Author Topic: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution  (Read 5344 times)

Butterfingers

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Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« on: October 05, 2015, 03:27:36 AM »
I'm on my own, for the first time in a decade. Mrs Butterfingers has taken Firstborn and Lastborn off to her natal land for two months. I'm going to join them for the last two weeks of that, so it means I have six weeks to myself here.

In a former life that would have meant pizza, beer, books, marathons of The Wire and Civilization. But Butterfingers is older, wiser, and stronger-willed than in those dark days. OK, maybe just older, but intending to do something about the other two too.

So, the reading can stay, and there's nothing wrong with the occasional beer, but everything else is strengst verboten. The challenge: use these six weeks to turn Butterfingers into an adult. Tame the Instant Gratification Monkey (more like a gorilla in my case). And hopefully save some money as a side effect.

Behold, the Ten Commandments of the Revolution:

1. Thou shalt not buy fuel.
The car has three quarters of a tank, and that will have to do me for the duration.

2. Thou shalt cycle to work every day.
Come rain or shine.

3. Thou shalt study.
I'm doing a professional qualification that is critical to future earning power. 15 hours a week, bare fucking minimum.

4. Thou shalt work on thy side hustle.
Publishing project that generates very little at the moment, but has potential. 10 hours a week.

5. Though shalt engage Beast Mode at work.
No more dicking around on the internet (ahem, MMM). Get shit done to the extent that even that one miserable misanthropic bloke downstairs thinks, "bugger me, that Butterfingers really can get shit done."

6. Thou shalt wean thyself off sugar, for it is a tool of the Devil.
What am I, 6 years old?

7. Thou shalt lose 12 pounds.
It's a start.

8. Thou shalt prepare thine own midday repast and not succumb to the lure of the Meal Deal.
No excuses.

9. Thou shalt eat thy way through fridge, freezer and cupboards before buying more food.
When I do buy more food, make sure it's actually real food.

10. Thou shalt spend no more than £200 for food, entertainment, shopping; everything discretionary.
For six weeks. If I can stick to this, I'll allow myself to splurge £50 on books while I'm away.

This does not mean no fun. I'm going to the Big Smoke next weekend to see my brother (train tickets purchased prior to the Revolution). Beer will be consumed, laughs will be had. He's then coming to me a few weekends later. More beer will be consumed, more laughs will be had. A couple of colleagues have leaving/birthday drinks. Beer will be ... you get the picture. And I will have time to read again. For pleasure! Bliss.

You, faithful readers, are my Stern Matrons of Observance. Keep me on the straight and narrow, Mustachians!

TL;DR: Butterfingers has six weeks to himself. He will use this time to get his shit together and start behaving like a grown-up.

asauer

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2015, 07:38:49 AM »
Best of luck- admirable goals for the Revolution!

Butterfingers

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2015, 08:44:03 AM »
Thank you, comrade asauer.

kvaruni

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2015, 10:12:15 AM »
That is a long list of some serious badassity. Good thing you have some reward set out for you at the end to keep you motivated! Anyway, for some extra boosting I will join in on three things on your list:

3. Thou shalt study.
I need to pick up my study of Japanese again. There is always an excuse, but I really should just get into the rhythm to pick it up again, and do so on a very regular basis.

4. Thou shalt work on thy side hustle.
The jobs we have are killing us (not literally!) and FI has always been there to keep our sanity and offer us an FU exit. To bolster this, we really need to get started with side hustles. Mine will be to write books (both fiction and educational). I want to do private tutoring as well, but I feel now is not the best time to start that one just yet. One thing at a time, and writing works very relaxing.

5. Though shalt engage Beast Mode at work.
Talk about hitting the nail on the head. I'm stuck in old projects because, well, reasons. Reasons are boring, as those are the excuses I make up for myself. I really need to get my head in the game, get stuff finished, and move on to new pastures.

So best of luck to you, enjoy the time alone, and make sure you tick all those boxes in 6 weeks!

choppingwood

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #4 on: October 05, 2015, 10:15:33 AM »
Great idea. Great list.

We'll be cheering you on.

Butterfingers

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2015, 01:02:16 PM »
I need to pick up my study of Japanese again.
がんばって!

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[W]e really need to get started with side hustles. Mine will be to write books (both fiction and educational).
Excellent. Please share the fruits, if you feel comfortable with doing so.

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I'm stuck in old projects because, well, reasons.
Yeah, reasons. Same here. Had a fairly productive day at work, but full badassity eluded me. Will do better tomorrow. Aside from that, Day 1 ticked all boxes. It's good to have your company for the ride, too. Now, onwards!

And choppingwood, thank you for the support.

Butterfingers

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2015, 09:54:47 AM »
OK, failed on the "thou shalt not drive". In my defence, I needed it for work, and the company pays 55p a mile. Doesn't include my commute from home, but it more than covers the total with my (reasonably) fuel-efficient vehicle.

Today was the first day Beast Mode really kicked in at work. Motored through a load of crap I'd been putting off for weeks/months, and made (ahem) executive decisions to bin some stuff on my to do list that was going to be a waste of my time. To do list has gone from 123 items to 73 (I do slice my tasks up small, so that's not as horrendous as it sounds). Yay me.

Finding it hard to get motivated with the study though. I know it's in my interest, I know I should just get on and do it, but all the definable benefits seem way off in the future. Need a kick up the arse. Volunteers?

choppingwood

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2015, 06:04:35 PM »
Finding it hard to get motivated with the study though. I know it's in my interest, I know I should just get on and do it, but all the definable benefits seem way off in the future. Need a kick up the arse. Volunteers?

