The Hardest Part Is Saying Hello

I’ve been dipping my toes, well, I take that back…I’ve been drowning myself lately in websites about productivity. So much so that I’ve been anything but productive. LOL But I’ve learned a few things over the week so I don’t feel that all has been a complete loss or waste of time. (That’s a good thing, right?)

I have learned a bit about myself throughout this so it has been a time of self-discovery. I’ve learned that I am definitely not a minimalist. I enjoy having things and I am not going to give up certain things in my life that I consider ‘creature comforts’ but I’ve also realized that I am also not prone to being addicted to a zillion time-wasting sites that many people find themselves captured by. I have Facebook but I a small group of close friends, less then fifty. I enjoy twitter throughout the day to pass the time when I find myself waiting in line, on lunch break, and such. I will sometimes spend an hour perusing StumbleUpon before bed to relax. Beyond that, there isn’t a whole lot that I turn to. I don’t engage in television anymore. (I quit that three years ago.)

I also learned from my travels through productivity websites that being an early riser allows one to get more accomplished. I hate getting up early. Let me repeat. I HATE WAKING UP EARLY. However, after reading a million different perspectives from professionals and nonprofessionals, writers and nonwriters, business folks and non, I get the drift. So I decided I would try this thing they call ‘waking up before the sun rises.’ Ugh! Four a.m. comes way too early. I succeeded the first morning. I got up, and exercised, showered, and did some creative writing. Viola! No interruptions. It was magnificent. It was like finding gold, hitting the lottery, breaking into Fort Knox! It was kinda quite neat. 🙂 The next morning…I didn’t get up.

And the next morning my bed was just too warm to get out of again. ARGGGG! I was failing at this. Did I say I wasn’t a morning person? How am I going to do this? I mean, I work thirds four days a week! It’s like nearly impossible for me to do this. It’s a constant inner battle. My struggle within my mind to force myself to get up is just…it’s unbearable. I hate this losing battle.

And then…I learned the magic trick. There is a magic trick to this, ya know? Really there is! I promise! I know, you must be laughing at me. But, it’s been working quite efficiently for me.

The magic trick is to just tell yourself, ‘Do it for just five minutes. FIVE MINUTES. If you want to quit after that, fine. Quit. But get up for five minutes.” I find that the beginning is the hardest part. After the initial starting process…the rest is a breeze. After that five minutes…I’m good the rest of the way.