zen habits

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2007-03-18T12:41:00.000-07:00

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Golden Goals series: Kyle Pott of Lifehack.org on losing weight, waking early and GTD

2007-03-15T04:12:00.000-07:00

This is the third article in the Golden Goals series of interviews with notable bloggers about their goals, habits and productivity systems.

Kyle Pott of Lifehack.org is one of my favorite writers on one of my favorite productivity blogs. I'm happy to have him in this series, and his responses are insightful and inspiring.

Kyle is a computer programmer and a productivity, industrial and graphic design enthusiast. He lives in Chicago, Illinois and he is the Associate Editor of Lifehack.org. In his spare time he enjoys reading, writing, jogging, and spending time with his friends and family. He is grateful to have the opportunity to work with Zen Habits and be included amongst the kings and queens of goal-setting and productivity.

1) What would you consider your greatest achievement in the last few years?

My greatest achievement over the past few years was losing 50 pounds and keeping the weight off for an entire year. Although this is rather insignificant when it comes to career, family, etc., the benefits have transcended nearly every aspect of my life. I have been struggling with weight issues since high school and I finally felt like I "conquered my demon" when I lost the weight. Not being overweight allowed me to focus on other, more important aspects of my life.

2) What was the key to achieving that success for you? Was there one thing, or were there a number of factors?

I wrote about many of the factors on my post at Lifehack.org, but the key to achieving my success was planning my meals, planning time to exercise everyday and having the support of my girlfriend as I went through the process of losing weight.

3) What are the essential habits that you've formed to help you achieve your goals?

The most important habit that I've developed to help achieve my goals is waking up at 5 a.m. I love starting my day before the rest of the world. I use the early morning to prepare my goals, relax, and get mentally prepared to start the day. Ironically, I also find the early morning a great time to get chores done. I've also made major changes to my diet that have given me more energy. Planning is also extremely important. At the beginning of each week I budget out my time and decide when I am going to accomplish specific tasks. After creating this schedule I adhere to it as strictly as I possibly can.

4) How often do you think about your goals, review them, and take action on them?

I review my goals three times per day for daily tasks and monthly for larger things. When I first wake up I set my goals for what I want to accomplish by lunch. At lunch I reassess and set my goals for the tasks I want to accomplish by the end of the day. During my commute at the end of the day I reflect on what I accomplished (or didn't accomplish) and start thinking about what I want to accomplish the following day.

5) Describe how you overcome failure, how you pick yourself back up if you are struggling, and how you motivate yourself if your enthusiasm is lagging.

I try to manage my emotions closely and avoid getting to this point. In an ideal world (this does not happen everyday) I have all my work done by six o'clock and I only leave the computer on to check email. On Sundays I don't do any work, and I only turn the computer on to check movie times or read the news. This condenses my work week and saves Sunday to get refreshed and mentally prepared for the following week. This might be too much information, but at the end of particularly stressful and/or frustrating days I take a shower with the lights off to help relax and de-stress.

6) Could you describe your productivity system and any productivity tips you have for people?

I use a mismatched productivity system. I carry a quasi-moleskine that I use strictly for writing down ideas I get throughout the day. I also use my quasi-moleskine to write down appointments until I can get them onto my calendar. I strictly adhere to the principles of GTD when it comes to managing my email and next actions. When I need to do some serious concentrating I follow the 48 on and 12 off system described here: The Power of 48 Minutes.

I only use Google docs and spreadsheets at home-- I have no office software installed on my computer. Like I previously mentioned, I am up at 5 a.m. Monday through Friday without fail.

See also: all interviews in the Golden Goals series

Golden Goals series: David Seah on clarity, creativity and productivity

2007-03-14T11:32:00.000-07:00

This is the second article in the Golden Goals series of interviews with notable bloggers about their goals, habits and productivity systems.

I'm excited about the next blogger in this Golden Goals series because 1) he writes thoughtfully and insightfully on productivity and achieving goals and 2) I use one of his excellent productivity tools every day (the Emergent Task Planner). David Seah of DavidSeah.com is a freelance designer who writes about things that empower and inspire people, covering topics such as design, development, becoming productive, and the business of being a freelancer. He's best known in the online productivity world for his Printable CEO series.

1) What would you consider your greatest achievement in the last few years? Feel free to add other achievements or goals if you'd like.

Personally, it's been finding that I could overcome my own inertia, fear, and perfectionism to create a web presence that is a pretty authentic representation of myself. From that, good things have followed.

2) What was the key to achieving that success for you? Was there one thing, or were there a number of factors?

One of the greatest boosts was getting into the 9rules Network, which was huge to me because of what they represent: quality content. It was the first time in a long time that I'd been recognized for something I'd done that was of immense value to me, not someone else's bottom line.

I feel I'm on a path now toward success, but I'm not sure exactly what it's going to be. A commitment to following where this path leads, I think, is a key factor at work here.

3) What are the essential habits that you've formed to help you achieve your goals?

I automatically try to get to the essence of my goals so I can establish clarity in my direction before taking action. At times, this may actually mean taking action before I fully understand what I'm doing. Maintaining this dynamic balance between thoughtful planning and immediate action, I think, is helping me keep a stable perspective of what it is I'm doing.

I write a lot every day, because it clarifies my thinking and my reasoning, distilling a course of action into a few focused sentences. This creates continuity in my day, and a historical record for the next day.

4) How often do you think about your goals, review them, and take action on them?

I think about them often, though I could be more disciplined in reviewing them. The trouble is probably more like sticking to just a few goals at a time; this is something I'm working on. I'm also particularly bad at doing maintenance-type chores, unless it has something to do with keeping my computer running, so this is an area that I could certainly improve.

5) Describe how you overcome failure, how you pick yourself back up if you are struggling, and how you motivate yourself if your enthusiasm is lagging.

I've recently identified that I have two creative processes, one impulsive, the other methodical. The former energizes me, the latter drains me. When it comes to engineering-type goals, however, the equation is reversed: I find methodical development energizing, and impulsive implementation to be a source of frustration. By keeping aware of what mode I'm in, I can identify the frustration and shift into a different mindset.

I also like to figure ways around obstacles, so it's pretty rare that I feel absolutely stymied. I will lose enthusiasm, though, if I'm not working directly with someone invested in the work I'm doing. I am energized by positive-minded, conscientious, kind, self-empowered people; I find that being in a community of people like this helps inoculate myself from that horrible feeling of failure.

It's not always easy, but what keeps me going is a belief that I can do anything I set my mind to. I'm not saying that I'll do it WELL or even correctly, but there's very little stopping me from making a move in a direction I want to explore except my own attitudes. This applies to
everyone. I consider it a great victory when anyone tries to do something at all ... bravo! Even if it doesn't come out in the right way, there is always something to learn.

6) Could you describe your productivity system and any productivity tips you have for people?

I don't really have a productivity system; it's more that I have pieces of systems that I apply when the need is there. The various forms I've created target a specific kind of behavior that I have sought to optimize for improved focus, but they are not strung together into a system. I see the seeds of this in my current development, but it's not in place now. I would probably say that my fundamental tip is to strive for concreteness and clarity in all activities, to make sure that you see tangible benefit as the only acceptable result from a given action. What a good productivity system does is provide a good accounting methodology so you can measure
your progress, and provide the methodological scaffolding for whatever creative processes you are engaged in.

I have, however, created a number of useful forms that could be integrated as a component of one's personal productivity system. I think the most generally useful form I've made from a productivity perspective has been the Concrete Goals Tracker, because it does a good job of really focusing you on benefit-bringing activity ... if you've taken the time to really pick
good goals. This form is particularly good if you're defining yourself or your business. I like how it brings focus without overloading you with accounting.

The next most useful forms are probably the Task Progress Tracker [original and Destruct-o-matic versions], the Emergent Task Timer, and the Emergent Task Planner. The TPT is a top-down project tool to help you define and track what specific things need doing. The ETT, on the other hand, allows you to see what you've ended up doing without stricter planning. Each form applies to a certain situation or kind of work personality, I think. The ETP, finally, is more of a daily planning worksheet for more general use.

The concepts introduced by these tools and others, combined with the other various insights I've had, probably do form the basis of a "system" of productivity, and I look forward to putting this together over the next year.

Golden Goals series: Secrets to the success of J.D. Roth (of Get Rich Slowly)

2007-03-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

This is the first article in the Golden Goals series of interviews with notable bloggers about their goals, habits and productivity systems.

The first in the Golden Goals lineup is J.D. Roth of Get Rich Slowly, which is probably the most successful personal finance blog around. But it's not just his success that brought me to invite J.D. to be a part of this series. He's most definitely a notable blogger, but I've admired J.D. ever since I discovered his blog for his common sense approach, his sincere writing style, and his philosophy that building wealth is not something that should happen overnight. He's the opposite of the Get Rich Quick marketers -- he builds wealth like he's built his blog -- one gold brick at a time.

1) What would you consider your greatest achievement in the last few years? Feel free to add other achievements or goals if you'd like.

My greatest achievement has been finding a purpose. For years I plodded through life with no real objective. I was going through the motions. I hated my job. I felt like I had failed, had left the promise of my youth unfulfilled.

