Depleted – That's how I would describe myself after work 60% of the time. Lately, you could add dissatisfied and frustrated to the mix. But, my current work issues have nothing to do with this post. Last night I finally came to a conclusion about certain habits which only perpetuate my weariness – I need to cut them out. We'll start with the highest level habit and dive deeper into why it's become one.
Highest level – Sleep. Lately, I noticed myself going to bed between 1:00 and 3:00am and then waking up between 8:00 and 10:00am. By 9/10am the morning is nearly gone, the world has long been rolling, and I'm only getting started. Starting behind is never a great way to start.
Next level – Electronics. The primary reason; no, the only reason for my late bedtime is an addiction to electronic media. I can be dead tired and still scroll through Instagram or watch a movie. I get sucked in and letting go feels insurmountable. On the occasional night I skip the media consumption, I clearly notice a change in how I wake up and my general attitude for the day; rested is a word I would use.
Next Level – More electronics. Guess what's the first thing I grab during a lunch break or once I get home. My phone or computer. I work all day in front of a screen and the second I'm off the clock, the work screen gets replaced with the get-my-mind-off-work screen.
… Okay. I'm bored of talking about these sad habits of mine. Time for the game plan.
What to cut:
- I need better sleep. Not more, better. This means no more watching shows or scrolling the feed in bed.
- Lunch time is for socialization or relaxation. Cutting every habit cold-turkey might work for a week, but it can be hard. I am going to give myself one lunch per week to watch a show – Wednesday and Loki.
- Watching TV alone. Not only do I get sucked in and keep clicking that super convenient "Watch Next" button, it takes too long for me to snap back to real life after being so absorbed in the show. As with #2, going cold-turkey is likely impractical, so, I'm going to start by limiting my watch-TV-alone time to one episode per day. Hopefully, as I stick to this game-plan, the desire for TV will diminish all together.
- Hitting the snooze button. I briefly read a headline the other day about how hitting the snooze is more detrimental to your sleep cycle than you think. Sounds about right to me, so away with the snooze.
What to add:
Now, cutting is great, but makes slipping back inevitable if nothing productive/enjoyable steps in to replace the time. (Funny enough, I went to a young adults conference last weekend and Josh Bramos talked with the guys about pornography and how to wrestle against its very strong allure. The key is to replace the desire for porn with love for God. Same deal here, replace one negative desire with one which builds you up)
- Before bed, I'll sit in my chair and read until tired. There are three books I've started but have yet to complete: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, Innovate or Die by Andres Oppenheimer, and The First Tycoon by T. J. Stiles. And, if I don't feel like reading, it's to bed I go!
- During lunch, if I am feeling sociable, I'll make the effort to talk with people at the table. If not, again, the books. Or, I can always peruse Zillow and LandWatch for realestate. Alternatively, I can take a shorter lunch, just eat, and then leave work early.
- After work, here are the things I will enjoy:
a. Working out at the gym. It's so relieving to stick some headphones in (they don't even have to be on) and push weights with me, myself, and I; best form of relaxation of which I can think.
b. Learning about Artificial Intelligence. I only have two-thirds of an edX class (Harvard CS50 – Introductory to Artificial Intelligence with Python) left to complete. This course is not only a great thing for my LinkedIn resume, but could be a stepping stone in the direction of some really cool projects.
c. Installing parts for the Mini. For those of you who don't know, I have been very slowly saving money to buy parts for my 1964 Austin Mini. I just recently bought a whole bunch of interior materials and now they need to be installed.
d. Planning my next business venture. My sister and I have some neat projects/businesses we'd like to attempt. Those may very well be the topics of future posts.
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