New Habit/Routine Accountability

Yesterday I ended up gaming again, so I did not pass the 1 hour...

Today like yesterday morning, I've done squat and 30 mins of drawing. After shower and dinner, I guess I draw.

I need to simplify my new habit goal. It's just too much. I beginning to think and realize I can only focus on adding one habit a day. So that habit is just going to be 10,000 steps, in whatever way possible.

Good job everyone on your effort. Remember it's a process.

Exercising in the morning +
Sticking to a diet +, unless I get too hungry trying to fall asleep, in which case it's -
Surprisingly no skin picking worth mentioning... so far.

Now just to get through the last couple hours of the night... I'll probably have to do some gaming.

That's why I only added one for now, as I knew I'd have that issue myself. Speaking of which, I'm at 1250 words so far today. I'll probably add at least a couple hundred more before bed. I'm starting my new job tomorrow so I may not be able to write quite as much.

I can't do anything creative or too exciting because I get hyperfocused and anxious, hurting myself and people around me... Which kind of sucks, but you could say it's a sacrifice I'm making for the greater good, even if very local.

I realize that right now I wont be able to control my sleep. If I try to sleep less I feel sleepy and unfreshed throughout the day and my daily routine goes for a toss. Now I have to focus on exercising more which I have been doing and clean my room for at least half an hr every day which I have still not been able to do till y'day. I will try it today.

How everyone doing?

I done very well yesterday, 1.5 hours drawing and reach other goals.

I managed to work out more and cleaned my room too. For around 40mins.

I did some yoga in the morning, and stuck to the diet. But I feel I'm a little bit slipping on skin picking.

Quite honestly, this thread is probably the only thing that's keeping me in shape.

Skin picking particularly threatened to slip when I had a story idea and immediately set off to come up with a mathematical formula for a particular aspect of it. Came to my senses probably an hour later.

it's good to have this thread, thanks, seesaw.

I didn't practice today. I read a couple pages (it kills me that this is all I can do) and besides that didn't do much else today. it's not too late to take a shower. I just feel so exhausted from doing one thing.

I didn't upload my practice video yesterday because the internet was down. I can't seem to get up and upload it today. I have to stand in a certain area to get the best internet.

I did go on a walk yesterday. I know I said I'd plan a schedule for my walks here, but I hesitate to do that because I'm going back to school in about a week. I need to get out of bed and start scheduling my weekly routine for when classes start.

Does anyone have advice for how to keep going under times of change? I'm returning early because of my job and I won't have classes for about a week after I arrive. How do we keep things up when things are irregular?

I hate how I'll do one thing and it exhausts me for the rest of the day, even if that thing is just taking a shower.

Also, it's embarrassing, but if I can successfully perform hygiene tasks on a daily basis that would be a victory. But it exhausts me and I need to do other things.

How do I get more energy?

I wrote 855 words today...although I have to adjust my final goal since I need to not write as much. I'd love to have 50,000 words left to write by November, but it isn't even September yet and I have just over 60,000 words left to write to reach my new goal. I don't plan on not writing for a couple months, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do for NaNoWriMo this year. Unless I just start the second book .

So I guess it's good that I'm achieving my goal, but I'm doing it TOO well.

Eh, for what it's worth, I've found daily showering to be unsustainable. I thought it would boost my energy, but somehow it turns out to be oppressive... But an every other day schedule seems to be pretty maintainable. And I've become recently convinced that people around me can't actually tell exactly.

Also I guess sometimes you don't keep going because the circumstances aren't suitable. But I think you have to remember what is good and important for when they become suitable again. And do it one day at a time, which for me means that it doesn't matter if I didn't manage yesterday and it'll be impossible tomorrow, all that matters is that I accomplish things today... At least that's what I'm trying to tell myself.

Same for me. This thread is truly one of the only things probably the most imp of the only things that is keeping me in shape and helping me to cope with my depression and panic attacks. Thanks so much seesaw.

Yesterday done good. Tomorrow, I free myself from Squat and Drawing since I have to get my diploma and it's going to be long queue. Afterwards I have errands so I probably home late.


Do you put your routine on schedule (E.g. Walk form 7-8)? If yes, maybe try to make it more flexible. Do it whenever you can, as long as you accomplish it today.

If not, you can make it as weekly goals (E.g. Walk 3 times in a week).

Well, this is not ideal. I ran out of work because of a server upgrade, and have been getting more and more anxious, trying to figure out something productive to do. And my scars are itching more, so this hasn't been the most brilliant day for skin picking, but no the worst, by far. Again, due to keeping this thread in mind.

Allowed myself a small cheat with diet.

Exercise +.

Good suggestion. I'll follow it too.

