Habit

I mentioned fitness blender in the last post. This is what I need to do to get blending:

1. Close blinds
2. Drop projector screen
3. Turn on projector
4. Move meeting table
5. Pull out exercise mat (hidden behind filing cabinets)
6. Fill water bottle
7. Get changed
8. Find video
9. Start airparrot
10. Mirror screen
11. DO ROUTINE
12. Stop airparrot
13. Put away exercise mat
14. Move meeting table back
15. Turn off projector
16. Lift projector screen
17. Open blinds
18. Shower

It's a wonder I ever get it done :) Actually after a few goes it has become quite efficient. On a few occasions I left some of the tidying until the next day but I found this was really a bad idea and moving some furniture can be part of the warm down. I sort of imagine I have gone to a lesson and am asked to help put things away at the end,it gets done, it's brainless and easy.

I read that to form habits requires a trigger and a reward. My trigger is time, I want to get my exercise done and still leave time for other evening activities and a relatively early bed time (partly so I can read a bit). My reward is the feeling of accomplishment, the knowledge that what I am doing is moving me towards my goal and a general feeling of being alive. I also imagine telling friends about my continued success, keeping something up like this is often a surprise to people.

As you do something more and more, the list gets embedded in your mind and you don't forget the elements and you don't find yourself going up and down the stairs multiple times because you forgot the water bottle...