ATOMIC HABITS
JAMES CLEAR
CHAPTER 11
For the past several weeks, we have been endeavoring to create good habits, while at the same time working hard to eradicate bad habits—which we all have. And for many of us, it has been extremely difficult trying to figure out the best approach for accomplishing this task.
That’s understandable because it’s easy to get bogged down trying to find the optimal plan for change.
– Finding the best plan to lose weight
– Finding the best schedule to start working out
– Finding the best program to build muscle
– Finding the best way to generate residual income
In fact, sometimes we can get so focused on figuring out the best approach that we never get around to taking action.
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain
Being in Motion -vs.- Taking Action
Being in motion
o You are planning and strategizing
o Establishing goals
o Setting the agenda
Taking action
o Engaging in actions that produce desired results
Sometimes motion is most useful, however being in motion will never produce an outcome by itself. It doesn’t matter how many times you go TALK to the personal trainer that motion will never get you in shape! Only the ACTION of working out will.
MOTION ALLOWS US TO FEEL LIKE WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS WITHOUT RUNNING THE RISK OF FAILURE
Why We Get Stuck Just Being In Motion
The thought of taking action releases dopamine
It gives us a “Legitimate” excuse for not taking action
It prevents us from failing to reach our goals
It creates the illusion that we’re making progress
It convinces others that we are serious
5 TIPS ON TAKING ACTION
1. MAKE A WORK-TIME RITUAL
When work is habitual, the transition into it is more seamless. There’s much less chance of thoughts like “I don’t feel like it” to make you procrastinate, and it’s because habits are something we compulsively do
The ritual is all about what comes before the actual work, and is very personal. Here’s some things you can do to ritualize your work process:
• Light a candle
• Turn on some music (or whatever you use as background noise)
• Have a piece of candy
• Organize your work space
• Prepare a cup of tea/coffee
2. CREATE A TO-DO LIST BEFOREHAND
The reason a to-do list is helpful is because you prevent ambiguity from ruining your work session. If you don’t know what work you have to do, then eventually you’ll drift into semi important tasks because you have no direction.
A to-do list take the guesswork out of doing your work, meaning you expend less mental energy deciding what to do and more on actually working.
3. WORK ON THE TINIEST/EASIEST TASK
Often times we feel overwhelmed by the amount of work we need to do. When this happens, we back away from the work because we feel a lot of pressure to complete it.
To combat this, don’t look at your work as a whole. Instead, focus on the smallest, easiest thing you can do, and imagine it’s all you have to do. If you do that, you’ll have a significantly easier time engaging with it and prevent yourself from feeling overwhelmed.
4. WORK IN SHORT INTERVALS
Another simple hack is to say to yourself “I only need to work for twenty minutes, then I can stop if I want.” This lowers the expectation of long, tedious work to follow and makes work engagement easier.
You’ll find that by simply starting to work, you’re able to push past twenty minutes and – more often than not – work to your designated break time.
If twenty minutes still seems too long, feel free to lower it. The key is to start working, once that occurs you’ll naturally want to continue.
5. USE GAMIFICATION APPS
Sometimes using an app or tool can bring some freshness to the work process, and motivate you to work just so you can use the app.
With gamification, tasks feel more like a game and can even be fun. Here are some good ones to try out:
1. HabitRPG
2. TaskHammer
3. EpicWin
If you’re a video game lover, then this is perfect for you to try out.
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Bible Study Notes | CH. 11
Atomic Habits by James Clear
April 7, 2021 • Pastor Arthur Jackson III
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Atomic Habits by James Clear