Lifehacker: Focus On What You Can Do, Not What You Should Do

http://vitals.lifehacker.com/focus-on-what-you-can-do-not-what-you-should-do-1720078724

You know those moments when you’ve gobbled up an entire pizza and you mutter, with sauce still dribbling down your lips, “I shoulda ate only one slice?” But you didn’t, and the regret of bygone decisions only further undermines your drive to achieve your health goals. Here’s how you can pick yourself up, stop worrying about what you should’ve done, and focus on what you can do.

Lifehacker: How I Built Better Habits With Calendar Appointments

http://vitals.lifehacker.com/how-i-built-better-habits-with-calendar-appointments-1721459016

Key Learning Points:

• Building habits takes a lot of time: The article debunks the myth that habits are formed in 21 days, citing a study that suggests it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days. This emphasizes the need for patience and consistent effort over a long period.
• Remembering to do the habit is a major challenge: Often, the difficulty in forming a new habit lies in simply remembering to perform the action consistently.
• Ignoring alerts is a sign of a problem: If you find yourself consistently dismissing calendar alerts for your new habit, it's a signal that your approach needs adjustment. This could be due to the task being too complex, the timing being wrong, or the alert itself being ineffective.
• Small successes build momentum: Focusing on small, repeatable steps helps to build foundational skills and makes the habit less daunting, leading to greater success in the long run.