31 Day Challenge – Day 8 Keeping it Going

The days are ticking along. I think I’m finally falling into a groove which is helping me remember to get things done before I lay down in bed. There is nothing that disturbs my ability to sleep like remembering that one last thing I forgot to check off my list. I’m one of those that will just have to get up and do it.

One of the challenges that I chose was to read more fiction. Every writer needs to be a reader and I had fallen short in that endeavor. More than once I have tried to make “read a book each week” part of my regular schedule. I’m a fast reader and that normally is about how long it takes me to read. I broke it down to just reading one hour a day. It’s much easier to do that.

Tips for Staying on Track

1. Do it today because trying to catch up tomorrow will only put you behind somewhere else.

2. Have a tangible measurement. Reading a book each week does nothing to break it down for me daily. Reading one hour each day is easy for me to schedule and fulfill.

3. Be a little flexible. Doing it completely may not always be an option. Do what you can do and do it to the best of your ability. After that just let it go because there is nothing more you can do anyway.

4. Get some sleep. Any schedule should have room for plenty of sleep. It’s best if you can include a thirty minute nap in there after lunch as well.

5. Start fresh each day. No matter what you accomplished the day before, today is a new day. Start today like there was no yesterday and finish like there is no tomorrow.

Building anything (even a new habit or a new focus for life) requires making a plan, making adjustments and completing one task at a time. The first step to a better life is to begin. Have you started your change?