A new perspective: Stop doing
Monday, January 8th, 2007
This website presents a cool new perspective on modifying behavior: create a “stop doing” list. Instead of worrying about how to do what you want to do, identify some behaviors you’d like to stop doing. This will not only remove negative behaviors from your life, but may also give you more time to start doing things you’ve always wanted to do.A lifetime “to do†list—climb Mount Everest, lose 50 pounds, get a high-paying job, marry George Clooney (oops, did I type that out loud?)—can be overwhelming. Rather than taking this ambitious route, you might simply take a good look at your life and identify what you need to stop doing in order to improve your quality of life. For example, do you buy coffee on the way to work every morning? Maybe you can stop doing that to save money (and time!). If you still need your coffee, brew it at home. Or, wait till you get to work, and take advantage of the free coffee your company provides (if you have a company that’s so kind!).
Alternately, do you end up making 3 separate trips to the store every week because you forgot to buy an ingredient for dinner or didn’t realize you were almost out of toothpaste? Stop doing that! Instead, examine your cupboards to find out what you don’t have, then make a list of what you need to buy before you head out to the store. The time it takes to make the list will be more than made up for by the time you’ll save by making only one trip to the store. Maybe you also eat out every day instead of bringing your own lunch. Stop doing that—you’ll save big bucks and probably eat healthier as well.
You can already see how simply not doing certain things can help you achieve something—like your New Year’s resolution of saving money, saving time, losing weight, or doing whatever else you’d like to do. If you’re trying to quit smoking or drinking, not engaging in activities associated with those behaviors (like going to bars or music concerts) can help you in your endeavor.
I personally would like to stop eating out as often as I do—it will save money, be healthier, and help me learn to cook. So I’m going to try to restrict myself to eating out twice a week. We’ll see how that goes! What are some things you can stop doing in order to make your life better?
Did you like this? If so, please bookmark it,
One Comment
subscribe comments feedrubyredshoes
January 9th, 2007
I have found that making a grocery list is really helpful. I have already arrived at the store only to find that I had forgotten my list. Because I had made a list, it stuck with me and I have found that I usually remember everything I had written down.
For the chocoholics out there, you can stop buying milk chocolate candy. If you really need your chocolate fix, dark chocolate is a much healthier choice. In fact, it’s good for you. But, like everything else, you have to do it in moderation.