Everyone is looking for ways to save time and stress right? I know I’m always reading about some hack that will save me a few minutes in the morning, or when I’m cooking etc. And, if I could save time and stress, then I’m in, tell me more.
Want to know my trick?
It all has to do with decisions we make. Decisions turn into actions, which turn into habits. Habits are the easiest way to save time and stress. Once something becomes a habit it becomes automatic in our life, kind of like brushing our teeth or taking a shower. We do it with very minimal thought or decision making, which means less time and stress. Sometimes, we find we end up doing something and wonder how we got there. Me in the morning pouring my first cup of coffee…how the heck did this magical thing happen?? (I say while I’m half asleep)
So, there’s a trick to the trick.
I’ve shared with you my trick above, make decisions that will turn into a habits. But, that’s not always as easy as it seems, right? Lose weight, exercise, eat healthy, save money, get to bed earlier, call mom more often. We can easily make the decision to do all of these positive and beneficial things, but following through is the tough part. So, here’s the trick.
Decide once.
Make your decision one time. Then spend your time and energy supporting the decision you already made. Keep your word, and focus on what you need to do to follow through on your decision. There is nothing worse than thinking you made a decision to exercise 3 times a week and then every morning you wake up you spend 20 minutes trying to decide if you should hit the gym.
It’s torture.
It’s also a drain on your energy, will power and time that could be spent just getting the job done. This really applies to just about anything we decide to do. Maybe for you it’s a decision to start going to church on Sundays. It always sounds like a great decision on a Thursday or Friday, but come Sunday you torture yourself as to whether you should get out of bed. You spend more time coming up with reasons why it would be better to stay home and just go next week.
You waste time and create stress.
So, the decision is yours. Next time you get excited to make a change, start something new, make choices that will develop into habits, remember to decide once, then focus on how to follow through. Don’t waste time and get stressed deciding over and over again.
