Plan an escape hatch
This is day two of the 30 day challenge.
Here’s today’s tip:
Trying to be 100% compliant with your new habit is not necessary for your success. You are trying to create a new habit - not achieve perfection - so planning an escape hatch is a key strategy in keeping on track.
Decide how many times this month you want to cut yourself some slack - days when you don’t have to do your new habit and you don’t have to have a reason why. Keeping up with your commitment at least 80% of the time will likely create great progress. So out of 30 days, you could use an escape hatch up to 6 times. Deciding how many is entirely up to you.
Let’s say that you decide you will give yourself 3 escape hatches this month. Any time you are considering not doing your new habit, ask yourself whether you want to use an escape hatch. When they are all gone, they are gone, so consider carefully whether you really want to use one that day. Perhaps there will be another day later on when you really want to use one.
The act of consciously weighing your decision often is enough to help you keep your commitment on those days when “you just don’t feel like it” or when you’ve over scheduled. If you decide to use your escape hatch, do it without guilt. Escape hatches are there to be used.
If you like you can make a tangile card to represent each of your escape hatches. Post them beside your calendar and when you use one, tear it up. This is another visual reminder of your commitment and progress.
Tune in tomorrow for meaning motives.
Not sure how many e.h. cards I’ll give myself or whether i’ll just wing it. I have a cold so exercising takes extra motivation, I find. I think I’m going to put my kids in the stroller and walk to do our errands instead of drive.
Comment by Julie — October 3, 2008 @ 1:52 pm
@Julie - remember to take care of yourself - if you are sick give yourself permission to not work out or do something light like going for an easy walk. Using escape hatch cards are for those days when you don’t have a really good reason for not meeting your commitment. They allow you to be human. I’d suggest choosing a number rather than winging it - you don’t have to use them - and winging it might end up meaning that you take more days off than you intended.
Comment by Laurel — October 3, 2008 @ 2:13 pm