Process = Purpose
Lately I have been studying effective processes, habits, and lifestyles. That may seem odd, but I've gone through a transition in my professional life that required deep reflection, heavy change of routine both at work and home, and learning effective processes in my new environment. It also helps that I joined the best company... @lucidchart.. when it comes to diagraming processes and visualizing them effectively.
So, where am I going with this - After a few months of studying some amazing literature, I've decided to share with you what I have done in the last few months that has helped me pivot quickly during these trying times.
Purpose
First, you have to have a purpose. A purpose for every minute, hour, day. The purpose doesn't always have to amount to terrific results...it can simply be "take a nap"... but that time of your life has a purpose to it. Blank time is also purposeful as well. I'm not saying to go plan every single minute of your life from now until you die. Simply driving home the value of having a "why" behind your action. Sit down and ask yourself... why am I doing this? With purpose comes drive. With drive comes achievement, with achievement comes success. With success comes reward and happiness.
Habits
In my studies I read the book by James Clear, Atomic Habit. This is an incredible, must read book. If you haven't, you are missing out. So, follow the link and get this book. James talks about incremental habits that ultimately pay dividends down the road. Similar to compound interest with our money. Even though forming new productive habits may not have an immediate gain... your future gains will compound with results over and over again. So, just like investing early, it's important to start NOW in creating productive habits. James Clear provides a great formula that has helped me tremendously called habit stacking.
Habit Stacking
Habit stacking is where you stack new productive habits onto already well routined, automatic habits. As I have done this, it has helped me pick up new habits at a faster pace. I have shared my most recent habit stacking plan for my day in this article. If you'd like to do something similar, message me and I'll help you out. But here is James formula:
After [current habit], I will [new habit].
Simple, right?... it is! Simplicity is key to the success of your new habits. The example I shared with you is after months of molding out a process. In bold you'll see where I stacked new habits I'm trying to establish in my automatic routine. I refer to this document often as I plan for my day, and review my previous day.
Now, go! During this pivotal time, go establish new habits... but take caution... you may not see results immediately... that's okay! Also, don't do too much too quick. Think about the 1% rule.. how can you make incremental changes that over time will drive compounding dividends.