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Abstract

just getting through it, and rightly so. You don’t have to give up your good habits to be able to do that though.It’s not an either/or game when it comes to rest and good habits. I’ve slept for at least 12–14 hours a day this week and still managed to get all that done. Because I asked myself —What’s the minimum amount of a good habit that I can do in order to not go off track?Falling off the wagon can be dangerous when it comes to habits because getting back on the wagon is never as easy as we think. Take me for example — while I was traveling last year, I took one week off from journaling. It’s been several months since then, and I’m still not able to journal consistently again.Thus, this time I asked myself — what’s the least I can do to keep the consistency?I went from writing an article every day to writing only a few paragraphs a day. From aiming for 10,000 steps every day to aiming for 5,000. From doing all the assignments to doing the bare minimum amount required to avoid a last-minute pileup.Figure out what your minimum amount is and do that to keep the momentum going.<h1 id="f4e2">The Hardest Part Is Convincing Your Mind</h1>The hardest part about writing isn’t the writing, it’s sitting down to write. The hardest part about working out isn’t the working out, it’s getting to the gym. Once you actually start something, it usually gets easier from there. Forcing your mind to start, that’s the hardest part about anything.This is further exasperated when you’re going through a tough phase because your mind now has an added excuse for not practicing your good habits. ‘I don’t want to do _______ today because I’m already going through so much’.<p i

Options

d="e427">Your mind is usually stronger than you (because it controls you, duh). The <a href="https://lifehacker.com/top-10-ways-to-trick-your-brain-into-doing-what-you-wan-1502990312">best way to control</a> it is to trick it. Tell yourself that you’ll simply start doing whatever you’re supposed to and stop in a bit if you don’t enjoy it. Spoiler alert — you usually end up enjoying it.If you’re able to convince your mind to just start, you’ve already won half the battle right there. Momentum will take care of the rest.Even if you don’t end up continuing what you’ve started, remember that —<ul><li>5 minutes of working out is better than not exercising at all.</li><li>Writing one paragraph is better than writing 0.</li><li>Eating healthy for 1 meal a day is better than eating junk for all 3 meals.</li></ul><h1 id="bb00">Takeaway</h1>So much of it comes down to one's ability to be able to force yourself. When I was (and am) suffering from the fatigue bought on by the virus, the last that I wanted to do was to be productive.But you know what’s made me feel better mentally after an excruciatingly hard week? The fact that I was at least somewhat productive.You NEED small wins in your day to be able to cope well with sadness, grief, healing, and so on. These small wins can help you get through challenging days.These small wins can be however small you want them to be — getting out of bed, going for a walk, cooking a meal for yourself, reading something, playing a game with some friends, anything can be a win on bad days.Small wins make you feel good about yourself at a time when you need it the most. Use good habits in the form of small wins to make your bad days better.</article></body>

How To Keep Your Good Habits During Bad Times

Your habits can make testing times a little more bearable.

Despite my family and I being very sick with the dreaded coronavirus this week, here’s what I’ve still done on an everyday basis —

Walked a few thousand steps
Drank at least 3–4 liters of water
Wrote a couple of articles and LinkedIn posts
Wrote a couple of college assignments
Had an important call with some colleagues
Attended online classes

No, I’m neither a superhero nor a boastful productivity guru who gets off on listing his daily achievements.

This past week has been one of the hardest ones of my life. I’m still sick and yet to recover fully.

I’m writing this article to show you that when it comes to dealing with tough times, your good habits don’t have to be sidelined. In fact, they can actually help you process grief, trauma, or sickness. Here’s how.

What’s The Minimum You Can Do?

That’s all you really have to ask yourself.

Good habits feed off of consistency. And consistency builds momentum. In testing times, you don’t have to break this momentum in order to take time off.

In bad times, your focus is usually on just getting through it, and rightly so. You don’t have to give up your good habits to be able to do that though.

It’s not an either/or game when it comes to rest and good habits. I’ve slept for at least 12–14 hours a day this week and still managed to get all that done. Because I asked myself —

What’s the minimum amount of a good habit that I can do in order to not go off track?

Falling off the wagon can be dangerous when it comes to habits because getting back on the wagon is never as easy as we think. Take me for example — while I was traveling last year, I took one week off from journaling. It’s been several months since then, and I’m still not able to journal consistently again.

Thus, this time I asked myself — what’s the least I can do to keep the consistency?

I went from writing an article every day to writing only a few paragraphs a day. From aiming for 10,000 steps every day to aiming for 5,000. From doing all the assignments to doing the bare minimum amount required to avoid a last-minute pileup.

Figure out what your minimum amount is and do that to keep the momentum going.

The Hardest Part Is Convincing Your Mind

The hardest part about writing isn’t the writing, it’s sitting down to write. The hardest part about working out isn’t the working out, it’s getting to the gym. Once you actually start something, it usually gets easier from there. Forcing your mind to start, that’s the hardest part about anything.

This is further exasperated when you’re going through a tough phase because your mind now has an added excuse for not practicing your good habits. ‘I don’t want to do _______ today because I’m already going through so much’.

Your mind is usually stronger than you (because it controls you, duh). The best way to control it is to trick it. Tell yourself that you’ll simply start doing whatever you’re supposed to and stop in a bit if you don’t enjoy it. Spoiler alert — you usually end up enjoying it.

If you’re able to convince your mind to just start, you’ve already won half the battle right there. Momentum will take care of the rest.

Even if you don’t end up continuing what you’ve started, remember that —

5 minutes of working out is better than not exercising at all.
Writing one paragraph is better than writing 0.
Eating healthy for 1 meal a day is better than eating junk for all 3 meals.

Takeaway

So much of it comes down to one's ability to be able to force yourself. When I was (and am) suffering from the fatigue bought on by the virus, the last that I wanted to do was to be productive.

But you know what’s made me feel better mentally after an excruciatingly hard week? The fact that I was at least somewhat productive.

You NEED small wins in your day to be able to cope well with sadness, grief, healing, and so on. These small wins can help you get through challenging days.

These small wins can be however small you want them to be — getting out of bed, going for a walk, cooking a meal for yourself, reading something, playing a game with some friends, anything can be a win on bad days.

Small wins make you feel good about yourself at a time when you need it the most. Use good habits in the form of small wins to make your bad days better.