When I was young, I wanted to be a writer. But like most early goals, I was more attracted to the idea than to the actual practice. I didn't actually know what it meant to be a writer. For a decade after I graduated from college, I didn't write anything. In the late 90s I began to keep a web journal. In 2001, this became a blog. With time this blog became an outlet for my writing urge.

Last year I realized that blogging could be a legitimate use of my writing skills. It also became apparent that I might be able to make money at it. So here I am today, writing for money. It's not at all like what I expected it would be, but in a way it's better. I write every day. I do research. I'm helping people. I have a purpose.

2) What was the key to achieving that success for you? Was there one thing, or were there a number of factors?

I think there were several factors that allowed me to achieve success.

For one, I've always maintained a ready mind. I am curious about things. I'm open to new experiences. This has allowed me to see opportunities that I might otherwise have missed.

Second, when I understood what it was I intended to do, I applied myself with diligence. Previously I'd always been something of a slacker. But when I had a goal, a purpose, I threw myself at it with passion. I worked hard.

Finally, I've tried to approach my goals with a balance of personal vision and the wisdom of others. I read and listen to what others have to say about the subject, but I temper their viewpoints with my own opinions. There are a lot of people out there who will tell you that this is the way to run a web site or this is the way personal finance should be approached. I don't believe there is one right way. I take bits of advice from others and put them to work for me, but I forge my own path when I feel it is warranted.

3) What are the essential habits that you've formed to help you achieve your goals?

Hard work! Seriously.

I recently purchased an old book (from the 1920s, I think) entitled "Touchstones of Success". It features interviews with successful men of the day. Nearly all of them cite the same two factors: their mothers and hard work. My mother had little to do with my current success. But hard work has had everything to do with it.

I write nearly every day, often for several hours. I read constantly. I'm always absorbing information from books, magazines, and web sites. Sometimes it's overwhelming. I recognize that by devoting myself so wholly to my goals now that I am sacrificing other momentary pleasures. I tell myself that I enjoyed these pleasures over the past ten years, back when I had no purpose. Sure I had fun in the moment, but I felt unfulfilled. I feel fulfilled now. And maybe after a few years of hard work I can relax, and reap the rewards over the rest of my life.

4) How often do you think about your goals, review them, and take action on them?

Not often enough. Perhaps once every three to six months.

What usually happens is this: some crisis will cause me to re-evaluate my current situation and where I'm headed. I'll spend a day or two thinking about my goals. I'll set them down on paper (or a text file, actually). This process is pretty intense, and I'm very focused on it. But once I've set my goals down, I rarely refer to them again unless I stumble upon them in doing some sort of clean up. I feel like this is one area of my life that could be improved.

5) Describe how you overcome failure, how you pick yourself back up if you are struggling, and how you motivate yourself if your enthusiasm is lagging.

I used to let failure get me down, but more and more I'm learning to roll with it, to learn from my mistakes. For example, I recently was asked to give a radio interview about the country's negative savings rate. I agreed to do so. But when the station phoned me and I went on the air, I froze. I had stage fright. I couldn't remember even the most basic facts. I talked and talked and talked, but I didn't say anything. It was an embarrassment. I could have let this get me down -- I did feel a little bummed -- but instead I decided to view it as a learning experience. I e-mailed the show's host, and she offered some tips for how to improve next time. (I'm also planning to take a Dale Carnegie public speaking course once I have enough web income saved.)

When my enthusiasm is lagging, I take time off to recharge. I get up and turn off the computer. It's easy for me to get wrapped up in my work, to become so focused that I neglect other aspects of my life, particularly physical fitness. When this happens, it can be like I'm beating my head against a wall. I'm working extra hard, but getting little done. At times like this, I've learned to stop, to take a break, to ignore all of the things that I "have to do". For example, a few weeks ago I had several important pieces I needed to get written. Things just weren't coming together. I'd written for hours, but felt like it was all rubbish. It came time to attend a friend's birthday party, but I told my wife I couldn't. I had to stay home and write. She persuaded me to go, and I'm glad I did. We spent three hours roller skating. It was exhilarating. I'm serious. Those three
hours roller skating did more to improve the quality of my writing for the next week than anything else I might have done.

6) Could you describe your productivity system and any productivity tips you have for people?

The key to my system is: JUST DO IT.

I have a bad habit of putting things off. I've learned that if I want to get things done, I just need to do them. For example, I've adopted an e-mail system that is based on a hybrid of those suggested by Merlin Mann and Gina Trapani. When e-mail comes in, I try to act upon it immediately. (In practice, my e-mail box actually has about 100 messages in it, waiting to be processed.) I find that by taking care of e-mail now, people respect my responsiveness.

Another key is to prioritize things. I am actually attempting to actively maintain six separate blogs. I love each of them, but I have to make certain sites higher priorities than others. It used to be that my personal site was my top priority. Now Get Rich Slowly has taken that position. It's more important for me to generate new content for GRS than it is for me to, say, post an entry at my animal intelligence site.

As for the mechanics of my system: they're pretty rudimentary. I'm actually looking for a better way to work. Currently I use BBEdit on a Mac. A wide screen is essential to my work, so I bought a 17" laptop. I keep a browser window on the left side of the screen and a BBEdit window on the right side. Whenever I find something that's worthy of writing about, I create a new document. I have hundreds of documents on my hard drive, most of which are half-completed
articles about personal finance, animal intelligence, or vintage popular culture. I keep a couple of important text files as constant reference:

Schedule file - This lists the next week's worth of planned entries at Get Rich Slowly. It also lists when I most recently updated each of my other sites, along with any upcoming scheduled entries for them.
Idea file - As I mentioned, most of the time if something seems like a good article topic, I start a new text file. But I also have a separate text file that I use simply as a dumping place for ideas that occur to me.

BONUS INFO UNRELATED TO THESE QUESTIONS:

I've found that I profit greatly from reading, watching, and hearing other success stories. I know this probably seems trite, but I don't care. It works. Reading sites like 43 Folders and Lifehacker and Mutual Improvement keep me focused on the positive. (I'm hoping that Get Rich Slowly helps people do that with their money goals.) I have an iPod. I have a subscription at audible.com. Every month I get two books. One of these is usually fiction of some sort, but the other is some sort of self-improvement book. I'm careful to seek out highly-regarded books -- there are few things worse than a bad self-help book -- and then I listen to these on my commute. They are amazing.

If anyone's curious about possible books to read from this genre, I recommend Tom Butler-Bowdon's "50 Success Classics", which provides brief summaries of fifty such titles. This book itself is highly motivational. And one can build a great success library from its recommendations. (Complete list here: 50 Success Classics)

This week: Golden Goals series of interviews with notable bloggers

2007-03-12T16:44:00.000-07:00

This week Zen Habits will have a treat for its readers: the Golden Goals series of interviews with notable bloggers about how they achieve their goals, their most important habits, their productivity systems and more.

The Golden Goals series will start by featuring the following four bloggers:

J.D. Roth of Get Rich Slowly, perhaps the most successful personal finance site out there.
David Seah of DavidSeah.com, who blogs about productivity, design and life. He also created the Printable CEO series -- including the excellent Emergent Task Planner that I use every day to plan my day.
Kyle Pott of Lifehack.org, one of the best sites out there about productivity and goals. Kyle is an excellent writer who most notably lost a lot of weight on an exercise program that I admire.
Gina Trapani, chief editor of Lifehacker. Trapani is one of the great productivity gurus on the web, and has recently published the terrific book, Lifehacker: 88 Tech Tricks to Turbocharge Your Day.

More bloggers will be featured in the Golden Goals series in the future, but this is this week's lineup. Personally, I love reading about how others achieve their goals, about their habits, and their productivity systems, and I hope this will help give insight into some of the best bloggers around, as well as inspire us to achieve greater heights.

The first of the series will start tomorrow!

Zen Habits March Challenge, Step 3: Evaluate your progress

2007-03-12T13:11:00.000-07:00

Every Monday is Weekly Review on Zen Habits.

Five days ago, I challenged my readers to join me in setting and achieving a single goal in the Zen Habits March Challenge. Step 1 of this Challenge was to create a plan, and Step 2 was to report your progress.

OK, we're a week into the March Challenge, and this is a good time to step back and look at how we're doing. If you're not doing the March Challenge, these steps are still a good way to see, hands on, how to go about setting and achieving goals.

Reflect on your week
If you've been tracking your progress some way, either through commenting on Zen Habits, a journal, a chart, a log, or an online service, you've got a great way to look back on the last week. If not, you can still reflect on what you've done throughout the week and think about whether you're doing as well as you planned.

How are you doing? Have you met your goals for the week? If so, celebrate! If not, now is a good time to take some steps to put you back on track.

