Roshann.my

As I'm writing this, we'll be ushering in the New Year. A New Year for new beginnings and of course - New Year's resolutions.

Reflecting on the past year, I grew as an individual - physically, mentally and spiritually.

And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got habits?

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit"

With the digital revolution, I'd like to share on my personal journey of making and breaking habits - with lifehacks and tools which you may use to your advantage too!

Firstly, start with asking the right questions to prime your mind in looking at the world in a different way, in a different future, in a different life. Josh Kaufman, the #1 bestselling business author of the Personal MBA has laid out 49 Questions to Improve Your Results:

Do I use my body optimally?

• What is the quality of my current diet?
• Do I get enough sleep?
• Am I managing my energy well each day?
• How do I manage daily stress?
• Do I have good posture and poise?
• What can I do to improve my ability to observe the world around me?

Do I know what I want?

• What achievements would make me really excited?
• What “states of being” do I want to experience each day?
• Are my priorities and values clearly defined?
• Am I capable of making decisions quickly and confidently?
• Do I consistently focus my attention on what I want vs. what I don’t want?

What am I afraid of?

• Have I created an honest and complete list of the fears I’m holding on to?
• Have I confronted each fear to imagine how I would handle it if it came to pass?
• Am I capable of recognizing and correcting self-limitation?
• Am I appropriately pushing my own limits?

Is my mind clear and focused?

• Do I systematically externalize (write or record) what I think about?
• Am I making it easy to capture my thoughts quickly, as I have them?
• What has my attention right now?
• Am I regularly asking myself appropriate guiding questions?
• Do I spend most of my time focusing on a single task, or constantly flipping between multiple tasks?
• Do I spend enough time actively reflecting on my goals, projects, and progress?

Am I confident, relaxed, and productive?

• Have I found a planning method that works for me?
• Am I “just organized enough”?
• Do I have an up-to-date list of my projects and active tasks?
• Do I review all of my commitments on a regular basis?
• Do I take regular, genuine breaks from my work?
• Am I consciously creating positive habits?
• Am I working to shed non-productive habits?
• Am I comfortable with telling other people “no”?

How do I perform best?

• What do I particularly enjoy?
• What am I particularly good at doing?
• What environment do I find most conducive to doing good work?
• How do I tend to learn most effectively?
• How do I prefer to work with and communicate with others?
• What is currently holding me back?

What do I really need to be happy and fulfilled?

• How am I currently defining “success”?
• Is there another way of defining “success” that I may find more fulfilling?
• How often do I compare myself to my perceptions of other people?
• Am I currently living below my means?
• If I could only own 100 things, what would they be?
• Am I capable of separating necessity and luxury?
• What do I feel grateful for in my life and work?

By answering these questions, you may discover areas in your life which you want to change for the best. Everyone makes New Year's resolutions, and there's a reason why most of us make the same ones, year on year. The crux of making changes in your life is to create habits.

Which brings us to the next lifehack, using the FREE Coach.me app (available for iPhone, Android, and Web) to help your habits endure a lifetime of fun!

The app functions as a daily to-do list of habits which you want to cultivate - with options for frequencies, reminders and calendars to track your progress. It also features a library of habits which you may choose from - complete with plans which allow you to gradually build your habit. I chose the 14 Days to 100 Burpees plan and achieved the following:

Should you wish to pursue a fitness goal, I strongly recommend getting a fitness tracker with a heart rate monitor. There are plenty of options which you can choose from today.

I used a Fitbit Charge HR, which allows me to track the efficiency and effectiveness of my daily activity and workouts. The true measure of who we are is what we do with what we have - hence, my personal choice of body weight HIIT i.e. burpees.

There are no excuses for not doing bodyweight exercises - you do not need any equipment (or clothing as a matter of fact) and you can do it anytime, anywhere. Look up high-intensity interval training or HIIT workouts, as it gives you the best bang for buck or time really, then again time is money. The aim of HIIT is to increase your heart rate to peak levels, which result in higher calories burnt and increased cardiovascular & functional fitness. If you enjoy running, try running faster with HIIT.

You experience the world through your 5 senses: taste, sight, touch, smell and sound. Keep your body healthy, so you can continue to experience life with greater success next year!

• Watch your thoughts; they become words.
• Watch your words; they become actions.
• Watch your actions; they become habits.
• Watch your habits; they become character.
• Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

All the best in your personal conquest of continuous improvement in life through habits!  I'll leave you with this Chinese proverb, which I trust will call you to action:

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."