2009 Tips Taken

These tips are from Zen Habits, a great blog that I try to read whenever I can. Here are his tips & my responses as follows:

Tip 1) Don’t make resolutions, create a new habit. It lasts longer. Try the New Year’s Challenge.
Response 1) My new personal habit is health. I will plan and choose what I put into by body; I will move joyously to have a better and thinner life.

Tip 2) Start your New Year with a clear desk. Clear everything off the top of the desk but the essential tools.
Response 2) Ok, ok - still need to do.

Tip 3) Set one major goal for this year. Focus yourself completely into making it happen. Make it a mantra.
Response 3) I will plan and choose what I do for my body.

Tip 4) Take action TODAY to make your One Goal happen. Even a small action. Tomorrow: repeat.
Response 4) one small action? I will not eat out today and I will plan lunch and dinner.

Tip 5) Schedule time for yourself, right now. Every day if possible, even if it’s just 10 mins.
Response 5) Ok, I will plan to blog for myself everyday, first thing in the morning, when I get into the office.

Tip 6) Practice effective focus. Spend 30 minutes just focusing on one task. Clear distractions. It gets easier.
Response 6) Yes, I agree this is a great thing to do. I will work with blocks of time & 6 most tasks.

Tip 7) Realize that you don’t need to respond to email right away-no one expects you to. It can wait! Checking email just twice a day is possible if you let go of the need to respond immediately.
Response 7) Yes, again I agree - but I also feel loaded down, when I don't get them answered & then they get lost. I will have to get better at this & plan time to email and return calls in my day.

I will have 4 different goals this year, one for each quarter. This first quarter I am focusing on health & fitness. And I have also joined the New Year's Challenge & refocused on sparkpeople.com - along with following & listening to Julia Havey's Life Changer Program, this is the year that my life and body will recreate it's self. This will be well worth the pain.