Reading Daniel Kahneman “Thinking, Fast & Slow”, you realise your mind has an autopilot. Your autopilot consists of habits that you have built up. It doesn’t distinguish between good or bad habits, only habits.
It started with my wife telling me that I used to have more muscles when we first met. Back then, I used to go to the gym at least three days a week.
Over time, that habit got replaced into other actions. But, my wife’s observation was the trigger for me to start a new habit.
I put forward the best practices learned from Tynan “Superhuman By Habit”.
Going to a gym involves travel time. I wanted to have an alternative that gave me no excuses. I also wanted to limit the time to 30 minutes daily. I added the following rule: Never skip two days in a row. I was allowed to skip one day, but never two in a row.
Nearing two months into my new habit, I am proud to say that I have skipped only two days and never more than one day in a row.
I added my new habit to my morning routine.
It consists of me waking up, putting on exercise clothes, (always prepared the day before), and heading out the door.
We live in an apartment block, and I do 5 rounds around the block. That’s 2km of a morning walk.
I have added in a set of push-ups per round I take. I keep adding one extra push up to the set every week. I am currently on 17 per set, that’s 85 push-ups in total.
I have also added in 10 lounges per round and recently I added in 10 squats per round as well. I still keep it within 30 minutes.
It is amazing to feel the transformation. After I started, I have better focus in the mornings. My wife is not complaining about lack of muscles and my stomach size is no longer a pregnancy joke.
All it takes is 30 minutes in the morning, every morning (except two occasions).
The next new habit I am working on is writing. I want to write more. Hence this blog post. The first step of many to form a new habit.
Morning exercise per round, repeated 5 times, within 30 minutes.
Walk around the block
Push-ups x 17
Lounges x 10
Squats x 10
Total 2 km walk, 85 push ups, 50 lounges and 50 squats.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step – Lao Tzu
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