We hear it all the time… if you want to do something (like exercise every day, or lose weight…or write) make a public commitment. Because you can’t help but hold yourself accountable.
Well, it works. It really does something to your brain. How do I know? In a post this week, I talked about snatching time to write and mentioned (rather foolishly, I thought) that I was going to do it this week.
Of course, I didn’t believe myself – knowing I had another mad week to contend with (I blame us all racing to the end of the Mayan calendar!).
But something strange happened. It kept niggling at me. ‘It’s Tuesday, girl. You haven’t written yet’ … ‘no, writing articles for your clients doesn’t count’… ‘It’s Wednesday. Just do it already’. So this morning, when I realised I was busily avoiding doing it, I gritted my teeth and said, right, only half an hour.
About 55 minutes later, I snapped the lid of my laptop shut and – yes, I admit it – felt pretty pleased with myself. I did it. I beat la résistance. So I’m an accountability convert. And apparently it takes two weeks to form a habit.
Watch this space…
Lou
Now I have a guilt induced need to declare that I will get up and exercise every morning.
Did I say that? No, no. You can’t make me do it.
Too late, it’s out there, and the voices in your head will make you do it! I expect to hear about your urban power walking escapades (I can’t believe I had to look up the spelling of that!).
Hurray! I’ve gotten into the habit of distracting myself when i am so close to finishing something.. which is what I may be doing now… now I have to break it! I hereby declare ” tomorrow I am finishing that children’s story so I can go onto a 7th draft, then I am sending it for critiques!” Now I have to, the blogging world and the dogs have heard me.
Go girl! And I’m so happy to hear someone else is on their 7th draft… I thought it was just me 🙂