Things do not have to happen daily… in order to count in our lives… Anything that happens three times a week counts. Good things are already happening…add a few more…
Laura Vanderkam
Let yourself off the “daily” hook because three times a week counts as a habit, according to time management expert, Laura Vanderkam.
In her new book, Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters, Laura Vanderkam tested 9 rules. Her experiment included 150 volunteers who completed a 10-week program based on the 9 rules:
- Give yourself a bedtime
- Plan on Fridays
- Move by 3 p.m.
- Three times a week is a habit
- Create a back-up slot
- One big adventure, one little adventure
- Take one night for you
- Batch the little things
- Effortful before effortless
Of those, I found #4 to be my favorite. The simple rule, “three times a week is a habit” gives you permission to let yourself off the hook. It also relieves the pressure of thinking that you have to do something at the same time every day.
Because it is so ingrained in us that habits “should” occur daily, we don’t give ourselves credit for the good things we do regularly.
As she goes on to say…
When success is in reach, people make success happen. This is as much a mindset shift as an actual schedule change, but mindset shifts are powerful. They can change our entire relationshp with time.
So, if three times a week counts, what might you tweak to build that desired habit now?
Knitting notes
I finished a cowl, but I am seriously considering “frogging it” (i.e. starting over, as in “rip it, rip it”). The beauty of the yarn is not coming through with this pattern. I may try the herringbone stitch one more time.
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