“FIRST WE MAKE OUR HABITS, THEN OUR HABITS MAKE US”

That is a quote from Charles Noble, and how true it is!  I am realizing that my bad habit of being a workaholic is not getting better…the fact that it’s almost 9pm and I am still at the office working would evidence this fact!  Clearly balance is something I really need to work on in my life – so putting in boundaries and having parameters on when I will work and when I will not is becoming a must do for me. I have decided that I am going to force myself to set parameters for my work life that I will implement starting tomorrow (because I obviously blew it today).  I am going to set work boundaries for myself that dictate the hours I will and will not work and then I am determined to break my horrible habit of being a workaholic.  

Now, let’s put my bad habit aside and talk about staring good habits in our lives.  Plus, it has been said that the best way to eliminate a bad habit is to replace it with a good one, so we can kill two birds with one stone people!! (disclaimer: no actual birds will be killed with a stone in today`s blog) :)…….

Studies show it takes 21 days to form a new habit. 21 days. You can do ANYTHING for 21 days if you simply set your resolve that you are going to do it! Don’t give yourself an out. Take a calendar and highlight 21 days for your habit to form and mark each day off as you accomplish it. Another thing that can help is to write down a list of benefits you will get from the new habit you start. For example, if it’s eating healthy you can write down things like: Looking better, fitting my cute skinny jeans again, having more energy, etc. Writing down the benefits will serve as good motivation for you to keep on track for the 21 day period. Set little rewards for yourself when you hit milestones within the 21 days, for example, at day 5 I get this prize and at day 10 I get this, all the way to day 21 when I get to buy a new wardrobe for myself :), etc. These are just little tricks to help you as you establish your new habits.

If you are wondering what new habits you might want to form, I found a list of ideas for fabulous habits people might implement.

EXCELLENT HABITS TO DEVELOP: (by D. Gibson)
1. Habitually think the best of the people you care about.

2. Habitually find the positive side of any equation.

3. Habitually set up a time to read more, grow more, learn more — every day or several times a week.

4. Habitually treat people better — make it a personal standard.

5. Habitually look for the beauty in the world around you.

6. Habitually clean up your language.

7. Habitually do things to take care of your physical self (a challenge for most of us, if there ever was one).

8. Habitually save money.

9. Habitually start looking for new opportunities around you.

10. Habitually make the most of every day.

11. Habitually plan your day or your week, and follow the plan.

12. Habitually take stock of your successes and your needs.

13. Habitually love your family — and spend time with them.

Hopefully I can add new good habits at the same time I break my bad ones.  Join me in my latest quest and share your comments on how it goes for you!  And hold me to my promise to stop being a workaholic!  I need the external support from my friends to make this one happen…seriously!  Have an AMAZING day today!

 ~Amy

7 Comments

  • Otto says:

    Great advice! I love learning new things that will help me to improve the quality of my life. Already on my way to establishing one good habit before this year ends. Thank you Amy 🙂

  • Anonymous says:

    Lol. Love the disclaimer.

  • Bradley says:

    Thanks Amy for your habits…..and your blogs as they keep me on track with my entrepreneur spirit, albeit this may not help you with your workaholic habit….lol!!

  • Mary Evans says:

    Amy, I used to have the same problem! I always had just one more thing that needed to be done before I would leave. I started to set a daily reminder on my calendar and had it prompt me about 5 min before I was supposed to be going home. Hope it helps you as well because you have helped me in so many ways, you don’t even know. Have a GREAT day and best of luck you workaholic! : )

    • Maria says:

      I do the same thing – I even have a reminder set for me to take lunch. It’s so easy to get caught up in doing ‘just one more thing’ that a quick popup on my computer reminding me to go to lunch or that I have 5 minutes to wrap up whatever I absolutely have to finish before tomorrow is a huge help. I also try to remind myself that the world won’t end if I leave something to be finished tomorrow. It just means I have something to do the next day. 🙂

  • Mary Evans (MCG) says:

    Amy, I used to have the same problem! I always had just one more thing that needed to be done before I would leave work. I started to set a daily reminder on my calendar, and had it prompt me about 5 min before I was supposed to go home. This worked for me, hope it helps you as well; because you have helped me in so many ways, you don’t even know. Have a GREAT day and best of luck you workaholic you! : )

  • Johnny McQuinn says:

    I believe I’m on the right path . I think I’m on learning path . Engaged into new ideas from the old ideals. Learning that house built out of expectations always fails. But a house built out of unconditional love always prevails.

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