Re-evaluate your goals, and your obstacles
If you're not doing as well as you'd hoped, there are several steps you can take:

Adjust your goals. This is my recommended solution. It may be that you bit off too much, too soon. When starting a goal program, I highly recommend you start small. Take baby steps. Go for something you know you can achieve. That way, you'll definitely make it, and feel great, and then you can move on to higher elevations. It may seem cheap to shoot for something too easy. Take my word for it -- sticking with something for more than a week feels great, even if it seems easy.
Evaluate your obstacles, and make a plan. Why didn't you reach your goals for the week? What stood in your way? It's dangerous to ignore this reason. Did you not feel motivated? Not have enough time? Did something pop up at the last moment that made you reschedule? Whatever the reason, it's best to plan for what you'll do if that reason repeats.
Re-focus. Perhaps you just lost focus. You need to re-commit yourself, tell the whole world about it, and find a way to maintain that focus daily. Put up a poster, or print your goal out in large letters. Put up your goal plan for everyone to see. Maintaining your focus is the No. 1 thing you can do to stay with your goals over time.
Step up the motivation. Perhaps you didn't feel too motivated. Go back to the Top 20 Motivation Hacks, and see if there are others you can use. The more motivation tricks you use in concert with each other, the better.

You can do this! Whatever you do, stay positive and stay focused. Do not let a little slip in your progress get you down. Creating new habits is a skill, and it takes practice. You won't get it on the first try. If you have any doubts, any thoughts in your head that say you can't do it, SQUASH THEM NOW! And replace them with positive thoughts. That's the best thing you can do to get back on track.

Best All-Time Children's Books

2007-03-11T18:59:00.000-07:00

Reading to your kids is one of the all-time best things you can do with them, and for them. I love reading to my kids, and they love reading with me. It is some of the best quality time ever, and sharing a good book with a child is just a wonderful feeling.

I've compiled a list of my all-time favorite children's books -- a list that can start any child's library. It's a starting point, to be sure -- I'm sure you can think of many more to be included. But these are books I truly love (and my kids do too) and I think most kids and parents will love them. These are mostly time-tested classics, so there might not be too many surprises here, but sometimes it's useful to be reminded of books we've forgotten about.

For Younger Readers
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Harold Crockett. One of my most, most favorite books for younger kids. Great imagination, great character. I still wish I could be Harold.

Go, Dog. Go!, by P.D. Eastman. Often the book that has taught my kids to read. Warning: they might ask you to read this an infinite amount of times. But that's a good thing for them.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault. The thing I love about this book is its rhythm. It's so fun to read. Also teaches about the alphabet.
Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak. I can never get enough of this book. It is truly awesome. Great drawings, great imagination. If I had to choose just 10 books on this list, this would be one of them.
Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown. Kids just love this book. Perfect for toddlers.
Corduroy, by Don Freeman. One of my favorite books as a little kid. This lovable teddy bear will always have a special place in my heart.
Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam Mcbratney. I love you all the way to the moon and back! Fun to read this with your kids, and then later compete to see how much you love each other.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, by Laura Joffe Numeroff. This was a favorite for my kids. I love the drawings.
The Complete Adventures of Curious George, by H.A. Rey. He's now an international icon, but Curious George has always been one of the most lovable characters in literature.
In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak. This is Sendak at his best. He has such a wonderful drawing style, and can tell stories with the best of them.
Horton Hatches the Egg, by Dr. Seuss. Speaking of the best of them, Dr. Seuss is it. He's a legend, of course, and everything he wrote is amazing, so it's really impossible to choose, but I love this Horton book, as well as the next two by Seuss. This book is characteristic of Seuss's early days.
There's a Wocket in My Pocket!, by Dr. Seuss. A great tongue-twister book, this is the epitome of much of his silly, fun stuff.
The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss. His most socially conscious book. Although many of his books have a message, this is the most overt. It talks about the dangers of industrialism and environmental damange, in such an easily understood manner that any kid could get it.
The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein. If Seuss is the best, Silverstein is right behind him. If I had to list just 10 books here, this book would be one of them. Such a sweet, sad, true book, with great drawings of course.
The Five Chinese Brothers, by Claire Hutchett Bishop. I read this as a little kid, and forgot about it until rediscovering it with my kids in recent years. It's a classic, and will be loved by any kid.
Where the Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein. Classic Silverstein, this book and the next are full of incredible poems and drawings that will delight any reader, young or old.
A Light in the Attic, by Shel Silverstein. More from perhaps the greatest children's poet of all time.
The Missing Piece, by by Shel Silverstein. OK, I should stop with the Silverstein, but I really cannot get enough of him. There's actually a series of books along the lines of the Missing Piece, all of them with interesting life lessons, and wittily drawn. Read them all.
The Story of Babar, by Jean De Brunhoff. Another classic, this was a staple of my childhood, and just as good today as 30 years ago.

For Middle Readers

James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl. I don't know how he does it, but Dahl has a way of telling stories that is just magical. He creates such real and deep characters, little kids who you cannot help but love and empathize with. This and the next two books are among his greatest, but one should not rule out BFG, his poetry or any of his other stories.
Matilda, by Roald Dahl. Perhaps my favorite Dahl book. While reading this book, you want to have Matilda as a friend, and during the time you are with her, she is your friend.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl. A classic, of course, and yet another poor kid who inevitably enters your heart.
The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Originally published in French, this classic is so unique, I cannot really describe it. If you haven't read it to your child, please do.
Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White. Warning: this book will make you and your child cry. But it is worth the sadness for the wonderfulness you will discover.
The Borrowers, by Mary Norton. What a fun and adventurous book. Every kid will love this.
Stuart Little, by E.B. White. This is an admirable little character that will delight all children.
Harriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh. Written in the hard-boiled detective style, this is just a lot of fun.
Encyclopedia Brown Solves Them All (Encyclopedia Brown), by Donald J. Sobol. This is actually a series of books about Leroy Brown, a brilliant kid who solves neighborhood crimes. I could not get enough of this as a kid, and my son loves it too.
Magic Tree House Series, by Mary Pope Osborne. A very long series (over 30 last time I counted) of fun, adventurous and educational books. It covers stuff kids love, like dinosaurs and ninjas and knights and wizards, and makes history come alive. My son is in love with this series.
Junie B. Jones series, by Barbara Park. Another great series, this one appeals more to girls who are beginning to read.
The Ramona series, by Beverly Cleary. Yet another series, this one appeals to both boys and girls. I loved it as a kid.
How to Eat Fried Worms, by Thomas Rockwell. Now on the big screen, this book has portrayed elementary school life accurately for several generations of kids.
Freckle Juice, by Judy Blume. This author, Judy Blume, has such an insight into the young mind that any child, young or old, will identify with her characters. This book, and the next, are just two samples from her lovely collection -- any Judy Blume book will be excellent.
Superfudge, by Judy Blume. Your kid will crack up at this book, and have a lot of fun with the characters.
The Great Brain, by John D. Fitzgerald. One of my all-time favorite series as a kid. I recommended it to my son, who loves to read but thought this would be boring. He fell in love with it. Told you so!
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E. L Konigsburg. A timeless novel, the characters in this book come alive for a great adventure.
The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain), by Lloyd Alexander. This is actually a series of books, all of which are so perfect you don't want them to end. This tale about a pig-keeper's assistant has been entertaining young readers for generations, and is a must-read.
Westmark Trilogy, by Lloyd Alexander. Another series by a true master, this is for slightly older kids than the last series, but just as amazing.

For Older Readers

The Chronicles of Narnia Box Set, by C.S. Lewis. What can I say about this series that not everyone knows? Nothing really, except that every new generation falls in love with it as if it were the first time. And for them, it is. Be sure your child is among them.
Eragon (Inheritance, Book 1), by Christopher Paolini. One of the more recent books on the list, this was an instant classic. Though it's about dragons, it will appeal to both boys and girls.
Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-6), by J.K. Rowling. This series has been super-hyped in the media ... and in my opinion, it lives up to the hype. I got into the series a little late, but read every book to my daughter and am now going through it for a second time with my son. These are the type of books that will hook children on reading.
The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkein. How I love this book, and always have. I loved it before I was able to get into the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and though the trilogy surpasses the original Hobbit, this little book has a special place in my heart. It will in your child's heart as well.
Watership Down, by Richard Adams. This book so enchanted me when I first read it, in middle school, that I read it several times during my teen-age years after that, and even once or twice in adulthood. It leads you through such an adventure, such an emotional journey, and from the perspective of a few rabbits!
Lord of the Flies, by William Golding. This is required reading for most middle school students, and rightfully so. As a teen-ager, reading about an island controlled by kids was just too cool.
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. This is a gripping story with great characters. You can't go wrong with this one.
The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger. This book hits the teen-ager reader with a pop! between the eyes. A main character that swears! And we're encouraged to read it. Salinger creates a character that is true, and timeless, and captures the experience and sensibilities of youth extremely well. I will always love him for this book.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Trilogy, by Ann Brashares. I haven't actually read this book, but my daughter did, and loved it. It got her reading again, after a brief hiatus, and for that, I have to recommend the book. Plus I liked the movie.
The Giver, by Lois Lowry. A kind of chilling book, but engaging nonetheless.
Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson. Classic story being rediscovered by a new generation because of the recent movie, this story about two fifth graders who create a secret kingdom in the woods called Terabithia will stir your heart.
A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle. This warm, loving book has been cherished by so many. Follow the Murry family in its adventures in all the books of this series.
Inkheart, by Cornelia Caroline Funke. This writer has such a great imagination, and this ode to books and book lovers will be highly enjoyed by your child. Also read the Thief Lord.

