A while back I wrote a post on making small changes. The theory was to make small but important changes and spend 3 – 4 weeks building them into a habit. Only when they are part of your routine do you move on to the next change.
The individual effect of each change may be small but they snowball and have a profound effect over time. One example is getting in shape. It really is a series of changes:

• Diet: Take your pick of low carb/high protein, low fat, watching your calories, or just eating healthy. Heck, this alone is several change.
  • Eating multiple meals
  • Eating quality food
  • Changing the composition of your diet
  • Controlling portion size
  • Dealing with cravings
• Exercise: Again, this is several changes.
  • Getting up early to exercise before work
  • Lifting weights to increase lean body mass
  • Aerobic exercise to increase lung capacity and burn calories (I prefer intervals)
  • Stretching to increase range of motion and prevent injury
• Lifestyle changes to lead a more healthy and active life
  • Picking up a sport you enjoy
  • Walking and taking the stairs more often
  • Spending more time outside in the sun
  • Eliminating unhealthy activities (bar hopping comes to mind)

Is it any wonder people quit after a few weeks? This is a lot for a person to change all at once!

My changes

The first month I committed to starting each day with a plan. Note I said nothing about execution or setting up an elaborate system. Just a simple list of what I wanted to accomplish. For two weeks I was spot on. Week three saw me in the middle of a major household project as we installed hardwood flooring throughout our downstairs. While I didn’t start each day with a plan I knew what I would be doing! Week four was on target again.
While my execution was less than perfect this was not what I was focusing on. Even with imperfect execution I saw a significant increase in productivity.
Last month I focused on starting each day with a workout. I kind of cheated on this as I also introduced two changes: getting up an hour early and an intense workout routine. This quickly sorted itself out as I dropped the early to rise part!
All in all I was diligent with this change. I missed one day completely, but that was planned and not an issue. I skipped my Kenpo workout since I had a racquetball tournament. I figured the three hours of exercise more than made up any I skipped!

What’s next?

This month is all about organization. We tore apart our home office to be more organized and efficient. I have implemented a Get Things Done (GTD) approach to my day. No this is not two changes. The office was a project we had been planning for quite some time. Only when it was completed did I make the next change!
My plan is not to become a GTD disciple. It is to get the work flow under control. It is to gain a level of structure and order. I ultimately will be doing a top down approach (most likely 7 Habits of Highly Effective People). I truly believe we are more effective when we focus on what is important not just what is on our list. It just becomes challenging when you are dealing with a massive influx of information, tasks, and projects.

My modification

I also applied this to my racquetball game. Since this was a discrete area of my life I made the changes in parallel to the ones above. What did I change? The first month I worked on my shot selection. The end result was my taking second in a regional tournament.
Last month I reworked my swing. This one took it’s tole on my game and it was only after several weeks that I was back to where I started. In the long run it will have a profound impact on my game as I become more familiar with hitting the ball right!
This month I’ll be working on footwork.

What about you?

Did you make any changes? Why not? Think of how far this one idea can take you. In one year you would make 12 important changes that could change your life.