Lots of ideas of 30-day trials - where do you start?

[Rapid]

Hi, folks. A couple of trials I want to go through:

1. Media fast.
2. Set regular work hours (i.e., stop working at a certain time everyday).
3. Go to sleep at a reasonable hour.
4. Exercise regularly.
5. Break down projects into smaller tasks and spread out the tasks over a few days. I heard that doing so will prevent procrastination.
6. Visualize abundance.

I've also heard that it's better to tackle one trial at a time. But I have so many habits that I wish to change! I'm thinking about writing down my list of 5+ things and looking at it every morning to remind myself of what I am working on. Otherwise, I will forget!

[Daffy Duck]

Start with something health-related, like exercise. Being in good health makes achieving every other goal easier.

[WarrenG]

Yeah you could combine all the health related ideas you have into an extreme health month, 3 and 4 on your list, plus no alcohol, caffeine, processed food. See what happens and develop your self-control at the same time (although it's easier to stick to things on 30 day trials than it is 'forever').

[Syndicate]

Originally Posted by Rapid

Hi, folks. A couple of trials I want to go through:

1. Media fast.
2. Set regular work hours (i.e., stop working at a certain time everyday).
3. Go to sleep at a reasonable hour.
4. Exercise regularly.
5. Break down projects into smaller tasks and spread out the tasks over a few days. I heard that doing so will prevent procrastination.
6. Visualize abundance.

I've also heard that it's better to tackle one trial at a time. But I have so many habits that I wish to change! I'm thinking about writing down my list of 5+ things and looking at it every morning to remind myself of what I am working on. Otherwise, I will forget!

I have a little website that I've started (in my signature). That's where I'm starting. I have a lot of ideas for 30, 60 and 90 day trials... I just have to write up about them.

[UpwithDawn]

Make sure each new habit is relatively small and don't take on too many of these at once.
Last year I kept a journal of all my goals for the next 3 months and re-reading it morning and night really helped me to stay focused.

However, your post points out a deeper problem: you want to do some "trials" at changing your life. But Life isn't a trial. If it's a habit you really what to change then there can be no trials - you DO.

If you call it a trial then you're automatically giving yourself a way out - there is no "end result" or "final version" when you're improving yourself, just a continuous improvement. For example, excercise regularly and think how you will feel by Christmas, not how you will feel "at the end" of the trial. Because what will you do then ... ?

[WarrenG]

Originally Posted by Syndicate

I have a little website that I've started (in my signature). That's where I'm starting. I have a lot of ideas for 30, 60 and 90 day trials... I just have to write up about them.

Your website looks great man! I have a similar concept going on at doitforamonth.com. I wonder if we couldn't help each other out.

Maybe we could link to each others' site, for one. And leave comments to motivate each other for another. We could also try to find other site that do the same thing - writing about their 30 day trials on a blog - and get them involved too, like a big 30-day trial support group?

[Syndicate]

Originally Posted by WarrenG

Your website looks great man! I have a similar concept going on at doitforamonth.com. I wonder if we couldn't help each other out.

Maybe we could link to each others' site, for one. And leave comments to motivate each other for another. We could also try to find other site that do the same thing - writing about their 30 day trials on a blog - and get them involved too, like a big 30-day trial support group?

That sounds like a great idea.

My website is live right now but I haven't given it to anyone yet because I need to write some quality articles, fix the about section so it's not so long, etc... I have to take out some swear words too. I should have enough content up by the end of the day so I can officially launch it and do my SEO.

I'm definitely interested in linking our sites and I'm open to any ideas. I love your domain name- wish I could have thought of that. :P

P.S. I'll PM you my e-mail.

[Sue_B]

Hey Rapid - what if you started with one habit this week and start to implement that in your life. Then next week start with another one.

Instead of having one goal per habit, I've seen success systems that set various stages of intentions that ensures you have success. When you have success you're more likely to continue with the habit.

For instance, go to sleep at a reasonable hour. First you need to specify what that hour is. If it's by 11 pm then your intentions could be:
- Minimum - I go to sleep by 11 pm at least once this week.
- Ideal - I go to sleep by 11 pm at least three times this week.
- Outrageous - I go to sleep by 11 pm every night this week.

It also helps if you have a 'why' for each intention. Then you can focus on that when your mind starts to rationalize why you shouldn't follow through.

[Rapid]

Thanks to everyone for all your suggestions.

Today was not a good day for me. I was exhausted due to a lack of sleep (I stayed up late to read some materials for class). Something happened to me at school, and I broke down completely.

I think the two most important things that I should work on are getting enough sleep and exercising regularly. It's definitely hard to handle stress when one is feeling fatigued! The third and fourth things are meditating and prioritizing my work (and to realize that I can't perform at my best 100% of the time and be okay with that fact).