Through Our Day

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One thing that I have learnt over time is to always have a set of daily things to do. It is a popular thing to say routine is lethal. And, that is true in the sense of missing out or subduing creativity and losing yourself eventually. However, I believe it is highly elevating to have a set of core activities or practices for yourself through the day- and essentially, make it a routine!

Why? Why do I think that keeping a core like that will help?

The activities through your day can be broken up into three broad categories- what you have to do, what you want to do, and what you must do. What you have to do is generally the things you can't avoid like work or study, and what you want to do is probably read, write, watch, or do any activity that is pleasurable to you, and what you must do is the core you keep for yourself. A small note here: there can be overlaps in these three categories.  

For example, we all shampoo our hair 2 or 3 times a week. This is a kind of a rigid routine that we come up with, and any given week in your life, you'd have mostly done this without second thoughts. Why? Because we want our hair to be clean and taken care of, without spending too much of time and thought on it. So, we set a routine. Another example can be working out. You go for a jog three days in a week, and then do yoga the other days. That's a routine. You start falling into that groove, so the matter of health or fitness is automatically taken care of. 

The list of things that you must include in your core activities through your day or week is completely your decision, and your choice. Someone might make studying their lessons an everyday habit because they want their academics to be automatically taken care of when the exams arrive. But some others may not really prefer that and would rather study one day before their exam. However, they might want to make reading newspaper an everyday habit or core activity. Some others might want to tend and spend some time with their plants everyday, it can be anything that you decide. 

Core activities are essentially habits, but these activities are more significant and will help you plan the other activities for the day around it. They typically act like the backbone of your day or week, and brings a sense of structure to it. For example, we all have common core like our meals. The day is literally structured around it, and those who don't follow a timed meal plan do lose out. It is up to you to frame a set of cores for yourself and just stick to it. 

It is also a popular thing to say an idle mind is a devil's workshop. A core will make sure you aren't so idle that the devil wins over you, and it will ensure that a lot of the most basic requirements that you have are taken care of by default. What better can you ask for?

Sensible routine helps a lot, and keeps us engaged! Think about what's your core, and whether you stick to it! Happy day!

Atomic Habits

Title: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Author: James Clear

We all have numerous habits- some good, some bad. And, all habits have an effect- sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse, depending on whether it is a good or bad one. While we inch through life, we have goals that we try to achieve through processes, and the processes incorporate a lot of our habits. James Clear, in Atomic Habits, talks about practical ways to make some good ones, and break a couple of the bad ones. 

"Can one tiny change transform your life? It’s unlikely you would say so. But what if you made another? And another? And another? At some point, you will have to admit that your life was transformed by one small change."

This the crux of what the book is about. The author goes on to break down habits to their very fundamentals, and show us that it is the thousands of small habits done over thousands of times that yields what looks like a big achievement. Breakthrough moments are often the result of many previous actions, which build up the potential required to unleash a major change. And without such a build up of potential, it is rarely possible to bring any major change. 

The book is extremely practical, and the ideas it talks about is not something that we don't know already. It is something that we all know and yet fail to do. And, the book seeks to give you pointers on actually doing them. Habits are necessary for everything- from businesses, to parenting, to self-maintenance, to your professional work, and social life, they play a strong role in every single facet of your life. 

I loved the way Clear has brought down the concept of habit to 'identity'. Associating a good habit with your very identity makes things much easier and more natural to maintain such habits. I can absolutely understand this at my personal level, for example. Sandhya has a reputation or identity, over the years, for being punctual, not gossiping, sleeping early, waking up on time, etc. Now, these comments about my good habits are most definitely associated with the very identity of my personality by both myself and the people around me- and this makes me motivated to keep it up! More than the identity in other people's eyes, it is your own that makes you stick to your habits. When I tell someone that I hate when people are late, and I am proud of myself being punctual, I can never go late myself. It is as simple as that. 