What are your favorite children's books? Let us know in the comments.

See also:

How to Get Back on the Exercise Train

2007-03-10T12:48:00.000-08:00

Every Saturday is Health Tip Day at Zen Habits.

It's a story most of us have lived through at some time or other: we begin an exercise program, and it's going well, but after a week or two or a month or two or even a year or two, we fall off the program. Then we might get a little down about that, and because of the initial friction of entering any program, it's hard to get back into it.

I recently fell off my triathlon training for a couple weeks due to illness and a death in the family, and I found it hard to get back into it. I reset my resolve (just press the reset button!) and re-focused myself, leaving off all other goals but my training for the month of March (see the Zen Habits March Challenge if you haven't yet).

So, for those of you who've fallen off your exercise program, and want to get back in, here are my tips:

Re-focus and commit yourself again. Often we think that, because we already were on a program, we can just pick it back up, no problem. But in reality, we need to condition ourselves for a new habit (although it should be easier this time since we've done it before), so we need to start (almost) at the beginning. That mean starting with making a commitment. Write down your goal and tell people about it, put it on your blog, post it up at your home and workplace. If you can't take this step, it's likely that you will falter.
Focus on just this one goal. If you've got other stuff going on, it's hard to add a new habit while working on others. It's hard, but it's best to be patient and work on one goal at a time if possible. Too many goals at once spread your focus too thin. The key is to focus yourself as much as possible on that one goal, and maintain that focus for as long as possible.
Do it for one month. You don't need to start at the beginning of a month -- you can start today. But do it for 30 days. Commit to that, and once you're past that, it will get much easier.
Do it at the same time every day. If you tell yourself that you will exercise when you find time, there will be many days when you don't find the time. Set a time of day when you can exercise every day -- in the morning, lunchtime, after work are the three best times. Do it at that time every day, and it will become a stronger habit.
Start small. We have a tendency to do too much at first, especially if we're used to a certain level from our old exercise program. But in the beginning, it's best to hold back, and just do a little, and then progress slowly back to your old level. If you're used to running 5 miles, run 3. If you're used to swimming for an hour, do half an hour. If you're used to lifting 12 reps of 200 lbs., do 8 reps of 160 lbs. You get the idea. Start slowly, or you will have a harder time sticking with it. Once you're back in the habit, you can increase your workload.
Learn from your mistakes. There's a reason you stopped your exercise program. Figure out what that was, and plan to beat it next time. If not, it will happen again.
Celebrate every little success, in the beginning. The first few days are the most crucial. Reward yourself often during this time, and celebrate everything you do! The first week is the next most important period. After that, it gets easier. But after about 2-3 weeks, you'll face a crisis. Re-focus yourself during that crisis, and you'll get through it. After a month, you'll be golden.

See also:

Zen Habits March Challenge, Step 2: Report Your Progress

2007-03-10T03:21:00.000-08:00

Five days ago, I challenged my readers to join me in setting and achieving a single goal in the Zen Habits March Challenge, and Step 1 of this Challenge was to create a plan.

Step 2 is to report your progress, if not daily then at least weekly. It's best if you record your progress in a log, journal or online goals tracker, as this serves both to keep a record of what you've done and to motivate you.

So, in the comments, feel free to report what you've done with your goal or habit so far, and feel free to post daily or at least weekly. Share your successes and failures with the world!

I'll get the ball rolling: my goal is to exercise five days a week (swim, bike and run training). I live on Guam, so Saturday has just passed for me, and I still have a bike ride to do tomorrow (Sunday), but here's what I've done so far:

Tuesday: ran 3 miles
Wednesday: swam 1,150 yards
Thursday: ran 3 miles
Saturday: ran 3 miles

When I complete my bike ride tomorrow morning, I'll get a weekend treat!

Now post your progress in the comments!

Pretend You're Who You Want to Be

2007-03-09T16:37:00.000-08:00

Every Friday is Happiness Friday at Zen Habits.

To be happy, it is important that we become happy with who we are -- accept ourselves, recognize our good traits, accept our flaws, and come to see those flaws as actually good and unique parts of us.

But if you're like me, there's always something we want to change -- and in keeping with the philosophy of this site, for me that's changing my daily habits to help me reach my goals. The problem is, many people just don't believe they are the type of person who can achieve that goal -- they have a negative self-image, and that negativity will stop them from success every time. Positive thinking is the key to any kind of achievement.

So today's quick happiness tip is simple: think about the goal you want to achieve, imagine the kind of person who has already achieved that goal or created that habit, and pretend you are that person.

Let's take a quick example: If I want to start running, to make running a daily habit, I think about runners I know or have read about. I read about their habits, their lifestyle, and imagine what it's like to be them. Then, I pretend I'm a runner myself. I think about what it's like to be a runner, how a runner would act, how a runner thinks and feels, what a runner's habits are.

I take the identity of a runner, and make it my own. Soon, I believe I'm a runner. And here's the magic: it becomes true! Just by pretending it, and assuming that identity, I become a runner. I think and act like one. And if I'm a runner, what do I do every day? I run.

This magical trick can work for any goal, and for any person. Imagine that you are that person, and you will be.

See also:

Edit Your Life, Part 3: Closets and Drawers

2007-03-08T15:27:00.000-08:00

Quick note: Every Thursday is Simplifying Thursday, and for the next few weeks, these posts will be a series called "Edit Your Life," looking at ways to simplify different parts of your life.

I'm a former newspaper editor, and one of the things I learned was to edit brutally (no sarcastic comments about why I don't do that with my blog posts). Cut out everything that's not necessary, and you've got a more meaningful story.

I highly recommend editing your life.

Today's edit: Edit your closets and drawers.

Last week, I talked about a method for editing your rooms, removing the clutter, and only leaving what's necessary. I suggested that you skip the closets and drawers, saving them for later, and only focus on what's visible when you walk in the room. The reasoning is that if you include everything at once, including closets and drawers, it can be overwhelming, while if you only focus on what's immediately visible, you can make a big difference on how you feel about that room with a shorter amount of time dedicated to your editing.

But this week, let's focus on what's not immediately visible. Every room has closets and drawers, and they can easily accumulate junk from years of putting stuff in there and forgetting about them. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Yes, but every time we open the closet or drawer, we are reminded of that junk and clutter. Let's create simple, stress-free spaces!

Drawers
Start with drawers, because they're simpler. Take one drawer at a time, and follow these simple steps for each drawer:

Empty everything out of the drawer. Everything.
Clean out the drawer. Clear all junk and debris, then clean with a wet rag or use a cleaning product. Make it nice and clean.
Remove all junk from the pile of stuff (that you took out of the drawer), and toss it.
Now go through the remaining stuff, and sort: stuff you'd like to give away (put this in a box to give away, and put the box in your car to drop off when you're done), stuff you want to put in other places in the house (do this immediately after you're done), and stuff you want to keep in the drawer. Try to keep related stuff in the drawer -- don't have junk drawer. Only keep school supplies, or underwear, or whatever, in that drawer, so you know what belongs there.
Put the stuff back in an orderly manner. You should have a greatly reduced amount of stuff to put back in the drawer. Don't have too much stuff, or the drawer will still be cluttered. Put it back neatly, in some kind of order -- it helps to get a drawer organizer that fits the stuff you're putting in there. This is great for office or school supply stuff, like pens and tape and scissors and paper clips.
Now that it's nice and neat and de-cluttered and simplified, celebrate. And keep it that way! Never just toss stuff in the drawer. Make sure that it belongs there, and put it back in an orderly manner. This habit might take some time, but it will pay off in less cluttered drawers.

You can either stop after doing one drawer, and tackle the next drawer tomorrow, or keep going if you have the time and energy.

Closets
Now on to closets, which are a little more complicated. However, to simplify things, start with one section of the closet: one shelf, or the floor of the closet. For each shelf, follow the same steps as above with the drawers. Do the same with the floor of the closet -- in fact, remove everything from the floor and keep the floor clear if at all possible. A clear floor greatly simplifies a closet.

Next would be clothes or other things hanging in the closet. It's best to take all these out, and follow the same basic procedures, simplifying, tossing, and only putting back what is essential. This is a great exercise that will greatly reduce your wardrobe (get rid of clothes you no longer wear or fit!) and simplify the closet.

Closets can be intimidating, so you might tackle one area at a time, and do it every day for a week. Each day should only take 15 minutes or so, if you work quickly and make quick decisions about each item.

See also:

10 Habits to Develop for Financial Stability and Success

2007-03-07T15:45:00.000-08:00

Every Wednesday is Financial Tips Day at Zen Habits.

Just like any goal, getting your finances stable and becoming financially successful requires the development of good financial habits. I've been researching this topic extensively in the last few years in my quest to eliminate debt, increase my savings and increase financial security for my family. I'll talk more about these habits individually, but wanted to list them in a summary (I know, but I'm a compulsive list-maker).

