Everyday Systems

I love thinking up elaborate systems and plans about changing my habits and managing my time. I make all kinds of rules and never actually follow any of them. They aren't automatic and require a lot of thinking and checking. The same goes for GTD and other systems. I forget about them and if I remember to use them for a while they just make me stressed and rebellious. I'm not one for strict adherence to a set of rules or a timetable.

I've tried the "forming a new habit takes a month" approach. I can do a month. But the next month I try to focus on another habit and promptly forget the first one. So apparently forming a new habit takes more than a month for me. And I'm not that patient.

Now I've realized there's actually only one habit I need at the moment. I should just check my notebook every morning. It holds my todo -list. Everything from "Design website x" to "Choose a song and dance to it". First I had different notebooks for work, home etc but even that was too complicated. So now there's only one notebook. It's small enough to fit in my handbag. It works. It's freeform enough so I don't rebel against it. I choose a thing to do when I want to. There's no timetable and no stress. I'm happy

I make all kinds of rules and never actually follow any of them.

That was me pre-everyday systems

I've tried the "forming a new habit takes a month" approach. I can do a month. But the next month I try to focus on another habit and promptly forget the first one.

Yeah, one a month sounds modest, but it's really quite ambitious. I make some kind of a resolution for something to focus on each month, but it's not always (or even usually) a new habit. Often it's just a finite project.

Now I've realized there's actually only one habit I need at the moment. I should just check my notebook every morning. It holds my todo -list

Sounds famliar!

http://www.everydaysystems.com/podcast/ ... .php?id=19

Humility is the key to productivity.

Thanks for sharing and good luck!

Reinhard