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The value of doing a little

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Re: The value of doing a little

#41

Post by Bellamy »

bvsrinivasan wrote: post #7

I loved "Atomic Habits" but the most useful framework I found for "doing a little" is from the "Elastic Habits" book https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/48905847 Basic Idea -- 1. Have 3 options as well as 3 levels for each habit/task/project 2. The lowest (Mini) level should be something you can do on practically any day, no matter how bad things are. 3. Do the level you are comfortable with on any given day Examp…

It's basically the same concept as in the "Habinator" habinator.com coaching app or habit tracker.

Re: The value of doing a little

#42

Post by cloverich »

kiba wrote: post #2

Keep in mind that a person who do 100 push up a day is still doing 100x the pushup. That said, it's a good idea to get started, no matter how little or tiny your progress is.

that’s true although doing some regularly might add up to more than you’d think. i use to struggle doing more than about five or six pull-ups. then i bought a pull-up bar and hung it in my office. i would occasionally do one when i walked by, but never more than a few. then one day i just tried to do as many as i could… and i did 18. i eventually gave up the habit but did start lifting weights again many years later. yet no matter how many sets i did at the gym or go hard i pushed myself, going 3x a week, i never got above 6 or 7. not even half what i’d done before and i’d never pushed myself hard before. It’s not an absolute but it seems consistency was the trick, even above pushing myself. i’d since learned a few different skills and always been amazed at how far pretty small amounts of time can take you if you replace effort with consistency. And likewise how maximum effort and long sessions weren’t as important as i thought. consistency is really hard but knowing that it does add up, even when small, makes it much easier.

Re: The value of doing a little

#43

Post by MitPitt »

bvsrinivasan wrote: post #7

I loved "Atomic Habits" but the most useful framework I found for "doing a little" is from the "Elastic Habits" book https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/48905847 Basic Idea -- 1. Have 3 options as well as 3 levels for each habit/task/project 2. The lowest (Mini) level should be something you can do on practically any day, no matter how bad things are. 3. Do the level you are comfortable with on any given day Examp…

why does one need to gulp so much water?

Re: The value of doing a little

#44

Post by d0mine »

blacktriangle wrote: post #17
bvsrinivasan wrote: post #7

I loved "Atomic Habits" but the most useful framework I found for "doing a little" is from the "Elastic Habits" book https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/48905847 Basic Idea -- 1. Have 3 options as well as 3 levels for each habit/task/project 2. The lowest (Mini) level should be something you can do on practically any day, no matter how bad things are. 3. Do the level you are comfortable with on any given day Examp…

That's a great model and one that I found particularly useful in weight lifting. Rather than stick to a strict linear program I would instead work up to whatever felt good for the day, then work at that level. Probably not the best strategy for young people or actual atheletes, but for an old guy who can barely prioritize excersize, choosing to adjust the effort relative to where I physically am on a given day is hug…

It sounds like RPE training https://youtu.be/WXQaEq4_2lY

Re: The value of doing a little

#45

Post by nicbou »

If you can, make it easier to do a little. Friction is a big cause of procrastination.

My computer has a "project" command that will cd to the project's directory, start docker and build the project. This lets me jump right back in with a single command.

There's another command that fetches the production data, and gives me a local environment that's exactly like the production one. I have it in most of my projects.

This also applies to other hobbies. I keep my workshop and kitchen clean. I can get to work without cleaning up the workspace first.

Re: The value of doing a little

#46

Post by nicbou »

perlpimp wrote: post #25

This all good and fine however some of us have an abyss behind us pushing forward to doing exercise lest be rest of the day be wasted in a fog of adhd or likewise malaise. no zero days is only option for some of us.

No one said the advice applies to every soul who orbits the sun

Re: The value of doing a little

#47

Post by emrah »

bvsrinivasan wrote: post #7

I loved "Atomic Habits" but the most useful framework I found for "doing a little" is from the "Elastic Habits" book https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/48905847 Basic Idea -- 1. Have 3 options as well as 3 levels for each habit/task/project 2. The lowest (Mini) level should be something you can do on practically any day, no matter how bad things are. 3. Do the level you are comfortable with on any given day Examp…

A similar concept that works for me is to trick myself into thinking I'm only going to do a little. Once in motion, I capitalize on the sunk cost fallacy :P

Let's say if I don't want to take a walk, I'll say to myself, "let me just walk until the corner and come back". Once I get to the corner, I'll say "since I'm already here, let me keep walking until the next corner before returning home" and so on.

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