I do not want to waste any single minute of your by giving any stupid intro.
So this is the first step.
Self-awareness.
Where does your time go? Now please don’t tell me that you are working a 9-to-5 job. Or you are a student and don’t have the time for hobbies or for the things you want to try.
Take me as an example, today is Sunday. No college, I wake up around 9 am and study, then cook food for me not just breakfast.
I cook for lunch + dinner. It’s all completed at 1 pm. And then I decided to sleep again, but I couldn’t sleep.
Because I did only 2 productive things, now it’s 1:54 pm. It took me 54 minutes to just get ready to write this article.
I wasted 54 minutes in confusion. Should I sleep or write? In these 54 minutes, I would have written at least half articles or read some things. (I gave my examples because I am also a student. I have college from 8:30 am to around 4 pm or 5:40 pm or 2:50 pm, it depends on classes. Plus, I have to cook daily because I’m living away from my family.)
Now coming to the point of wasting 54 minutes. But the question is how it happened.
How did I waste it?
Because I didn’t t have self-awareness. I didn’t know where my time was going. Yes, this time I did realize that I wasted my 54 minutes around 1 hour.
But how did I realize? Because I kept my phone aside and tried to sleep. That’s how I got to know. What if I had used the phone and scrolled social media mindlessly? Do you really think that I will get to know the amount of time I wasted? No, right?”
Step 2: Make a schedule.
Continuing from step 1, if I had made a to-do list, I don’t think I would have wasted any minute.
If I had made a to-do list, I would know where my time is going, not because I am aware of where my time is going, but because I have to complete certain tasks at given times.
So making a to-do list will help you with self-awareness and time management. It will give you direction. And walking on the road without direction may mean you will end up in the wrong place, or you will get tired because you are walking mindlessly.
And you will think that you have done enough work because you are tired. But the real answer is you got tired because of the wrong direction, not because of work.
I am betting if you start scheduling your work, you will end up completing most of your important work, plus you will not get as tired compared to without scheduling.
Step 3: Realization.
Of course, this connects both steps, but it’s an important step you can’t miss. You have to realize that you are going in the wrong direction, no matter how many improvement videos you watch or posts you read. Without realization, it won’t last long.
For example, before, I also didn’t know the importance of a to-do list. I had known this for years, but I started implementing it recently. And the benefits, oh my god, it’s huge.
I tried this method and realized that it’s great. But before that, I realized I was wasting too much time, stressing out, and going in the wrong direction.
I realized I was in the wrong direction and made the decision to change.
This is what will help you. Most people don’t realize that they are actually wasting their time.
They have made their routine, getting up, using social media, and eating any kind of food, all mindlessly and without any realization.
The people who haven’t realized that they are actually in the wrong direction, do you really think that watching improvement videos is going to help them? No, right?
So ask yourself where you want to go, what’s your daily goal, what you want to achieve.
Do the things you want to try. Do not make excuses.
Now the biggest question is, you know that you are in the wrong direction.
You decided to change. But how to start?
I will divide this part into 3 levels.
The first level starts with small.
This will annoy you.
Any habits that take 5 minutes.
5 minutes of exercise.
5 minutes of a to-do list.
5 minutes of a podcast.
5 minutes of meditation.
5 minutes of journaling.
Why did I tell you to start with 5 minutes? Because if you start with overload, it will burn you out, and most importantly, it will not last too long. You have to choose the path.
It’s upon you. Control yourself for 5 minutes. You are not believing me, right?
Just set an alarm for 5 minutes.
For example, if you want to watch Instagram reels, pause for 5 seconds. And yes, your goal should be to guide yourself that yes, this is just an unwanted thought that you want to watch reels. You have control over you.
Wait for 5 minutes; if you still want to watch, then go and watch.
But you will see that the desire to watch will decrease as you pause for 5 minutes.
If you are addicted to soft drinks, pause for 5 minutes. Choose water at that time. The benefit of choosing water is that it will fill your stomach.
So even after 5 minutes, if you want to drink, you can’t drink too much.
These habits give you small wins. It will give you a sense of reward, which your mind is addicted to.
Do this daily until it becomes automatic.
First, it will be hard, but it’s okay, it will only take 5 minutes. In the middle, you will get frustrated because human nature doesn’t know about patience.
Remember this line. The moment you get frustrated or irritated, this is the time. You have to keep going, keep moving.
And when you cross that frustrated part, you will realize how far you have come and how good your life is going. Why do I mention the frustrated part? Because you will think that the starting part was hard, I crossed it, why am I not getting anything in return? I have been through this.
That’s why I have to mention, please do not give up. Keep going; you are learning every day.
Now let’s talk about the discomfort zone.
Level 2:You have to do 1 Uncomfortable thing daily.
It’s the thing that causes you anxiety, stress, or overthinking. Do not make excuses that you don’t have time. Sleep 30 minutes less and do that hard thing.
And yes, start level 2 after 21 days. Circle on the calendar from this date that you have to start uncomfortable habits. But yes, do not leave level 1.
You just have to add level 2.
Discomfort things include anything. Maybe someone argues with you and you want to shut their mouth. But choose to shut your reaction; this also includes discomfort because you choose discomfort.
Make a habit of choosing discomfort.
The more you choose discomfort, the more comfortable you will be in discomfort situations.
And that’s the beginning of going ahead of 99%.
Level 3: Endure pain
Crossing the annoying part, then crossing the anxiety part, the last one is pain.
Pain means you want to cry, you want to escape from the world because this far you have tried daily.
You worked hard daily. This time you will end up in pain.
Do not forget that by crossing level 2, you have started your journey in the top 10% of people.
Discomfort is totally different from pain. Waking up early is discomfort. But getting a poor grade after working 100%, that’s pain. Pain sucks you for a longer time.
Discomfort will fade away once you decide on anything.
Eating healthy foods is discomfort, but once you eat it, it will go away.
But the pain will stay for a longer time. The only way to get away from pain is to endure it.
Embrace the pain, not forcefully, but patiently. If you force it, it will stretch longer. Embrace it by thinking the more you endure, the stronger you will become, and the further ahead you will get.
Because enduring pain is the toughest part, not anybody can do. And the truth is, choose your pain by yourself, or life will choose for you. Choose the pain of going to the gym, or life will choose the pain of disease.
So the simple point is to choose pain intentionally, so you will not get pain in the future unintentionally.
Thank you!