Here they are, in no particular order:

Make savings automagical. This should be your top priority, especially if you don't have a solid emergency fund yet. Make it the first bill you pay each payday, by having a set amount automatically transferred from your checking account to your savings (try an online savings account). Don't even think about this transaction -- just make sure it happens, each and every payday.
Control your impulse spending. The biggest problem for many of us. Impulse spending, on eating out and shopping and online purchases, is a big drain on our finances, the biggest budget breaker for many, and a sure way to be in dire financial straits. See Monitor Your Impulse Spending for more tips.
Evaluate your expenses, and live frugally. If you've never tracked your expenses, try the One Month Challenge. Then evaluate how you're spending your money, and see what you can cut out or reduce. Decide if each expense is absolutely necessary, then eliminate the unnecessary. See How I Save Money for more. Also read 30 ways to save $1 a day.
Invest in your future. If you're young, you probably don't think about retirement much. But it's important. Even if you think you can always plan for retirement later, do it now. The growth of your investments over time will be amazing if you start in your 20s. Start by increasing your 401(k) to the maximum of your company's match, if that's available to you. After that, the best bet is probably a Roth IRA. Do a little research, but whatever you do, start now!
Keep your family secure. The first step is to save for an emergency fund, so that if anything happens, you've got the money. If you have a spouse and/or dependents, you should definitely get life insurance and make a will -- as soon as possible! Also research other insurance, such as homeowner's or renter's insurance.
Eliminate and avoid debt. If you've got credit cards, personal loans, or other such debt, you need to start a debt elimination plan. List out your debts and arrange them in order from smallest balance at the top to largest at the bottom. Then focus on the debt at the top, putting as much as you can into it, even if it's just $40-50 extra (more would be better). When that amount is paid off, celebrate! Then take the total amount you were paying (say $70 minimum payment plus the $50 extra for a total of $120) and add that to the minimum payment of the next largest debt. Continue this process, with your extra amount snowballing as you go along, until you pay off all your debts. This could take several years, but it's a very rewarding process, and very necessary.
Use the envelope system. This is a simple system to keep track of how much money you have for spending. Let's say you set aside three amounts in your budget each payday -- one for gas, one for groceries, one for eating out. Withdraw those amounts on payday, and put them in three separate envelopes. That way, you can easily track how much you have left for each of these expenses, and when you run out of money, you know it immediately. You don't overspend in these categories. If you regularly run out too fast, you may need to rethink your budget.
Pay bills immediately, or automagically. One good habit is to pay bills as soon as they come in. Also, as much as possible, try to get your bills to be paid through automatic deduction. For those that can't, use your bank's online check system to make regular automatic payments. This way, all of your regular expenses in your budget are taken care of.
Read about personal finances. The more you educate yourself, the better your finances will be.
Look to grow your net worth. Do whatever you can to improve your net worth, either by reducing your debt, increasing your savings, or increasing your income, or all of the above. Look for new ways to make money, or to get paid more for what you do. Over the course of months, if you calculate your net worth each month, you'll see it grow. And that feels great.

If you liked this article, please submit it to Digg, Delicious, Netscape, Reddit or your favorite bookmarking site below!

See also:

Social networking, and shameless self-promotion

2007-03-06T21:37:00.000-08:00

To my readers: this will be a meta-post, so if those bother you, please skip over.

You may have noticed some changes in the Zen Habits sidebar. First of all, in addition to joining the Positive Blog Network, Zen Habits has joined the 2000 Bloggers site (where I post every Sunday) as well as the new Getting Things Done network on FeedBurner. I did this to add value to the site, for my readers, so they can access other quality sites, as well as to help Zen Habits reach a larger audience.

I've been getting such great feedback here that I've decided to reach out to a wider audience. (Now here's the shameless plea.) To do this, I'm asking that you bookmark the articles you like on your favorite social bookmarking site (Digg, Delicious, Netscape, Reddit, Stumbleupon and the like). No pressure to do so, but you'll help out the site if you do.

Also, if you're not already subscribed to the Zen Habits feed, please do so ... I like that I'm able to share these articles with people every single day!

This site has been rising in many people's consciousness, and I plan to write a post soon about the quick rise of Zen Habits -- I hope you don't mind, but it's a recent goal of mine to grow the site, and I think it might be an interesting read for some of you. It involves the site's rise on Technorati, the use of such social networks as Delicious, Netscape, Stumbleupon and others, and the use of blogging networks.

Finally, I've been experimenting with different ads, as you might have noticed. I hope that doesn't bother you. I'd like to develop a small side income from the site, as I spend a lot of time working on it (and love every minute of it!), and figure that having that time pay off wouldn't be such a bad idea.

Any feedback on any of this is welcome.

Zen Habits March Challenge, Step 1: Create a Plan

2007-03-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

If you've signed up for the Zen Habits March Challenge, you've already made the most important step: a public commitment. I'm excited about the Challenge, if you can't tell!

Now let's get started. The first thing we need to do is make a plan. If we can't take the time to make a plan, we are not fully committed, and it won't work. So the first step of the Challenge will be to create a plan that will state our goal, strategize, motivate and overcome obstacles. Then we'll print out the plan and post it up somewhere visible -- preferably at home and work.

Here are the most basic elements of the plan (the easy version):

State your goal. This needs to be something attainable (not too hard for this month!), measurable (number of days, number of minutes, number of dollars, etc.) and with a deadline - March 31.
Motivation. Take a look at the Top 20 Motivation Hacks, and pick a few. The more the better. Examples: posting your progress every day (or at least weekly) on Zen Habits, emailing friends and family about your progress, keeping a journal, charting your progress with an Excel spreadsheet, joining an online forum, making a promised to your spouse or loved one, rewarding yourself, etc. Write down your motivations.
Rewards. Set rewards for reaching mini-goals each week. Break each goal into weekly goals, with rewards for each. You might want to add mini-goals and rewards for the first few days, just to encourage you to get started. See this list for some simple rewards.

If you've got another 5 minutes, add these items for the Super Goals version (and for increased likelihood of success):

Obstacles. What are your greatest obstacles to achieving your goal? Now come up with a plan to deal with those obstacles, before they occur. If you get lazy after work, how will you deal with that? Examples could be: working out in the morning, having a workout partner and making an appointment with him/her, getting a coach or trainer, or try to just get started.
Monitor and zap your quitting urges. We all have urges to quit our goal. This is similar to the Obstacles step above, but it's very important to monitor our urges to stop. We might get lazy and say, I'll do it tomorrow. Well, that's an urge. Tally it on a small notebook every time you get an urge. And plan for dealing with the urges beforehand. Examples: take three deep breaths, and get a glass of water. Visualize success. Just get started. Email zenhabits (at) gmail (dot) com if you feel like stopping (we can help each other out). Get your workout partner or spouse or best friend to help you through the urge. Trust me: the urges go away if you have a plan to get through them. They only last for a few minutes. Once you get through them, you'll be glad you did.

OK, so to set a good example, here's my plan:

Goal: Train for triathlon five days a week (with two rest days) through the end of March. Training will include swimming, running and biking, at any distance or length of time (minimum 20 minutes).
Motivation: Joining this Challenge! I will also post my progress at least weekly, and am writing a bi-weekly series of columns for my local newspaper detailing my progress. Other motivations include rewards, keeping a journal, posting up my goals along with a picture of my goal, telling family and friends about it, and having a workout partner (swim and bike).
Rewards: First three days, I will reward myself with a sweet treat. Each week, if I attain my goal, I get a weekend treat! At the end of the month, I get to buy a book I've been wanting.
Obstacles: Being tired is my main obstacle. Therefore, I plan to get more rest, and start out slow this month. I'm not in a hurry to get better, and if I stick with it, I will naturally get better. Later, once this is more of a habit, I can work on a more progressive schedule.
Quitting urges: I will keep a tally of my urges to not train in my journal, and every time I get an urge, this is what I will do: take 3 deep breaths, drink water, and just get started. If that doesn't work, I will call my wife for encouragement. I will get through my urges!

OK, now write down your plan and print it out and post it up! If you don't do this, you will regret it. You may post your plan in the comments if you like, but at the very least please just post that you've done your plan.

