I’ve often heard it said that the moment you start to observe a habit…you change it…for me…it’s usually true…
For instance…I’ve seen budget advice that recommends keeping a spending log…just to see where your money is going…don’t make any changes in what you buy…just write everything down…I tried that years ago…and…you guessed it…there were things that I didn’t want on my log…so even though I normally would have bought them…not that day…my habits were changing…and I never got an accurate picture of where my money was going…except…maybe I did…and maybe I always knew…I just didn’t want to admit it…so…the log had a value…it kept me from flitting away some cash…it just didn’t capture my true habits…
Same thing with time management studies…record everything you are doing at work in five-to-fifteen minute increments…okay…really…I was supposed to turn the form in saying that I was checking my personal email…or chatting in the break room…or filing my nails…I don’t think so…my work habits immediately changed to be…well…all work…maybe that was the point…
Exercise baseline…strap a pedometer on me…and just see how many extra steps I’m taking…hopefully this one won’t be done in conjunction with the time management study…‘cause…I might be doing a few unnecessary laps around the building…
And the pièce de résistance…the food journal…I’ve seen several diet plans that recommend eating normally for two weeks…while recording every bite that goes into your mouth…hello…do they really think half a cheesecake is going to be on the list…no…I don’t want to see it in black and white…my eating habits start to change…before I even capture what they were…I say capture…because…somewhere…deep down…underneath it all…I think I know what the problems are…I just didn’t think anybody was looking…
And…maybe that’s the whole deal…if nobody is looking…I think my behavior doesn’t count…I can complain that my money just mysteriously goes out the window…that there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get all my work done…I can boast that I get plenty of exercise just doing my day-to-day activities…and…yes…I can complain that my metabolism is just slow…I eat like a bird…and keep gaining weight…
Bertha…adds that the only bird I eat like is a vulture…thanks…Bertha…I appreciate the vote of confidence…even if it’s true…
Maybe…I should start observing actual work on the Bertha sequel…I could do a spread sheet…include time spent and word count…just as an observation…just to know what I’m actually doing…
Hmmm…I may have found the cure for writer’s block…actually writing…
Jane
Oh my, Jane! I wonder how many minutes/hours we spend on Facebook each day! No..never mind. I don’t really want to know that!
I loved this post. And now, I must get back to Facebook…uh…I mean, Work!
Peggy Browning
Peggy, I know exactly what you mean…I spend time on Facebook…and now…I flitter on Twitter…so my time goes quickly! I did get some writing time in yesterday…this tracking thing works!
I asked a friend one time how she managed to accomplish so much in one day. Her answer, after looking at me like I had three heads, was…”Why honey, you got the same twenty-four hours that I do.” So I tracked what I do with my time. Worst 15 minutes of my life.
Georgia…love that! I do hate to write down…staring into space…or…walking around in circles trying to remember why I came in the room…thanks for the smile, friend!