So true. People want to change their life overnight. Taking things one at a time works so much better.

Life may be short, but it is also LONG! Take your time… you won’t die tommorrow. And if you do, then changing a habit IMMEDIATELY won’t help anyway. :)

1) Read this:
http://lifehacker.com/software/motivation/jerry-seinfelds-productivity-secret-281626.php

2) Then use this site:
http://dontbreakthechain.com/

Worked for me!

Using a timer helps me to focus on a task. It helps to stop me getting side tracked. I find 15 minutes is a really good time block for most things. After 15 minutes, I stop generally unless the task is so interesting I keep going. If the job is particularly onerous, I set the timer for a break, then get back to it for another 15 minutes and so on till the job is done.

That and lists. Got to have my lists! The lists are short, realistic and manageable and only for the day at hand. I get a great deal of satisfaction crossing stuff off the list. I know, getting all excited over lists… I just gotta get a life!

if you’re at all like me, you have an unrealistic sense of time and a sense that there’s plenty of time “later” to get done what you need to get done, whereas in fact you end up discovering that there really isn’t all that much time in the end and things get left unstarted and undone.

Try this: For a period of about 2 hours a day, do the first thing that’s in the back of your mind or on your mind that you know needs to be done–and do it right then.

All the negative feelings and resistances will easily go by the wayside if you just focus on that.

This will develop a habit of doing things when you think of them, instead of later, which is an important micro-habit to form. Later on you can start cherry-picking tasks by priorities, but for now just try doing the first somewhat important thing that is on your mind (instead of just thinking about it).

Try it.

In a sense it’s almost a do over for me. I parent him in a much differnt way, mostly becuase I am a different person, but also because I have made it to the adult phase with almost two of them and have the perspective of what is really important (ie sparkling house is not important).

This post really hits nerve of ‘kids’ who lack the ability to focus. One of the things that I have been working on with DS3 is sitting and doing one activity for a period of time. As the parent, I have the right (and responsibilty) to ask him to play a game, color or play with a specific toy for a set amount of time by himself.

Starting out for a short period of time (5 minutes) at first and then stretching that out over the course of weeks and months. When he wants to quit it is my job to help him stay on task and keep at it. I’ve already heard from the preschool that he works very well independently and stays at the center when that is the assignment. So early indications are that this concept is working.

I didnt get it completely right the first time around, so I am much more focused on giving the youngest a set of skills that will serve him well, long after he is grown and into adulthood.

I am not always great at staying on task myself, but after learning about the concept in the toddler phase, I have found success that even this ol dog can learn a new trick. Perhaps parent readers can work on this idea too and the next generation will not have the same issues we adults have.

You have identified exactly why most people think they have troubles building routines. Thank you! That is a point so often missed in various discussions on this issue.

What finally worked was promising myself to spent at least half an hour every day working on the report. If after half an hour I was over it, I’d put it away for the day feeling happy that I had made at least some progress, but many times I would spend longer simply because I had gotten into the groove. The hardest part was always getting started. Knowing I had done my half an hour for the day meant that I could enjoy whatever else I had planned because I didn’t feel guilty.

The upshot was, I completed my project, got a good mark and recieved my graduate certificate – and then got a job in my new field. Well worth it.

I found this was the easiest way for me. I added writing, then reading. I try to take it slow.

-Nate