I made a decision. I had to. I was getting sucked into the vortex of the world wide web and its never ending news, social media and entertainment.
It was getting in the way of my sleep.
Of my relationship with my husband.
Of my enjoyment with my family.
Of goals I had set for myself.
I wasn’t present. I wasn’t productive. And it just wasn’t fulfilling.
I knew putting parameters on my phone would help. I knew checking social media all the time only breeds envy and comparison. I knew answering emails before I went to bed only brought more anxiety and less rest.
I knew, I knew, I knew. I should, I should, I should. Have you been there?
You know what’s best but you just can’t muster up the inertia to do anything about it? You’ve done all the research. You’ve done a gut check. You’ve talked about it with your closest friends. And yet…you can’t seem to do what you say you want to do.
You’re not alone.
The scenario I described above happened to me just the other week. Cell phone use just before bed time is just not healthy. It gets in the way of real connection with my spouse and makes me less productive in the end. I believe that. I know that. Research shows that. And yet…I just couldn’t put it down.
Why? It’s a habit.
Our bodies and brains tend to keep doing what they have always done. It’s the law of inertia: things in motion stay in motion. It is easier and safer to stick to the same routine. No matter how unhealthy.
Our bodies are wired for routine. Our brains actually couldn’t function if most of life was not on a routine. For example, all our motor functions are routine for our brains. We don’t even think about putting the spoon up to our lips. Lifting our legs to climb stairs or turning our wrist to open a door. We just do it. Our brains don’t even really think about it. This is how we have been designed. This is what keeps us alive and functioning at the level we do.
You want to change something in your life? You want to reach a goal?
Change your habits.
So what did I do? I started charging my phone, at night, in the kitchen. I just didn’t allow myself access to it. What happened when I did that? I started reading more (a goal I set for myself this year). I went to sleep earlier and felt more rested. I started having conversations with my husband because I wasn’t distracted by my phone.
Life is better with this new habit. It sorta feels like a game changer.
Change your habits, change your life.
What’s something you have wanted to change but can't seem to muster up the energy to do? I’d love to talk to you about it. Send me an email at rebecca@rebeccaolsoncoaching.com. I promise to respond to each and every one of you.