“If you’re proud of how your hair looks, you’ll develop all sorts of habits to care for and maintain it. If you’re proud of the size of your biceps, you’ll make sure you never skip an upper-body workout. If you’re proud of the scarves you knit, you’ll be more likely to spend hours knitting each week. Once your pride gets involved, you’ll fight tooth and nail to maintain your habits.”

But, as much as such reputation and pride can make you stick to good habits, it can do the same thing to a bad habit, too! And, that is the catch. James Clear once again gives great actionable insights on how to wean away from destructive habits. Just like one day's workout will not result in a toned body, going five minutes late to a class may also not have any immediate negative effects. But, over time both these habits will have the cumulative effect of having been done a thousand times over when it seemed like they didn't matter. 

I loved the way James Clear has tried to explain all the other concepts associated with habits, like identity, practice, disappointment, and the rest. I think for those who have long pending lists about a habit they wanted to inculcate, this is a book that you can actually try out like a thoughtful workbook!

It was a great read, and I really enjoyed the way it expressed simple and necessary ideas with such freshness, clarity and diction!

I have previously written about how my own blog looks as beautiful as it is today because of what became a habit through several years, in my post The Power of Habit! Think about your habits- both the good and the bad- and evaluate them for yourself, whether or not you read this book!

Jogging Everyday: How Does It Feel?

My Ticwatch E is pretty cool!

I wake up in the morning, feeling fresh. And as I get ready, I put on those running shoes enthusiastically, and go for jog breathing in the clean, morning air, my brisk jog countering the general cold. After a good thirty minute jog, I hit the shower, and have a healthy breakfast- fruits, oatmeal cereals, milk. The day ahead is happy and energetic.

Okay, now, that's a great shot, hopefully in the future life of Sandhya, but let's cut the daydream, haha.

I bet all of us have those fancy pair of running shoes that we got with the optimism of living a lifestyle far removed from what we do live in. I will conveniently avoid the next statement about how often most of us use (or, don't use?) those pair of shoes though. I have a habit of waking up at around seven in the morning, so it's a great time to actually exercise. And, I do- yoga, floor exercises, indoor cardio. But, I still cannot make myself wear those shoes and get out of my room into that cold, windy, dreary morning. The days I successfully make myself walk out of the door into the open, and do go for a jog, you'd probably see me the next day, impishly limping down the hostel staircase with a slightly embarrassed grin. Yeah, that's the stamina.

A wise friend, clearly wiser than me because she executes what I am just writing as a post, told us during a general chit-chat yesterday, on how to make yourself get out there in the morning. 

1. Don't think about waking up. Just get up when the alarm blares. DON'T THINK. The moment you start thinking, you're never going to go out there regularly.

2. You can't get up, and then try to decide what you're going to do. That's not going to work either. Before you would have made up your mind, you'd find yourself crawling back into bed between the warmth of the sheets.

3. Whether you do go out for that jog comes down to if you really want to do it.

Ouch. The third one hurt, but when does truth not hurt! I feel at the end, that's the takeaway. If you really wanted it that much- all that brisk jog, great stamina, great fitness, energetic day- you'd do it. So, the key is to probably decide that you want it.

To increase stamina, and promote good fat burn, it's important to exercise sensibly. A random burst of cardio or high-intensity workout now and then is not actually going to help. Let's say out of 100, you start with an energy level of 90/100 in the first 10 minutes, and then it drops to 50/100 in the next 15 minutes, and then it's a sad 15-20/100 throughout the rest of the workout. You'll just be tired, and exhausted, and wouldn't have really done much to fat-burning. Instead, even if you are bubbling with energy, start out at a level that you can try and maintain through till the end, with little portions of cardio spaced in between. This is the kind of workout that promotes the right aspects for which you are working on.

Honestly, I am not that bad. I do have a general sense of activity that I do through the day. I seem to have a clear aversion to hitting the gym, unless I see no other way. But, I am starting to get a feeling that I can live my daydream with a little more effort. So, why not!

Are you living your daydream? If not, now may be a right time to start.

