Rule 9 of the Personal Kaizen 10 Rules for Life is to develop good habits and routines.
The Personal Kaizen team is sharing our 10 Rules for Life. Please watch all of our videos beginning with Rule 1.
RULE 9: Avoid Decision Fatigue – Develop Good Habits and Routines.
Do you ever come home from a hard day at work and just collapse on the couch, with no desire or energy to go to the gym, make dinner, or take care of other responsibilities?
Self-management helps us to be productive and “get sh%t done.” Self-control also takes a great deal of mental effort. Willpower (self-control) is like a muscle; each decision we make depletes our reserves. Eventually, we get so fatigued that we give in to desires against our long-term benefit.
An easy way to have more willpower and self-control is to develop habits and routines that reduce the number of daily decisions we need to make.
Many of the decisions that drain our reserves are ones we make over and over again.
- What am I eating for breakfast?
- What am I going to wear to work?
- Who is taking care of the kids or pets today?
- Where am I going to eat lunch?
Develop good habits and routines
Develop simple habits and routines so you don’t waste your willpower reserves on basic decisions. Plan your outfit the night before (and also set out workout clothes if you want to begin your day with exercise). Decide on just two or three different breakfast and lunch options you can make and eat quickly. Schedule your most important task for the start of the day when you are fresh.
Learn how to select and develop simple habits so you achieve your improvement goals.
Developing smart habits and routines for your day will leave you with more time and energy to be proactive and present in your life.
Replace Bad Habits
Replace thoughtless bad habits with good ones, making a commitment to being a happier person. In the end, you are a combination of your habits and the people you spend the most time with.
| Suggested Action: Use personal kaizen tools to develop a new daily success habit in one aspect of your life. |
Our team hosts events for the Personal Kaizen community to discuss additional tips, tricks, and hacks for developing good habits. Be sure to subscribe to learn about these events.
Please let us know what you think about this rule for life. The last rule of our “10 Rules for Life” will be shared next week. Subscribe to have these videos delivered to your inbox.
