to pass it up in favor of working on my list of priorities and values and mission statement.

 

[Learner Guy]

Know your strengths and weaknesses, what's easy and what's hard for you.
Exploit the strengths, shore up the important weaknesses.

I'm doing well at the moment tracking '$1000 per hour time' (80/20 Sales and Marketing by Perry Marshall) and buying myself sushi for lunch if I've already clocked 60 minutes for the day.

For years I've worked hard but not really thought about using a reward system. I'm human like everybody else, so why not use some positive reinforcement?

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Andy Black]

1) NOT sitting down at the computer first when it's time to work.
(Article: Your desk is for executing.)

2) NOT having numeric goals, but just doing a little of the right thing each day...

I remember when I was working in London at the turn of the century. I'd moved offices to one in The City, and it was a 30 minute walk to work instead of a 30 minute motorbike commute.

Within a week, the 30 minute walk passed in a flash. I set off, I arrived, I couldn't remember what happened in between.

Do that twice a day, 5 times a week, and it's a habit very quickly.

I was fighting fit in those days (lots of 5-aside soccer, squash, gym, etc). Yet, within a month I'd dropped 7 Pounds (about 3Kg.)

I didn't know there was another 7 Pounds to drop!

I try and walk a few times a week now... unfortunately it's not a habit yet, but I'll work it into my lifestyle somehow.​

 

[Filipe]

• Early-rising (5-6am)
• Starting the day off with a workout and a cold shower
• Reviewing the daily tasks and writing out my goals
• Grinding and making my day
  
• Meditating for at least 10 minutes
• Planning the next day and reading at least 30 minutes
• Good amount of sleep

 

[Andy Black]

Parkinson's Law states that "Work expands to fill the time available for it." So I give myself a very ambitious (but still achievable) time limit to complete my tasks.

Yes. One of the only things I remember from The 4-Hour Work Week was to combine Parkinson's Law, and the Pareto Principle (80/20).

By having 20% of the time to do the task, you end up focusing on the 20% that gives 80% of the results. (Think about when you suddenly have to leave work at lunchtime - you still seem to get everything done.)

So on Monday you get 80% of the job done (good enough), and instead of spending Tuesday-Friday on "creeping elegance", you get 80% done of 4 more jobs.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Vigilante]

I want to be able to look back at my 2016 daytimer planner and see what every single day's milestone was.

Because, I know that at the end of all of those "inches" is the difference between winning and losing.

Today's was re-engaging a product development deal I had in place before the holidays creeped up on me, finalizing that deal, and writing the copy for the test item that should launch in 10 days +/-.

If every single day (and I mean EVERY day, 7 days a week) for the next 365 days, we have something to write home about, your 2016 will be your (and my) best year ever. I know not every single activity will win, but the sum total of 365 days of milestones will win.

 

[Andy Black]

I want to be able to look back at my 2016 daytimer planner and see what every single day's milestone was.

Because, I know that at the end of all of those "inches" is the difference between winning and losing.

Today's was re-engaging a product development deal I had in place before the holidays creeped up on me, finalizing that deal, and writing the copy for the test item that should launch in 10 days +/-.

If every single day (and I mean EVERY day, 7 days a week) for the next 365 days, we have something to write home about, your 2016 will be your (and my) best year ever. I know not every single activity will win, but the sum total of 365 days of milestones will win.

I love this. Very Kaizen.

I've had numerous roles where I had to chase numeric targets. We turned them into daily actions - a "Continuous Cycle of Improvement" much like your OODA loop (here's the OODA loop thread). Even when the results didn't immediately come, we had faith that the results would follow if we kept doing the right thing(s).

(Here's that "Continuous Cycle of Improvement" thread, although I think it loses something when translated to written format. I'll do a video soon.)


...


I'm a big fan of self-improvement.

Pick something you want to be world class at.

Invest 1 hour a day learning/doing it.

After 3 years you'll have the equivalent of a college degree.

After 5 years you'll be world class. You'll be writing articles. You'll be paid to present it.

Do it at the start of your working day and you'll always be working on your most important client first, which is yourself and your business).

What have you got to lose?

In 5 years you'll be 5 years older whether you do this or not.

(Taken from this great podcast.)