The Power Of Habit

31 January, 2020. 54th day of blogging everyday, and the 31st post this year. I feel so good, and so happy for myself. So, I thought I'd do a small post today on the power of habit that has sailed me through. And, what have I learnt? The power of habit is something beyond amazing. Excuses and self-pity pale in front of habits. Such is their power. Do we not brush everyday? Do we not eat? Do we not sleep? Do we find excuses not to do any of these? Or, do we feel any pressure to do any of these activities? The habit that's ingrained in us takes care of it all. 

At the beginning, I doubted if I'd have something to write every day. And, I was thinking what if there is nothing to write about. But, that's the whole point. You cannot write nonsense everyday. You are pushed to think beyond what you assume your capacity is. You are forced to tread planes different than what you are comfortable with. And, you compel yourself to enter the cycle of becoming better and doing more. I found myself reading more the moment I started writing regularly. I had to explore things, and not keep my mind stagnant in order to be able to write the post for the day. 

There were days when I knew exactly what I wanted to write, and was excited to put it out there for all to read. There were days when I was extremely tired to write. There were days which were too hectic that I was worried if I'd find the time. There were days when I had lots of time, but doubtful on what I should write about. But, the one common thing on all those days was that I knew I wasn't going to bed without a putting up a post that I am happy about. 

There were some days when I wrote three different posts, and wasn't happy with them, so I ended up writing a fourth one and putting it up. Some people may like a post, some people won't, some may like other posts, and it is not up to you to worry about it. There were days when I wrote stories that I personally was feeling proud about writing, but was not sure how it'd be received. But, the one important thing is to make sure that you love what you have written. Because if you don't like what you are writing, then I doubt if anyone else would. 

Habit is a powerful thing, and you have seen it in full play the last 54 days on my blog. This streak is one of the things that I feel happiest about this year 2020! And, it is all set to continue. I'll see you all everyday, and the next mini-milestone celebration stop would be halfway through the year, hopefully!

Also, have you read The Power Of Habit by Charles Duhigg? It is known to be a wonderful book, and I have read it a long while ago partially. I hope I'll read it again, and get back to you with a review sometime soon!

Just get into the habit, and then the habit will take care of the rest! Uh, clarification: only good habits, please!

Why Writing In The Morning Is 100% Better Than Writing At Night

I decided to do a post a day this year: 2020. And, this is my 17th post. My semesters have begun, and I noticed that I have fallen into a cycle of doing everything else through the day and then sitting to write a post right before bedtime. Initially, that seemed like the best time to schedule the task, until I realized today that it had already become a "task"?

I am writing because there are so many ideas spinning around in my head, and it's a good place to sort them out. I am writing everyday so that I can read more, I can think more and I can write more. But, after a regular day with lectures, meetings, other deadlines, I just seem to become lazy and not devote the time that a blog post deserves. 

I just went back to look at what times I've been posting my last few blog posts: 10.51 PM, 10.48 PM, 11.05 PM, 11.16 PM, and now that's sample enough to prove my point. If you've read my post on 5 Things That Help Me In College, you'd know that I go to bed early, and it's just much better if I write a post through the day when I can give it more time, and work on it sincerely. 

Here are some of the reasons I think mornings are a great time to write:

1. You're refreshed. 

2. You get time to think through the day, and work on your post.

3. You won't feel like just crawling into bed and not caring. 

4. You won't feel like it's a task/duty. I am writing because I love to. And, I am writing everyday so that I think better. I shouldn't force it to become a burden, and stop bad habits before it does become a burden. 

5. You have enough time for backups. Like today it was 11.40 PM. And, my laptop hung. So, I typed out this post on my phone. If it was morning, I'd have had enough time for a backup.

One of my friends rightly summed it up when I was voicing out how I should write in the morning: "Not just because you're lazy at night, but morning is a great time."

It's 11.58 PM gosh! I promise today is the last day. See you tomorrow morning! Good night, sleep tight!