Here are the March Challengers so far. Iif you haven't signed up, go do it now! Or do it in the comments here. It's not too late -- you can sign up at any time.

stayfly: Decorate and move into apartment I love. In terms of habits to help with this, I am aiming to do one major and one minor action toward decorating and moving into my apartment everyday of this month :)
Chris Yeung: I'm going to wake up at 5am on the weekdays.
Shaun: My goal is to run a mile 4 days a week for the rest of the month.
kamal: Wake up by 8:30am.
Monica: My goal for March is to read at least one new book every week.
Ann M. Mione: My goal is 4 days a week of either hitting the gym (which I usually enjoy once I get myself there) or some pilates and free weights in my apartment.
tedgotsoul: get back to practicing and composing music. two hours per day for practicing is where i should be. i will start on march 10th (when i get to the new state) and finish ... when i can play guitar better than jimi hendrix. just kidding... i'll keep playing beyond that "plateau"
Samer: My March goal is to jog for one hour, five days a week, until the end of March, and hopefully cultivate this into a habit.
holli jo: My goal is to exercise (probably walking, but any exercise will do) for at least 15 minutes, 5 days a week.
John Wesley: My goal is to exercise at least 30 minutes 5 days a week. And to redesign my blog by the end of March.
jen.: doug & i are in. each of us plans to write and complete a short story by the end of march. this morning we woke up earlier than usual and spent a half hour working on them. it felt great!
sommer: my goal this month is to run 5 days a week. This means I must take my lunch hour and use it to run 30 minutes all 5 days, but i have the weekend for back up just in case I miss a day at work. It's going to be hard to get back into it, I've become used to ordering in with my co-workers over the holidays. I need to hold strong!!!
RebeccaB: I'm jumping on the workout bandwagon! At least 3 times a week, i'm going to get up with him at 5 and work out in the apt Gym (because it's free!). As a more long term goal I need to find awesome peopele in my area to hang out with, living in 1 state for 22 years and then moving to another one where you don't know anyone is difficult. So I would love to make some meaningful friendships. So if you want to be my friend let me know, that would just make this goal a whole lot easier :)
Jenn: I have an ongoing goal that I'm hoping to use smaller, monthly goals to augment. My ongoing goal is to read and make notes on at least three items a week from the list of texts I need to to know for my upcoming doctoral comprehensive exam in June (and, thus far, I'm succeeding). In order to help myself out with this, my first month's goal is to exercise for half and hour to an hour, four times a week. I feel and think better when I'm active, which I imagine will only help me to get comps reading done better than I do now, and will also prevent me from turning into an academic slug.

Let's get going fellow Challengers!!!!

Cranking Widgets: Turn Your Work into Stress-free Productivity

2007-03-06T14:30:00.000-08:00

Every Tuesday is GTD Tips Day at Zen Habits.

One of the great revelations that David Allen makes in Getting Things Done is his analogy of cranking widgets. In a nutshell, he talks about those simple jobs where you come to work in the morning with a pile of widgets to crank, and you leave work with a pile of nicely cranked widgets. It's a mindless job, but there's not much stress, and it's satisfying, and it's simple. And you know if you're being productive because you are really cranking those widgets.

For most of us, it's not that simple. We've got a million emails, voicemails, phone calls, documents and visitors to deal with. That's on top of a list of projects and to-dos that can drive anyone crazy. With all of that going on, we look at our list and see an item that says, "Redesign website" or "Research market trends". Frankly, those are not widgets that can be cranked. They are intimidating projects that might sit on the to-do list while we go check out our favorite blog (Zen Habits, most likely!).

So what to do? Turn your work into a Cranking Widgets job.

Here's how:

For every project that you have, select one next-action. You can make a whole list of next-actions if you want, but it's most important to get one next-action. This is defined as the very next physical action that needs to be done to move your project forward. Let's look at that carefully: very next means that it's something that should be done first, instead of later, otherwise the project can't move forward; if there are more than one of those, just choose one. Physical action means something you can do in the physical world: things like call, email, write, list, read, decide, talk to, brainstorm, buy. Things that can't be done in one action are multiple actions, widgets that can't be cranked.
Take a look at your to-do lists and make sure that all items are crankable widgets. Sometimes things on our to-do lists are actually multiple widgets combined into one item. Start garden, for example, might entail things like list tools needed, call mom for seedlings, go to store to buy tools, get watering can from shed, turn over dirt, etc. Redesign website might start with a next-action of surf web for inspiring examples of good design, or read article on design, or draw three design ideas, or brainstorm new website name.
List the widgets by the type of crank used. This is another way of saying that you should group by context. Group phone calls together. Group reading items together (in a folder). Group emails to be written together. Group websites to research together. That way, when you're cranking out the phone calls, you have them all on one list, and can just crank, instead of searching for the widgets that need to be cranked.
Just crank. If you've truly broken your to-do list down to crankable widgets, there's no more thinking involved, at least not at a higher level. All you gotta do is crank them. When you crank one, celebrate, and get going on the next. At the end of the day, you should have a nice stack of cranked widgets, and that's pretty satisfying.

See also:

A Challenge: Goals for March

2007-03-05T12:04:00.000-08:00

Every Monday is Weekly Review on Zen Habits.

We're a few days into March, and I'm reviewing my goals for the year. One thing I'm learning this year is that I took on too much at once. I'm closely examining my goals for this year and thinking that I want to focus on one at a time (more in line with my 12 Habits).

So, for this month, I'm going to be more focused, and I invite all of you to join me in a friendly challenge: set one goal for yourself this month, and we will support each other, motivate each other, track our goals and review them every Monday, and help each other achieve that goal.

So, if you'd like to join me in this March Challenge, in the comments, please list your goal or habit for this month. Some tips (as always):

Set something achievable. Don't try to run a marathon if you've never run before. Try to get in the habit of exercising three times a week instead. Work on one small habit, and you will get to your goal eventually (the Zen Habits philosophy).
Make it measurable. Want to save money? Great! How much do you plan to save per week or paycheck. Want to run? Great! Set a goal of days per week, minutes per week, or miles per week. Want to wake up early? Set a goal of a certain number of days per week, at a certain time. If it's measurable, you can track it over time and see if you're successful.
Set a deadline. It's important to attach a timeline to your goal. Our timeline for the March Challenge will be one month -- although you can certainly continue your goal beyond that, set a mini-goal to be achieved by the end of March -- a certain number of days for a habit by March 31, for example.

My goal for the March Challenge will be to get back on track with my triathlon training (I was sidetracked due to illness and a death in the family). More specifically, here's my goal for March: train five days a week (two rest days) each week until the end of March. The five days should include two swims, two bikes and two runs, but at the very least I should be doing one thing on each of the five days.

I need to get back in the habit of exercise. I actually started to get back into it last week, but I really want to focus on this goal this month. That means that I will postpone two other things I was planning this month: my 5th habit of patience (I'll have to be patient about that goal!) and another challenge of trying to cut out sweets (except for a cheat day). I will save those for later months this year -- a lesson that I've learned is that it's important to evaluate and adjust your goals as you go along.

So, join me! What's your March Challenge goal?

Tomorrow, we will work on a plan to meet our March Challenge goals!

Discipline is an illusion; Motivate yourself instead

2007-03-05T00:44:00.000-08:00

Reader Kamal posted a great question in response to my call for topic suggestions:

"I think discipline would be a good topic, as much of what you talk about requires a certain amount of it.

The Army was good for teaching me discipline, but I realized that in the end, it comes from within.

But still, like most things, it is a habit that one can work on over time.

Would love to hear your thoughts and experience on the subject."

Let me start with the conclusion first: if you think you don't have discipline, you don't need it. What you need is to commit to your goal or habit and fully motivate yourself. Read on for more.

I think that most of us believe that discipline is something you either have or don't have -- some believe you are born with it, and some, like Kamal, believe it is something you can develop as a habit. But what exactly is it we're talking about when we say the word "discipline"?

If I wake up early every morning to run, do I have discipline? Most people would say that I do. But, as someone who regularly wakes up early, and who runs frequently (not every day), I can testify that I for one do not have discipline. I am anything but disciplined, and never have been.

So how do I explain my ability to wake up early, and to run on a regular basis? Simple: I have adequate and varied motivation. I get up every morning, not out of discipline, but because I really want to -- and have tricked myself into doing it. I get out the door and go for a run not because I'm super disciplined, but because I really want to.

Let's take the example of someone in the military -- the typical example of someone with discipline. Let's say Sgt. Lamar is a tough Army man. He wakes up very early every day, goes through a strict morning routine, runs and does his pushups and situps, eats a moderate diet and keeps his clothes and living area spotless. He's the epitome of discipline.

But I say he has motivation instead. Review the Top 20 Motivation Hacks for some of the reasons why:

Sgt. Lamar has signed up for the Army and all that that entails. He is a full-time military man, and everyone he knows is aware of this. He has fully committed himself to living a life of discipline, meaning he's fully committed to all the habits of the Army: waking early, exercise, cleanliness, orderliness, etc. That's the No. 2 of the Top 20 Hacks.
He's in the middle of a mutually supportive competition. There is competition among his fellow officers about who has more discipline (wakes earlier, runs more, etc.) -- Hack No. 3.
Sgt. Lamar has powerful reasons (Hack No. 8) to keep those habits going -- to keep up his reputation in the Army, to promote his advancement in the organization, to set an example for those under him.
There are many more, but let me quickly point out others: there's a system of accountability, public pressure, others above him who he must report to, rewards for sticking to the habits, the pleasure of accomplishing his goals and habits, workout buddies, visualization of his goals (even if he doesn't realize it, Sgt. Lamar has a picture of what an Army man should be, and keeps that in his head each day). And then there's positive thinking (Hack No. 1) -- Sgt. Lamar doesn't allow himself to think negatively, or to tell himself he can't do it. He has no choice. If he does start thinking negative thoughts, he will soon be former Sgt. Lamar.

If you removed all of these motivations -- the public pressure, the rewards, the positive thinking, the powerful reasons, the accountability, the full commitment, the mutually supportive competition -- I believe that Sgt. Lamar would have no discipline.

