I don't like new year resolutions much. By the time it's March, not only have I given up on them, I've actually forgotten what they were. For years, I avoided having new year resolutions so that I didn’t feel disappointed with myself for not sticking to them. However, I think this year I've nailed it. It's all about routine and sticking to the schedule. Sounds a bit obsessive? Please read on to decide.
Habits are very hard to shift because they are not decisions they are automatic behaviours - if you want to know more about how habits work and how they can change, I recommend reading this book, ‘The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do, and How to Change’ by Charles Duhigg. It’s fascinating - So the idea behind a schedule is to support change and replace old habits by new ones, the ones that support your goals. It compels you to achieve your tasks the same way you go to work everyday. So, here is the idea
1. Set specific goals
- eg: run half a marathon next April
2. Create specific tasks –
- eg: go for a 5km run twice a week for 6 weeks
3. Include the tasks in your schedule
- eg: run on Mondays at 7pm and Thurs 7pm
- It does feel more achievable than a general 'get fit' or 'loose weight' doesn’t it? and if you can, do the run with a friend so that you're accountable to someone else... And you might even have fun.
4. Share your ideal week with your partner, children, friends, boss… they need to be aligned on your intentions otherwise you might find your plans difficult to implement. Does the ‘partner still at work, no childcare, can’t go for a run’ scenario sound familiar?
But how about chilling I hear you say? How about relaxing, doing nothing, nada, rien? Well this is important and healthy as well. Remember rest after activity, calm before the storm, Yin and Yang and all that? In fact, speaking of free time, I really enjoyed this opinion piece titled, “You Don’t Need More Free Time.” In the article, this sociologist at Stanford argues we need more constraints over our time—not less—in order to properly enjoy the free time we *do* have. So back to our schedule!
Finally, don’t disregard small changes you make towards a healthy lifestyle, they have greater mental and physical benefits than you think.
Now, want to get rid of back pain? Want to feel less stressed, more focussed, or sleep better? Why don’t you include a 45 min session of acupuncture in your weekly schedule? Feel free to contact me at Sophie@silverwoodacupuncture.co.uk for more information on what acupuncture can treat.