Changing Habits GTD

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ablaze

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Has anyone here read or thought about whether and how to

1. plan
2. monitor

habit changes with GTD?

You could treat the intention of changing a habit as a project. But more often than not, there are no Next Actions tied to habit changes, as most habits are practiced unconsciously.

I know there is literature about how to change and monitor habits out there and I intend to read one or two books. I'm just curious what you think about this topic.
 
I keep an @ Focus list with these 5 or 6 issues.

I have it set in my Palm Pilot Calendar to view every day at a set time.

Each time is listed with a one sentence reminder about the action to take to actually change it.
 
Right now, one of the habits I'm changing is to drink more water, 6 glasses per day to be exact. I have a checklist I go through every day on which I also record how many glasses I drank. I plan on keeping it on there until I'm at 6 glasses per day for at least a month. After that I'll put it on a weekly objective/goal list for a month or two and then I remind myself once per month, and so on and so on. This system worked with other habits. I don't put in 6 NAs in my system though.

Now this is a simple habit to change, but I have used it for more abstract habit changes.
 
hagadol;55129 said:
1. Internet distraction
Click to expand...

Real world actions: close browser, track and monitor Internet usage.

2. Listen, without interruption.
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This *is* a real world action, it seems to me. Active listening can also include real world actions like taking notes.

Katherine
 
Jerry Seinfeld’s “Don’t Break the Chain” system

Below are some very nice ideas for developing habits. In addition, GTD Connect contains a lot of excellent content on establishing habits and making changes stick.

For an overview of Seinfeld's system, visit LifeHacker.com and search for Seinfeld’s productivity secret. Sorry I don’t have the link handy, but the comedian Jerry Seinfeld shares a great tip for establishing habits.

Next, as follow up, have a look at recommendations for using a palm device to implement Jerry’s “Don’t Break the Chain” system. http://palmaddict.typepad.com/palmad...o-reboot-.html

And then the follow up on the follow up about using the system with a palm to track your progress towards your New Year’s Resolutions: http://palmaddict.typepad.com/palmad...ing-throu.html

Dwight...
 
The only way I have been able to develop a new habit - or get rid of an old one - is to conciously be aware of the change I want to make. I think that if I put it in front of me daily, it should seep into my subsconscious. This is a sort-of subliminal messaging that is overt. A new habit, that I don't know how to set up with real NAs, is to "pick my battles wisely". Because I have a lot of things coming at me and plan on having many more things coming at me, I don't want to discuss/debate every point. I know that at my rate developing a habit in this way will take a long time. I could have this on a card that I flash in front of myself at select moments, but I worry what others may think. :???:
 
habits

I have benefited a great deal from positive affirmations as recorded and marketed by healthjourneys.com. I was sceptical, and the guided imagery portion of the CDs offered on this website was too dreamy for me (even though I like to think of myself as imaginative). The positive affirmations are stated in the present tense, and after listening to the CD frequently, I find I am able to compose my own. Instead of telling myself, "I have to quit eating all those Doritoes every afternoon," I say, "More and more, my cravings are subsiding." This is a hasty summary, but I strongly recommend the site.
 
sdann;55177 said:
A new habit, that I don't know how to set up with real NAs, is to "pick my battles wisely". Because I have a lot of things coming at me and plan on having many more things coming at me, I don't want to discuss/debate every point.
Click to expand...

The key to this one is an integral part of The David's system: Defer! Make your flashcard/action step/whatever a prompt to tell you, whenever something comes at you, to simply defer deciding or acting on it until tomorrow. By putting off the decision/action/reaction, you get to think about it and decide at your leisure.

This technique is also great for anyone who over-commits: instead of saying "No" immediately, which can be hard, they can simply defer the decision until they've got time and brain-space to think about it and make a more considered decision.
 
sdann;55177 said:
A new habit, that I don't know how to set up with real NAs, is to "pick my battles wisely".
Click to expand...

How do you plan to get yourself to a place where you pick battles more wisely? Re-read affirmations? Reflect on the concept more frequently? Read more on the topic?

Those are all Actions.
 
Changing habits

Interesting topic. Changing habits is so important and yet so hard.

I think reminders are key.

For instance, I still haven't mastered my GTD flow. I sometimes find an idea pop into my head, then I'll pursue that idea, only to find 1/2 an hour has gone by, when I should have just put a NA on my task list in the first place. So now I've setup an outlook appointment "Look at NA lists". I snooze it for 15 minutes when it pops up. So basically I have a reminder every 15 minutes that I should be working on my NA lists, rather than what pops into my head at the time.

I'm sure you could use another reminder/scheduling software to do something similar.

The Seinfeld calendar marking has also helped. It reminds me that I have to do something that day, or I don't get a pretty red X.

Just some thoughts,

Aaron
 
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