Now, some people will think, "But Sgt. Lamar was disciplined even after he was in the Army. He's still the most disciplined person I know, as a former military man." That may be true (it's not true in every case), but I would argue that he has maintained his habits from many of the same motivations -- he is still committed, to everyone he knows, to being a disciplined former military man, and he has this public reputation to maintain. He probably also still finds pleasure in being an early riser, in exercising and staying fit, in looking clean and being orderly. I also argue that those who do not have those same motivations are those who are former military men who aren't disciplined -- and we all know just as many of this type as the former.

So how can you be "disciplined" about your habits? Get the right motivation (See the Top 20- Motivation Hacks for more). Here are a few tips:

Pick one habit, and fully commit to it. Don't try to be "disciplined" for a whole lot of things at once. I've tried this (many times) and it always fails. I'm re-evaluating my goals for this year for that reason alone. Try one habit at a time, and really focus on it.
Come up with a plan for that habit. See how many of the Top 20 Motivation Hacks you can apply to this habit. Write down your goal, and set a measurable and achievable goal, with a deadline. Write down mini-goals along the way, with rewards for each. Write down a plan for monitoring your urges to quit the habit, and for how you will overcome those urges (write it down beforehand!).
Maintain your focus on that habit for as long as possible. Try not to get distracted from it by other things. Post up pictures, motivational quotes, your plan, a list of rewards, your list of reasons, etc. Send yourself email reminders. Get others to remind you of your focus. Blog about it. Whatever it takes.
Set up your environment so that you maintain your motivation for your habit over time. Look at the example of Sgt. Lamar above. His life is set up so that he can't fail. Set you life up like that too, with motivation all around you, in many forms. Set it up so that that motivation continues for as long as possible, not just for a couple weeks or a month. Maintain that environment of motivation.
Celebrate your success!!! Woo hoo!!!!

Shameless plea: For my readers who like this story ... please add this to your favorite social bookmarking site! It's doing especially well on Netscape (it could use a nudge) but any help you give it on any of the services would be appreciated.

See also:

How to Teach Your Kids Good Habits

2007-03-04T13:45:00.000-08:00

Every Sunday is Family Day at Zen Habits.

Every parent will commiserate with me, especially parents with a good number of kids (I have six): for awhile now I've been trying to teach my kids the habit of putting things back where they belong when they're done with them. As you can imagine, it hasn't exactly been a rousing success.

So I've been giving it some thought, and have hit on some new ideas. The main idea: turn it into a game.

I love creating charts, so I plan on making one that give points to each kid for putting stuff away. They get additional points for helping remind each other (I told them to help their siblings remember as an act of consideration). There will be treats for making a minimum number of points, so they can all win. This will be set up as a friendly challenge, not a cut-throat competition, where they can all help each other win. I don't like to set up competitions for my kids where there are winners and losers, because the only lesson the losers learn is that they are losers. That's not a lesson I'm teaching my kids.

Some tips on creating good habits with your kids:

Use the carrot, not the stick. I've tried punishment as a way of teaching them to remember things, and it not only doesn't work, it's no fun for anyone. Kids learn more about their faults than about the habits you're trying to create. Use fun games or rewards instead, and plenty of praise. This is something I need to work more on.
Be their focus. I've written before about how maintaining focus on a goal is one of the main keys to sticking with it and actually accomplishing the goal. Well, kids have a hard time maintaining focus -- you have to do it for them. Or better yet, teach them ways to keep that focus. You'll have to remind them, post up visual reminders, and remind them some more.
Provide multiple means of motivation. I've written about my Top 20 Motivation Hacks, which work well for adults. They also work for kids. Provide not only one kind of motivation, but as many as you can. Rewards, praise, positive public pressure (tell not only the whole household about their goals but their grandparents and others), friendly competition, journals, charts and more can all be effective ways of creating motivation for your kids.
Try to be consistent for at least a month. After that it should get easier, but you'll still need to provide motivation to keep it going. Consistency, in the beginning, is important in creating habits. There will be failures, sure, but learn from it and don't drop the goal and then pick it up the next week. You need to maintain that focus consistently, so that they are constantly working on improving it (and having fun while doing so!).
Remember that kids aren't perfect. They will make mistakes. They will fail. Do not put a tremendous amount of pressure on them to succeed. Gently help them along. Encourage them, but don't criticize them. And remember that it could actually take months or even years before they learn some habits. Remember that you didn't learn good habits overnight (and may still be trying to do so yourself). Don't expect them to be better than you.
Join them. It would be even more fun if you all did the game together, if you had a joint goal of learning good habits. If the parents are part of the game, the learning process, the fun, the kids can learn from the parent's example of how to set a goal, how to maintain focus, how to motivate yourself, how to reward yourself for doing well, and how to feel great about any accomplishment, no matter how small.
Celebrate often! Kids need positive feedback. If they do something good, no matter how small, celebrate like they just landed on the moon! Have fun, and show them that achieving goals can be a great feeling. Go out for a fun dinner, go to the park or beach, really reward them, especially in the beginning.

Ask the readers: Suggestions for Zen Habits topics

2007-03-03T18:07:00.000-08:00

To my favorite readers in the world: I've been getting so much great feedback from all of you, about the topics Zen Habits has been covering, that I'd like to throw out the question:

What topics would you like to read about on Zen Habits?

All suggestions are welcome. Any problems you've been facing? Any goal obstacles you'd like advice on? Anything Zen Habits isn't writing enough about?

Here's your chance to get exactly what you want. Let me know in the comments!

Trying to eat healthier? Make lifestyle changes, and have a weekly cheat day

2007-03-03T17:40:00.000-08:00

Every Saturday is Health Tip Day.

It can be a difficult thing to change our diets. I'm not a big fan of being on a "diet" in the first place, one that restricts you to bland food and makes you feel like you're suffering. These diets are doomed to failure, as they might work in the short term but we will always, always fall off them. Trust me, I've tried and fallen off many: Atkins, South Beach, the Abs Diet, Slim Fast, Weight Watchers, and some you probably haven't heard of.

As others have said before me, don't go on a diet -- go for a healthy lifestyle change instead. That means to make changes that you can sustain for the rest of your life.

Here are some simple lifestyle changes you can make and keep in your diet:

Substitute whole grains for refined carbs. Ditch white bread and eat whole grain bread (note that wheat bread and whole grain bread are different - the first uses enriched wheat flour, which is refined, and the second uses whole grain flour, which isn't). Eat whole grain pasta instead of regular pasta. Eat brown rice instead of white. Whole grain bagels instead of regular. You get the idea. Whole grains are much healthier -- more nutrients, slower to digest, more fiber. Refined carbs offer nearly no nutrition in exchange for lots of calories. And after a little while, you won't want to go back -- whole grains taste better and are more satisfying.
Eat more fruits and veggies. Yes, everyone will tell you this. But it's an easy change to make -- just stock up on them every week when you go shopping, and snack on them throughout the day. Have berries for breakfast. Snack on fruits at your desk in the office. Eat raw or steamed veggies with lunch and dinner. Fruits are a great after dinner snack. Fruits and veggies not only provide nutrients and fiber, but they fill you up without giving you too much calories and fat.
Eat leaner meats (or better yet, other forms of protein!). Switching beef for lean chicken or turkey is an easy switch to make. You might love red meat, but it's killing you. There are very tasty dishes you can make using lean meat. And even better is soy protein, or nuts and whole grains, beans and other such forms of protein. All the nutrients with none of the saturated fat! If this is difficult for you, try doing it one day a week to start with.
Cut back on sweets. This is my most difficult challenge. I have not been completely successful on this, and this will be the topic of a future post, but I have made progress by cutting back on the pastries and candies and other sweet desserts -- I usually just have a little now, and find healthier treats to enjoy instead.

Implement these changes one at a time, slowly and over a long period of time. Don't start tomorrow by saying you're going to drastically change your entire diet. You will have a difficult time, and suffer, and fail within a few weeks. When the change is very drastic and restrictive, it is too hard for most of us, and it's just a matter of time before we fail.

A final tip: if you decide to cut back on sweets, or something similar, give yourself one cheat day a week. This will make it easier on you, and give you something to look forward to. It will also increase the likelihood of your success. Give yourself a break sometimes!

Spend time with family and loved ones

2007-03-02T13:43:00.000-08:00

Every Friday is Happiness Friday.

When was the last time you told your family and close personal friends that you loved them? Whatever your answer, do it today. Recently my grandfather was admitted to the hospital, just days after his 80th birthday, for heart problems. He's had heart surgery in the past, and this time, just as in the past, he toughed it out. But any day could be his day, the day when it will be too late to tell him how much he's meant to me over the years.

Don't let that day come for your loved ones without telling them what they mean to you.

I know that for many of us, expressing those kinds of feelings isn't easy. That's true for me, but I've been trying to overcome those barriers. But even if that's too difficult for you, I recommend that you just hang out with your family or treasured friends. Talk to them. Listen to them. Understand them.

Just spending a little time with someone shows that you care, shows that they are important enough that you've chosen -- out of all the things to do on your busy schedule -- to find the time for them. And if you go beyond that, and truly connect with them, through good conversation, that says even more. Many times its our actions, not just our words, that really speak what our hearts feel.

