Where have I been you may ask? Well, I got out of habit. Had some issues at home, moved, unpacked, set up the new place, then there was a busy month or so…next thing I knew I had been away from ShrinkGeek for months. So why is it so hard to come back?
The quick answer is: habit. I am out of the habit of pulling down some health information from the intartubes that may be of interest to the geek community, writing it up, formatting it, and posting it. When I was in the habit I would always be on the lookout for something to post and would be rearing to go on a new article. But once I got out of the habit I found it very hard to get back in. Would start up an article, lose my direction, and put it on the back burner.
So while trying to figure out how to jump back in I started thinking about habits in general. How do you start/end one? For myself, something big needs to happen to end one, such as moving, to take me out of my routine. Starting it is a bit harder as in many situations there is no sense of urgency. Then I started thinking about the troubles I have had getting a steady workout routine and diet in place.
I have heard that it takes 28 days to make/break a habit. 28 days to get yourself used to doing something new or to drop something entirely. I couldn’t find any concrete facts about the saying however. Some say 21, 28, 30 days. But thinking back to my epic fails in the way of health over these past few months it makes sense.
Any routine I have done I have gotten into 100% and swore I would keep up with it. But if I let myself slip, even a little, the pattern is broken and I fall out of habit, since the habit evidently never truly formed. Anytime I have really gotten into something it had been when I set out not for 5 days, a week, etc. but for a full month of something. Exercise on a steady schedule, rain or shine, for a month. Stay on strict Weight Watchers Points for a month, no exceptions. In both cases I saw real results and was able to set a habit that held until something pretty big would come along to pull me out of it.
So, that being said, I think I need to change how I look at any… plan (if that’s the right word). Not jumping to calling something a “lifestyle change” or anything, but a habit formation. Do this, one month, form the habit, see the results. Setting a small goal of a week, two weeks, a certain number of times at the gym, 3-5lbs, or anything just doesn’t do it. My thought pattern needs to change to: “This is it. This is how I am going to live, going forward…now.”
Maybe with that mindset I will get back on track and see some real results again. And who knows, maybe with getting back into a healthy lifestyle I will keep myself on track with ShrinkGeek again as well.
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Interesting strategy! I’m struggling now, too, after a hellish year that culminated in a month of overseas travel. I should figure out a reasonably-sized objective and plan to stick to it for a whole month.