Sisyphus – Condemned to forever roll a boulder up a hill in Hades
It is without question that all individuals – students and workers alike – are sullied by bad habits that prevent daily accomplishment, and in turn, long-term growth. But how can someone overcome such behaviors that are so pertinent to their character? Aren’t just some people destined to be more productive and virtuous? The answer lies in the root of the problem itself, the very thing that can defeat or elevate the individual; habits.
“First tell yourself what kind of person you want to be, then do what you have to do.“ – Epictetus, Discourses
The term habit is overused and exploited by those self-improvement gurus to the point that it’s left devoid of its substance. But the simple truth is that good habits are the act of repeated virtue. In order to overcome procrastination and inefficiency, you must normalise good action and this starts by creating a routine.
A strong routine is what prevents those dreary mornings and temperamental days which are governed by sporadic bursts of energy. Simply, if you want to get things done and not leave work to ‘all nighters’ you have to make use of those 16 hours already given to you.
Routine
Set your morning alarms to the same time each day with the exception of one day (I normally pick Sundays). Begin your day with either working out, prayer, or meditation. Invigorate your mind and body, do not dump yourself on your desk, and expect to continue where you left off from the previous night.
Some people feel that it is necessary to set specific times for each activity. For instance, 6-7 am workout, or 12 – 12:30 pm Lunch. But I find this method too exhausting and can only be applied occasionally before you’re left exhausted. Rather, create a daily checklist and choose to ‘block’ your time into 2-3 hour intervals where you aim to complete your tasks. That way by the end of the day you will complete about 6-8 tasks and can comfortably look back to see what you have accomplished.
Ultimately, have in your mind the image of the person that you want to be. Think of that person’s virtue and strength. If you let this image govern your day-to-day actions and inform your decisions you will find that that person will slowly become more real.
Anthony, from the Kalibre Post.
