I'm set in my ways. I change my ways periodically, but it takes concentrated effort, and then I get set again. I seem to be an all 'er nuthin' kind of gal, and it bugs me. Changing is so hard.So I'm thinking about making changes lately and what I have to do to accomplish each one.
For one thing, my writing habits. Does anyone else have this problem? I have to be in my space. Once I establish the space, I have to have things a certain way. In the last couple of years, I've changed space because writing privacy in this house became difficult to achieve. (Reason: little kids.) So I'm like an animal getting to the nest, the dog turning circles before she settles--I have to have everything a certain way in the same space, and if I don't get there by a reasonable time and get settled, the day is lost. Once I'm there, leave me alone. It works pretty well as long as life doesn't mess with me. I'm closing in on finishing the WIP in record (for me) time. But as soon as I finish this one--my life's mantra is "as soon as I get this book done"--I need to make changes. I have to reorganize my time, chores, day. It sounds so easy. (Now that basketball season is over--Yea Celtics!--I should be able to give up TV. Except for Stewart and Colbert.) For one thing, I need to save the newspaper for the end of the day. But Coffee and newspaper first thing in the morning is such a habit with me. And it I give it up in the morning, I might lose touch with the world entirely, right? I stopped doing e-mail first thing, and now I seem to avoid it for days on end. I stopped getting on the phone, and now I don't call anyone unless it's an emergency. All 'er nuthin'.
Anyone else have this problem? I know I can make the ol' Kathleen machine function better if I just make a few changes in the habits. I know it's a matter of behavior modification, and that you have to repeat an action many times before it becomes a habit. But it's so hard! Staying ahead of the curve on laundry and cleaning is major with little kids around. Workin' on it. Accumulating stuff is one of my lifelong habits, and I'm trying to change that. All 'er nuthin'. I have to stay away from E-Bay and Tuesday Morning entirely or I'm buying just one more doll or do-dad. (I stopped buying dolls a while back, but now it's kids' clothes. My granddaughters have more clothes than they can wear. Okay, they're like live dolls.)
Heck, I successfully lost weight and so far so good on maintaining; pretty much stopped biting my fingernails; wrote the first book on a new contract on deadline (and I set ridiculous deadlines this time); didn't spend a ton of time and cash filling flower pots this spring (see writing deadline and all 'er nuthin'--I planted NO pots). Not too bad for an old dog.
Some things I'm working on now: time management, work habits, exercise, shopping habits. How can I do these things without going to extremes? What tricks do you have for establishing new habits? Are you working on any habits in particular?
