Building Better Habits - One Square at a Time

There are many theories on how to build habits - some more complicated than others.

Over the years, I’ve tried a few different methods. What’s worked best for me is breaking big goals into tiny steps.

Something as small as brushing your teeth - you barely notice it, but you do it every day. Don’t you? :)

Why not take the same approach with your big goals? Break them into small tasks and build repetition over time.

To support that, I’ve used reminders, stickers on my laptop, notes in the bathroom - pretty much anything that could help.

But what I’m experimenting with now (and what seems to be working really well) is a simple, printed To-Do list. It’s my commitment for the next 4 weeks - a plan I want to stick to, no matter the weather :)

Every four weeks, I set a list of things I want to do, along with a target for how many days I want to repeat each one every week. Every square represents a single day.

These small steps contribute to bigger goals - like improving my skills by writing articles, or improving my health with walks, biking, and push-ups.

It’s not rocket science, but it works for me because: • It’s visible. I’ve pinned it to the cork board next to my laptop. • It’s simple. Just paper and pen. • It’s rewarding. There’s something so satisfying about checking off a square - [X]!