Stop waiting to be motivated. There is no motivation fairy who is coming to tap your forehead with her motivation wand.

Schedule it. When the time  comes just do it. Don't think about it. Just do it. You are an adult now. You can just do it.

It is OK to give yourself a tiny reward afterwards.

Butterfingers

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #8 on: October 08, 2015, 12:45:11 AM »
Are you sure you are not the motivation fairy, choppingwood? Scheduled 7–9pm tonight, pomodoro-style. Thanks.

ahoy

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #9 on: October 08, 2015, 02:41:27 AM »
Love your ten commandants, I think I need to work on number 6.  Great way of putting it! 

poorboyrichman

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #10 on: October 08, 2015, 06:19:55 AM »
It's great that your goals are interwoven, i.e. lose weight, quit sugar, don't use the car and cycle every day. That makes the overall plan more real and achievable.

Just remember that one only has so much will power so make your life easier by throwing out all the sugary snacks and freezing your car key in a block of ice (yes really, it's harder to cheat.) Plan every last meal down to the last ingredient and do your food shopping with laser accuracy.

I find batch cooking really helps, particularly with lunches, when motivation to make that sandwich for lunch to prevent wasteful meal deals has sunk to all time lows when bleary eyed in the morning, grabbing a chilli from the freezer is a huge help.


Butterfingers

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #11 on: October 08, 2015, 06:30:01 AM »
I find batch cooking really helps, particularly with lunches, when motivation to make that sandwich for lunch to prevent wasteful meal deals has sunk to all time lows when bleary eyed in the morning, grabbing a chilli from the freezer is a huge help.
This is a true fact. If I can iron my shirts for the week on Sundays, then I can cook off five days' worth of meals too. I batch cook in a haphazard fashion now, but it could benefit from being more organised.

Butterfingers

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #12 on: October 09, 2015, 06:37:51 AM »
Managed study, and side project work yesterday. Kept nine of the ten commandments (except the one about sugar, but I see that as a goal within six weeks, not cold turkey from the start).

Weekend away in London coming. Abbreviated rules for the weekend: 1. Don't drink too much. 2. Don't order dessert.

Kimchi Bleu

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #13 on: October 09, 2015, 07:42:15 AM »
Great goals to have!  FYI - I've cut sugar out of my diet several times - it's really tough for 3 days - cravings, etc - then by the fourth day I am over the hump!

As far as getting the studying done - can you tie it to a short time goal?  If you study 2 hours - you get an extra half hour of fluff reading or TV time?

Rosy

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #14 on: October 09, 2015, 07:28:58 PM »
I like the beer and laughs will be had part with your brother and if I might prevail upon you to consider moving item #3 to the top of your lineup:)

I'm seriously thinking about doing a ten commandment list myself - things are out of control in Florida:)

Butterfingers

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #15 on: October 12, 2015, 08:23:54 AM »
Great goals to have!  FYI - I've cut sugar out of my diet several times - it's really tough for 3 days - cravings, etc - then by the fourth day I am over the hump!
I'm cutting down this week – no sugared beverages (not that that was a big problem for me anyway), but more importantly no chocolate/sweets. I am going to allow myself dessert every other day, and fresh fruit. Next week the dessert will go too.
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As far as getting the studying done - can you tie it to a short time goal?  If you study 2 hours - you get an extra half hour of fluff reading or TV time?
Don't watch TV, but small rewards do usually work with me. I'll think of something.

Butterfingers

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #16 on: October 12, 2015, 08:33:16 AM »
I like the beer and laughs will be had part with your brother and if I might prevail upon you to consider moving item #3 to the top of your lineup:)

I'm seriously thinking about doing a ten commandment list myself - things are out of control in Florida:)
The ten commandments are not in importance order, though maybe I should do that. I wonder if that would give my weak mind leave to ignore those at the bottom of the list, however. And you really should do your own – feel free to hijack this thread if you like.

Like the list so much that I'm outright stealing 3, 4 and 5 for my own use. Hope you don't mind ;)
Welcome to the Revolution, comrade!

The weekend in the capital was fairly spendy, but I managed to keep it within reasonable bounds apart from a stupid misreading of a map that meant I had to take an unplanned taxi ride. So I'm £61 through my £200 after just one week. Lockdown for this coming week is essential.

Butterfingers

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #17 on: October 20, 2015, 04:33:06 AM »
OK, so last week I spent £26.42. Not too bad, and aiming for the same again this week (which will include farewell drinks for a colleague). The bike riding has been utterly failsome, need to get back in the saddle. Weaning myself off sugar wasn't working either, so I've gone cold turkey (today is day 2). No cakes, biscuits or sweets at all, but I'm not yet looking at sugar in everyday savoury stuff.

Study has been so-so, side projects good, Beast Mode at work running around 50%. Can and will do better.

Kaikou

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Re: Butterfingers' Six Week Revolution
« Reply #18 on: October 20, 2015, 05:14:34 AM »
OK, so last week I spent £26.42. Not too bad, and aiming for the same again this week (which will include farewell drinks for a colleague). The bike riding has been utterly failsome, need to get back in the saddle. Weaning myself off sugar wasn't working either, so I've gone cold turkey (today is day 2). No cakes, biscuits or sweets at all, but I'm not yet looking at sugar in everyday savoury stuff.

Study has been so-so, side projects good, Beast Mode at work running around 50%. Can and will do better.

Good job on the progress.