Taking the time to connect with those you love will bring you true happiness. The more you do it, the happier you'll be.

Since I'm a notorious list-maker, and because many people are busy and might need help with this, here are some tips:

Have five minutes? Send an email. It doesn't take long to send an email to someone you care about, asking them how they are, wishing them a good day. And that little gesture could go a long way, especially if you follow it up over time with regular emails.
Have 10 minutes? Call them up. A phone call is an easy way to connect with someone. It's conversation, without the need for travel. What an invention! :)
Have 30 minutes? You might not get the chance to do this every day, but at least once a week, take 30 minutes to drop in on someone you love (call first, so you don't catch them in their underwear) and just visit. It'll be some of the best 30 minutes you'll spend this week.
Have a couple hours? Have a good lunch or go somewhere with a loved one. Who among us doesn't have a couple of free hours each month? Weekends, or evenings, there's got to be a time that you spend in front of the TV or mindlessly surfing the internet. Take a chunk of that time, and devote it to a friend or family. (If you truly don't have that time, see Edit Your Life, Part 1: Commitments.)
Really focus on them. Don't just spend time with someone but think about your work, or your blog, or the errands you have to run. Pay attention to that person. Listen. Really be there, in that moment, with that person. Because that's a moment you'll never get back, so spend it wisely.
Have a blast. Tell jokes, crack each other up, do something fun and spontaneous. Really have a great time!

See also:

Zen Habits over at The Good Human: On Veganism

2007-03-02T12:57:00.000-08:00

I just wrote a guest post over at one of my favorite blogs, The Good Human, on the social consciousness aspects of going vegan:

Going Vegetarian and Vegan - A Sustainable Choice

It's a topic that doesn't fit perfectly with this blog, but works nicely with The Good Human. I include a few tips on going vegan, or even partially vegan, so you might want to give it a read.

Also, if you haven't read The Good Human, I highly recommend it. I subscribe to its feed. It covers such environmental topics as pollution, global warming, and other important stuff like that. Check it out!

Edit Your Life, Part 2: Your Rooms

2007-03-01T20:12:00.000-08:00

Quick note: Every Thursday is Simplifying Thursday, and for the next few weeks, these posts will be a series called "Edit Your Life," looking at ways to simplify different parts of your life.

I'm a former newspaper editor, and one of the things I learned was to edit brutally (no sarcastic comments about why I don't do that with my blog posts). Cut out everything that's not necessary, and you've got a more meaningful story.

I highly recommend editing your life.

Today's edit: The rooms in your house, one at a time.

Are you surrounded by clutter in every room in your home? Clutter is visually distracting and stressful -- every item that you see demands your mind's attention, and no matter how short that attention is, and despite that it is subconscious, these little distractions add up. It's difficult to have peace and to focus amid this clutter. Add to this the wasted time and energy needed to look for things, to maintain things, and to clean things, and the more clutter you have, the more energy it will take to have it.

So, I recommend that you edit each of the rooms in your house, one per week, until you have de-cluttered your home and made it a peaceful and calming place to be.

Here's how:

First, choose a room to do this week. Don't try to do your whole house at once, as this can be very time consuming (unless you just have a lot of time on your hands -- in which case, go for it!). Focus on one room, and try to do 15 minutes a day (unless you get carried away and feel like doing more). Work on one room each week.
In the beginning, skip the closets and drawers that are out of sight for now. We'll tackle those in next week's Edit Your Life. Focus for now on the things you can see.
Start with the big things. Is there too much furniture in the room? If so, edit them. What is necessary, which furniture do you love, which stuff is just too distracting. Also consider removing other big items, like boxes full of stuff.
Clear all flat surfaces. Desktops, tabletops, countertops, etc. Remove all papers, piles of stuff, little junk, knick-knacks, anything. Put it on the floor. Now get a trash bag and two boxes. Sort through everything in your pile(s), one item at a time. Each item should be either thrown away in the trash bag, put in one box to give away (to friends, family or charity), or in the other box to put in another room in the house. Put back only a couple select items on the flat surfaces, such as a family photo or something that functionally belongs there. But as much as possible, leave the flat surfaces as bare as humanly possible. "Stuff" doesn't belong here -- you need to find a drawer, shelf, or container for whatever stuff you've removed. When you're done sorting through the pile, put the recycle box in the trunk of your car and drop it off the next time you go out to do errands. Throw away the trash bag. Take the other box and put the stuff where it belongs elsewhere in the house (don't put it on flat surfaces unless absolutely necessary!).
Repeat this process for any other "stuff" in the room, including stuff on the floor.
Now go around the room, clockwise, and edit what's left. This might be stuff on the walls, posted to surfaces like the refrigerator, stuff under tables or desks, etc. Only leave the stuff that's absolutely necessary. I mostly have blank walls except for a few choice paintings or drawings (by my dad, an artist). All my flat surfaces are bare. It's nice.
Be merciless. Edit brutally. The more you can get rid of, the better!

OK, your room should look pretty good now. If so, you should feel pretty great! Sit down, relax, look around, and enjoy the peaceful goodness. Savor your triumph.

Now, this editing process is not a destination, but an ongoing process. It won't last long if you don't have a system and develop habits to keep it de-cluttered.

Here's the system:

A place for everything, and everything in its place. An oldie, but valuable nonetheless. Are you about to put something down on a flat surface? Stop yourself. Think about where that item belongs. If it doesn't have a home, find one and stick with it. Always put it in that spot. For example: I have a tray for my keys, wallet, etc., and when I first get in the house, I put these things in this tray. Every time. So I always know where it is. And when I leave, it's as simple as grabbing my stuff from the tray.
Have an inbox for your home for ALL incoming papers. And a filing system for documents you need to keep, from bills to important documents to taxes to kids' report cards. Put all incoming mail, school papers, receipts, etc. into the inbox, and process it once a day (or every other day, but not much longer than that -- otherwise you're just creating a pile). When you process, don't leave stuff in a pile to be filed later -- file it immediately. Trash other stuff. Pay bills immediately or put them in a bills to be paid folder. Don't leave papers laying around elsewhere.
Clean up at night and before you leave the house. If you've developed good habits, you may not need this, but no one's perfect, and if you have kids, you'll definitely need this, because kids certainly are not perfect at this habit. Just take 5-10 minutes to pick up stuff and make sure your flat surfaces are clear.
Every six months (or a year), de-clutter. Despite your best efforts, new stuff just accumulates. You need to have a regular binging process every now and then.

See also:

Inspiration file: Positive Blog Network

2007-03-01T12:53:00.000-08:00

Zen Habits has been honored and made part of the Positive Blog Network (see links in sidebar to the right), a group of blogs dedicated to helping people improve their lives. The network blogs cover a broad range of topics including finance, personal development, motivation, efficiency, and the search for personal freedom (among other topics).

I'm putting this post in the Inspiration File because as I read through these blogs, I am truly amazed at some of the wonderful posts. If you like Zen Habits, you'll like many of these other blogs as well.

Some of my favorite posts so far (I've only begun to explore):

Balanced Life Center: Forget Content, Consistency is King. Why doing something over time makes the most difference of all.
Pick the Brain: 5 Simple Ways to Make the Most of Your Intelligence. Very simple things we can all do.
Cultivate Greatness: 10 Creative Ways to Make Your Dreams Come True. My three favorites: Expect your dreams to come true; Imagine it in the now; and Maintain a Laser Focus.
Craig Harper: The Art of Completion. Don't start something you can't or won't finish.
Change Your Thoughts: Breaking Through Your Goal Barriers. Gives you the "Breakthrough Method of Achieving".
Genius Types: A Roadmap from Debt to Living Your Passion. It takes a lot of hard work, but this article provides a 5-stage roadmap to getting to where you really want to be.
Scott H. Young: Set Worthy Challenges. Difficult goals inspire more action than modest ones.
Life Optimizer: Examine Your Life with a Simple Life Map. Mapping out your life's milestones helps you see whether or not you've wisely used your years, and where you should go next.
Steve Olson: How You Can Help Those That Suffer. A very powerful message.
The Dragon Slayer's Guide to Life: Becoming More Disciplined. Good advice on a question we all wrangle with.
Wise Bread: Adaptation: Lessons Learned from Being Unemployed. Amazing story about someone who quit their job and still managed to grow their savings.
Ask Dan and Jennifer: How You Can Make 2007 Your Best Year Ever - Even if You Have No Idea How to Get Started. Be bold and create your Big Bang!

Ask the Readers: How many posts a day is too many?

2007-02-28T21:26:00.000-08:00

I love writing for Zen Habits. It's one of my favorite things to do. I have a million topics that I want to write about, but I find myself holding back because I'm worried about overwhelming my readers. I can easily post 5-8 times a day, but I've been trying to limit myself to 3-4 posts per day.

So I ask you, the readers, to please tell me: How many posts a day is too many?

From reading other blogs, especially those to which you subscribe, how much is too overwhelming to you? I've read that people unsubscribe because it's too hard to keep up with some blogs that post frequently throughout the day. What's your limit?

Thanks for your help, my friends!