I was traveling recently, which usually means my exercise takes a major hit. Between a non-ordinary schedule, packing my days to see people, and working at irregular intervals, it’s nearly impossible to maintain my usual workout schedule that I have when I’m home.
However, I find that my saving grace is delightfully described by one of my productivity heroes, James Clear. (If you’ve read my blog before, you’ve likely heard me cite him because, well, I <heart> James Clear). So in his most recent 3-2-1 email, when he included this nugget, I felt he was writing it directly to me:
When choosing a new habit many people seem to ask themselves, “What can I do on my best days?”
The trick is to ask, “What can I stick to even on my worst days?”
Start small. Master the art of showing up. Scale up when you have the time, energy, and interest.
OK, the odds are that he did not write this directly to me, but a girl can dream.
Invariably, my typical exercise rigor goes off the rails when I travel, but this principle is what makes it so easy to stay connected to my habit and get back on track when I return. Even if very small, I keep up the presence of exercise so that my habit remains intact. And sometimes this means something as small as a few vinyasa flows or 30 sit-ups. Most times, as I’m doing these small bits, I think to myself – this isn’t even worth doing, this is barely exercise! But I know that the fact that I’m doing it means it reinforces the habit – and therefore importance – of something that I want to prioritize. And in the end, that is what makes the difference, not how hard you went on any given day.
So for everyone out there who thinks they don’t have the time or energy or it isn’t worth “keeping up a habit if you don’t really do it”, ask yourself:
Could I read just one page?
Could I close my eyes and breathe deeply for 3 breaths?
Could I drink a glass of water before I go have that treat?
Be stubborn about sticking to your habits!
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