Are you tired of dealing with the same problems over and over?
Are your finances, schedule, house and relationships a mess?
My life was a mess too, but I’ve discovered the secret to creating true change so that I can live a happy, organized and purposeful life in spite of circumstances that may be out of my control — and it’s helped our finances as well!
A few years ago I became sick and tired of the stress of living a disorganized and directionless life. I was busy, but I actually accomplished very little. I wanted to find the way to TRULY improve our financial situation, the way our family related to one another and our daily lives.
In my research I discovered that the primary reason that many of us are unable to effect true and lasting change in our finances, health, relationships and homes is that we don’t understand how our brain works and we end up fighting against it rather than working with it.
The book Surprisingly…Unstuck: The Power of Small Healthy Habits, In a World Addicted to Instant Results
opened my eyes to an entirely new way of thinking. While the focus of the book is primarily improving your physical health, the most compelling and helpful part of the book is the simple explanation of the science of the brain and human behavior.
It turns out that our brains are naturally wired to form habits in order to move tasks to a kind of autopilot so that we don’t have to think about them. This natural ability to form habits can work for us or against us because once we form a habit it’s very difficult to change it.
Most of us try to change by making a conscious effort to radically transform the way we’re living, but the secret is actually to make changes so ridiculously tiny that you believe there’s no reason to make them. By building on these tiny changes you can actually trick your brain into forming a new, healthier habit.
Building your life is about the slow accumulation of daily habits. The life you live a year from now is the sum of the tiny steps you took each day for the previous 365 days.
Once I understood this secret I began planning tiny changes into my days and weeks using the Joyful Life Planner, which enabled me to improve my life one step at a time — and to keep those changes for the long haul.
Sample 10 Minute Transformations:
Your Health: Take a 2 minute walk every day this week.
Your Time: Make a list of your top 3 “To Do’s” every morning.
Your Relationships: Write a note to your husband telling him 3 specific reasons you are thankful for him.
Your Money: Set 1 specific short-term financial goal that you can accomplish this week.
Your Space: Declutter one kitchen counter. Find a home for appliances you rarely use.
To help you take advantage of this secret as well, I’ll be posting 10 Minute Missions to help you simplify and organize your time, money, and space. Take a few minutes each week to complete the mission and watch your life improve one step at a time — and stay that way because you made the changes slowly.
Tap HERE to see the Weekly 10 Minute Organizing Tasks.
Click here to see all of the 10 Minute Transformations.
We can do this!
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- 10 Minutes a Day Declutter Calendar — focus on one small area each day of the month
- 50 Ten Minute Tasks – to organize your life one baby step at a time
- 10 Minute Task Calendar – blank calendar to fill in your own 10 Minute Tasks
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What great advice and tips. I have been trying to get to bed earlier and always felt so much better and was more productive when I did this in the past. That will be my first goal and then I would like to make more
concerted efforts to plan meals and snacks. Both these things should help on several levels.
Thanks Joan! I think you will be surprised at how much better you feel. 🙂
I’ve written down what I plan to do this week and they all seem so simple! I want to write a letter to an aunt that I haven’t seen in quite a few years, clear off my kitchen table that seems to be the “clutter spot” in my home right now, eat a salad at least 4 days this week and save $40 toward a long term goal. Thanks for these helpful hints!
Sounds like an awesome plan Shawn! Thanks for joining us. 🙂
I’m in! It sounds almost too easy! But I know that the tiny changes make a big difference. I’ll be doing all the 10 minute transformations. Thank you for inspiring us!
Yay! Welcome Saundra!
I am into so many crafts and find that I have them all over the house – I need to join the 10 Minutes a Day Decluttering Challenge!
Welcome Shawn!
Welcome Shawn!
I am so doing the declutter challenge! I get rid of my piles but they always come back! Lol
I totally know the feeling!
i would like to join the 10 Minutes a Day Decluttering Challenge!
Awesome! Thanks Katherine!
Definitely a wonderful idea! I will be working on the 3 To Do’s list and writing a note to my husband (I love that idea) My hubby is now retired and we spend so much time together that I forget to do those special things. i think we will both enjoy this. i am looking forward to the coming weeks!
Yay! So glad you are joining us Marleen!
Thanks , The Peaceful Mom! Love the challenges idea and with a 5 month old 10 minutes is about all I have these days! I also like the book “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg. He also talks about how the brain is wired and was a quick read. I always thought I was “wired” to be an “all or nothing” type person but learned that I can moderate and find ways to keep healthy habits for the long-term while adjusting them to where my life is right now.
You definitely need to break down your projects into small bites with a baby! 🙂 Thanks for the book suggestion. Have an AWESOME 2015!
I will be setting the financial goals (with my husband of course) we have goals in these areas currently but nothing really solid or completely defined.
I may also see if this book is available our library.
That is a very good point Julie and I should have mentioned it. Yes, always make your financial goals with your spouse. Thanks for the reminder. 🙂
Awesome! Thanks for jumping in Christy.
Love it! Thanks for joining us MJ!
i may just try them all !
Thank you for doing these “10 minute transformations”, little chunks of time projects is how I roll:} I already do the walk, and the top 3 to do’s, but this week we will write my husband a thank you note!
My pleasure Bonnie! Thanks for joining in. 🙂
I plan to do the financial and relationship 10 minute transformation tasks this week.
Really looking forward to working on the daily tranformations:-)
Yay! Thanks for joining with us!
Really good ideas!
Thanks Anna!