New Week's Resolution - Week 8

nossmf
nossmf Posts: 12,073 Member
in Challenges
Welcome to the first week of the rest of your life! Now seems like a perfect time to select a New Week's Resolution.

What is a New Week's Resolution? It's exactly the same as a New Year's Resolution, with two important distinctions: it only lasts for one week, and you can start one any time you want, rather than just once per year.

So what's wrong with New Year's Resolutions? According to some quick Google research, just one thing: they DON'T WORK!
  • 23% of people quit within the first week
  • 43% quit by the end of January
  • 80% quit by mid-February
  • 92% fail to make it a full year
Why such high rates of failure? Probably because most resolutions fail to follow these simple steps from the SMART method:
  • Specific - "exercise more" is vague; "hit the gym twice this week" is specific
  • Measurable - did I go twice? Yes or no?
  • Achievable - "drink a gallon of water per day" may not be realistic; drink 8oz is
  • Relevant - if it doesn't matter to YOU, why bother?
  • Time-bound - keep your goal for this week something quick you can reach THIS week
With these thoughts in mind, what is ONE thing you want to do this week? Some examples may include:
  • Hit the gym two times this week
  • Cook a meal from scratch three times this week
  • Go to bed no later than 10pm every night
  • Limit myself to one alcoholic beverage this week
  • Finish two pages of my family photo album
...and so on. While this is very similar in nature to the famous "Just Give Me 10 Days" series, that challenge focuses primarily on weight loss and diet control, whereas this challenge is of a broader nature, including interpersonal relationships, home improvements, health and fitness and more. Just pick something specific you wish to focus upon, set a number goal you can reach (or not), and make status updates to document your progress. This will be a judgment-free zone: if you do not reach your goal, take the time to figure out why not (too big a goal, life happened, etc), and forgive yourself, because you can always try again next week.

Replies

  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,073 Member
    edited December 9
    Getting setup for this week. My plan is to continue what I started in previous weeks, and add one more focus item every week as I go. Eventually older items will drop off the list, not because I no longer want to do them, but because they will have become so ingrained a part of my daily routine that I no longer need to record them to make sure they get done.

    Past focus items successfully transitioned to un-monitored habit:
    Floss every night before bed
    Clean litter box every night before bed
    Kiss wife within one (1) minute of arriving home from work, gym, store, church, etc
    Wearing my glasses every day, all day

    Ongoing focus items:
    Get at least six hours of sleep every night
    Wash dinner dishes the same night they're used
    Park in furthest spot available

    New focus item:
    Take my dog on a walk two times this week - Rationale: we have a back yard, so usually when the dog wants out to exercise or take care of business, we just let him out into the yard. This meets his physical needs, but not his other needs: social with other dogs we encounter, curiosity for all the smells available, time spent with humans. We used to walk him (semi) regularly, but I allowed life to get in the way. Time to start recovering that time with him, starting with a small step, easy to track: taking him on a walk twice this week. Once the pattern gets reestablished, future weeks will increase the number to three or even four times per week. (Doubt I'll go above that frequency, for fear of failing to make it too often.)
  • Adventurista
    Adventurista Posts: 2,134 Member
    Something seasonal, intentional, for fun each day will be my focus this week.
  • AdahPotatah2024
    AdahPotatah2024 Posts: 2,443 Member
    Going to stick with less than 1 hour of internet on weekdays before work.
    Failed keeping it under 1 hour yesterday, but atleast it was after work!
    & This week I'm going to get all my papers organized and shredded working on it 30 minutes per day until done.
  • AdahPotatah2024
    AdahPotatah2024 Posts: 2,443 Member
    Starting now!😅
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,073 Member
    Monday:

    Sleep...only 5.5 hrs
    Dishes...check!
    Parking...check!
    Walk dog...0/2
  • Adventurista
    Adventurista Posts: 2,134 Member
    I watched some holiday movies tonight, check
  • AdahPotatah2024
    AdahPotatah2024 Posts: 2,443 Member
    ✔️ more papers shredded!
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,073 Member
    Tuesday:

    Sleep...check!
    Dishes...check!
    Parking...check!
    Walk dog...0/2
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,073 Member
    Wednesday:

    Sleep...early morning, 5.5 hrs
    Dishes...check!
    Parking...check!
    Walk dog...0/2
  • AdahPotatah2024
    AdahPotatah2024 Posts: 2,443 Member
    ✔️ so far! About to finish the last of 2024 mass paper shredding event!
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,073 Member
    Thursday:

    Sleep...check!
    Dishes...check!
    Parking...check!
    Walk dog...0/2
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,073 Member
    Friday:

    Sleep...check!
    Dishes...check!
    Parking...check!
    Walk dog...1/2
  • Adventurista
    Adventurista Posts: 2,134 Member
    Best of both holiday sci-fi movie today, chk
  • AdahPotatah2024
    AdahPotatah2024 Posts: 2,443 Member
    ✔️ for week! All my papers shredded or organized...
    I still have the goals from the past weeks as 30 minute appointments on my phone until I'm convinced they're habits.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,073 Member
    Saturday:

    Sleep...check!
    Dishes...check!
    Parking...check!
    Walk dog...1/2

    Sunday:

    Sleep...check!
    Dishes...check!
    Parking...check!
    Walk dog...1/2

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