Thanks for all your suggestions regarding keeping up routine when things are irregular. I'll definitely remember to take things one day at a time--a new schedule for a new day, to meet weekly goals.

I'm thinking of writing things down to help me remember to do my routine. I know sometimes my lack of energy and concentration makes me easily forget what I need to do. This thread is helping a lot to chronicle what I plan to do and what I have done. Maybe I should keep a diary where I write about what I managed to do in a day so I can keep track. I also think staying off my phone and computer might help with my concentration. I should put in some specific hours in my routine for staying off technology.

So today, I took a shower, brushed teeth, ate lunch, did laundry, (watched some TV) and now I'm going to practice violin.

After, I'm going to think about what my routine should be when I go back to school. I think I need to prioritize mindfulness meditation and using a physical calendar and notebook/planner to plan things rather than keeping things in my head. I think this will help me stay organized and focused.

Exercise +

Again, treats with lunch, but... far from a complete failure.

Picked a little bit, but nowhere as bad as previous attempts. Anyway, this is mostly keeping me from feeling completely terrible and useless and on the edge of a void.

Friday night, I did not make the drawing goals. I was too tired, so I went straight to bed.

Fortunately the queue on Saturday was not too long, so I home faster. I manage to finish the drawing and squat goals, but accidentally pass the 10 PM phone restrictions.

Today and tomorrow goals are same. I raised the squat from 15 to 20 by now.

I have not kept a routine all week. I've slept all day every day this week. But I've set a schedule for myself tomorrow, and it's not full, but I have to take the dogs on their 3 full walks, I am going to walk my two miles solo, and I have to write an LOI and prep for an interview on Monday. I can nap in between those tasks if I feel like it or whatever, but I will get those things done.

Good luck to everyone on keeping your routines and new good habits up!

Seesaw

I'm doing okay so far today...I got up, took the dogs out briefly, and I did my grocery shopping. I need to take them for their walk, and that will also be good to wake me up a bit. Then I can do my interview prep. I'm really tired because my sleep was spotty at best, but I'm still going to accomplish things today. At least I can get my diet back on track.

How's everyone doing so far today?

Seesaw

First of all I want to thank you for this thread, seesaw! This is the first time I have seen a "habit-thread" that continues ... Thanks! Thanks!

To create good habits (make them, try them out, remake them, etc ...) is one of the most important "ingredients" in becoming better from depression.

I did do that a long time ago. To have a personalized schedule, together with other important tools, have been of great benefit for me. The last years, however, the one bad event after the other has drained me for energy and made me sink into depression and stay there. My depression has become of chronic nature, but it is up to me to make a good frame around my depression so that it will become less burdensome. I thought I had done that three weeks ago, but then I became physical sick after I had been on a long and exhausting walk in cold and windy weather. May be I shall try to go for not so exhausting walks next time ?

I will try that! I have made appointments with my GP and others and hopefully they will find out what is the matter with my body.

To morrow I will try to reestablish my morning routines, then do the dishes and so go to the grocery. I will put no big demands on myself as long as I'm waiting for a physical diagnose.

Singer, I had thought I had set up some good habits too and had a good routine. Even though my job was terrible, I had put together a diet and exercise schedule that I stuck to. I had actually lost 20lbs, then I lost my job. I've gained 10lbs back.

I'm going to go do my prep for my job interview tomorrow now and get that out of the way.

I also want to paint a portrait today, which typically takes me longer than an illustration, so hopefully that will keep me up for the day.

I just want to not sleep all day...honestly...I want to feel like I've accomplished things every day.

Seesaw

For me, I'm having difficulties motivating myself to do homework. Because I am attending 12 credit hours worth of classes and working 20-25 hours per week, I have no desire to do more work at home. Everything that isn't my web design major is boring me immensely, and as such, I default to playing video games or streaming anime when I'm home and not feeling like writing any code.

So what I'm going to do when my new laptop gets in is to force myself to stay on campus and get my homework done there; even if I have to take the night bus home. I am deeply motivated to do school work at school, but when I'm at home, I just want to relax after a hard day. I will take advantage of this and do my work there.

Also, during my commute, I will stop listening to music and playing Hearthstone and instead read and listen to audiobooks, podcasts, and Ted Talks in order to enhance my business knowledge and my people skills.

I will try to hold myself to doing these things.

I've managed to exercise, but otherwise I've spent the day mostly watching gaming videos of a person who appears very enthusiastic, with a subdued sense of humor. Also cheated on my diet quite a bit today, finally in the evening managing to feel okay and not lonely. Also very soon it'll be another work day when I won't have any particular choice in what to do, which is a relief, in a melancholy sort of way.