by Dr. Cindy Briggs
I think you all probably know by now… I love to read. Books are my thing. I buy them and borrow them all of the time. I am not kidding when I say I have a stack of 10 “to read” books always in my house. I do like to share books with you all on my “Bookshelf” page on my website, but sometimes I read a book that inspires me to write an entire blog post. This is one of those times.
I recently finished reading Atomic Habits by James Clear, and my first reaction is MIND BLOWING! This book says it is about tiny changes with remarkable results, and I couldn’t agree more. Now when I say “mind blowing”… I am not sure that anything Clear says is new information. He actually admits that most of what he writes about has been studied by others. I think what hit me was the way he addresses the topic of change. We all know change can be hard… it can be the thing that keeps us from fulfilling our dreams. What we have to learn is how to take small steps to change, and before we know it… the end result has taken place.
I work with entrepreneurs, and so often, I hear that they aren’t able to do something. Maybe it is start a new service, or it could be controlling their schedule, or maybe it is even creating a new health routine. Whatever the situation is… when we start to break it down we realize it is more of a mindset issue that NOT being able to accomplish something. We have to make a first step. We have to believe we can do it. And then we have to DO IT!
I have so many pages that I have marked in this book, but one of my favorite sections said this:
” Habits are like the entrance ramp to a highway. They lead you down a path and, before you know it, you’re speeding toward the next behavior. It seems to be easier to continue what you are already doing than to start doing something different. You sit through a bad movie for two hours. You keep snacking even when you are already full. You check your phone for “just a second” and soon you have spent twenty minutes staring at the screen. In this way, the habits you follow without thinking often determine the choices you make when you are thinking.”
James Clear, Atomic Habits
We have to develop good habits so they take place EVEN when we aren’t thinking about them. Well, that’s great…but how can we put that into entrepreneurial work? Let’s look at three habits you could implement this week.
- Start your morning off right. Find a morning routine that will help set you up for success, and not running around like you are behind from the start. I start each day (well I get my coffee first) with my quite Bible time. I spent 20–30 minutes doing whatever study I am in and just take the time to reflect. I also start the morning with some form of exercise. Yes, I have to set my clock earlier to get this done before my family gets up– but it is always worth it. Do this every single day!
- Own your time/calendar. Yes, things happen and we may have to react to something that wasn’t planned, but for the most part… a little planning can go a long way. Try to take time on Friday afternoon, or Sunday evening, to look at your schedule for the next week. Schedule the “must do’s”, leave white space for reflection, and then schedule your week. Get into this planning habit. Make the date with yourself each week.
- Stop the scroll. Social media has become such a part of our daily lives…that we do forget how much time it takes. Even if you use it for business– set a time each week to schedule your posts (i.e. Later is a great program) and when time is up– put the phone down. If you shave off 30 minutes each week from your scrolling– you will be amazed how much more time you have to be productive.
Let’s all start with these three atomic habits this week– and let’s see how we feel when it starts to be second nature!
Enjoy the book!
Cindy
For more entrepreneurial topics, visit us at www.cindybriggsphd.com
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