Just… So… Tired…
What do you do, when you're just so tired? When you don't have any desire to stick to your routine? Right now, I am having one of those moments. I am jet-lagged, exhausted, and I have two leftover pieces of pizza in the fridge that are calling my name. I was very tempted to skip my writing today. I was very tempted to just heat up the pizza, sit on the couch, and take some much needed (and much earned) tv time.
Even though I was tempted to do that, I am here at my desk writing and there are two reasons why:
I know my purpose. I know my goal, and it is important to me.
I knew that I would have days like this, and so I made sure I had an easy step to take.
Sticking with routines isn't easy, and that's why I tell myself I need to do at least 15 minutes. On the days when I have more time or I'm more energized, I shoot higher. But on days like today, when I'm barely hanging in, the 15 minutes gives me an easy step to take. I have my playlist on Spotify already set with 15 minutes of music. I have my OneNote notebook where I can pull up a blank page and just start typing. I don't make myself hit a certain page number or write anything even worthwhile. I don't even have to think about where I'm going or what I'm doing. I just need to sit down, and write.
These 15 minutes may not be the most productive I have this week, but it is 15 more than I would have gotten if I went straight for the pizza. 15 minutes every day becomes over 2 solid work weeks by the end of the year. Can you imagine what you could do if you had two solid weeks to work on your goals? 15 minutes is practically nothing and yet it becomes everything when I stick with it consistently.
What is a habit you have had a hard time sticking with? Now shrink it down so it's small enough to be easy on your hardest days, but big enough so it still moves you forward. If you have a place in your home where you can be consistent with it, that will help too. The idea is that you are taking away all the decisions you need to make so that starting is free of barriers. If you plan for it now, then when you're just so tired you'll still manage to take one small step toward who you want to be.
