Author Topic: Next 66 Days Form Some New Habits RELOADED  (Read 4757 times)

farmstache

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Next 66 Days Form Some New Habits RELOADED
« on: October 23, 2013, 07:11:42 AM »
I loved this challenge from last year, and I'm all for starting this right now!

It's said that it takes 66 days to form a new habit. I have a few missing I need to form.

Resources:
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/next-66-days-form-some-new-habits/
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/03/19/a-lifetime-of-riches-is-it-as-simple-as-a-few-habits/
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/mustachian-book-club/the-power-of-habit-discussion-thread/
http://www.nomeatathlete.com/habit-change-triggers/

The habits I'll install, starting today! Want to join me on this?

  • Floss & mouthwash every night after brushing (still love this one)
  • Do my RPG exercizes everyday (otherwise I'm not optmizing the horrible R$400 a month)
  • Walk the dog everyday (preferably in the morning)
  • Spend tops R$250 this Xmas, plus another R$50 for the upcoming birthdays (mom and sister).

Target date: Dec, 28th.
Actually a bad date, because I'll travel on the 25th, so no dog to walk on the last 3 days of the challenge. But it's okay!
« Last Edit: October 23, 2013, 02:50:32 PM by farmstache »

farmstache

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Re: Next 66 Days Form Some New Habits RELOADED
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2013, 07:24:52 AM »
Actually, since the gifting thing I'm transfering to another challenge (https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/homemade-christmas-2013/100/), I'm redoing the list:

  • Floss & mouthwash every night after brushing (still love this one) - 5 minutes
  • Do my RPG exercizes every night (otherwise I'm not optmizing the horrible R$400 a month) - 15 minutes
  • Walk the dog everyday (preferably in the morning) - 30 minutes
  • Do some gardening every day (preferably in the morning) - 30 minutes.

I'll post updates by editting this post.

Re: gardening. Not everyday I need to water, weed, or trim the few plants I have here. But there's lots to learn about taking care of the roses, cleaning up a rocky patch I've been delaying for a while, etc.

I'm adding updates as I go, so here's only the score system to keep up to date:
Let's say it takes 66 points to build a new skill (or at least that'd be the perfect score). So far, this is where I'm at:

Flossing: 25/28
RPG exercises: 21.5/28
Extra gardening: 15.5/28
Dog walking: 20.5/28
« Last Edit: November 19, 2013, 09:48:42 PM by farmstache »

oldtoyota

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Re: Next 66 Days Form Some New Habits RELOADED
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2013, 06:46:29 AM »
I look forward to your updates!

farmstache

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Re: Next 66 Days Form Some New Habits RELOADED
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2013, 06:28:41 PM »
Updates!
23rd: Since I started this really late, all I could do were the RPG exercises and the flossing.
24th: Had a webinar to hold early in the morning, and I suck at waking up early (except when I'm out of town). Arranged for the dog to spend the day at my mom's (this counts like 0.5 a walk? no exercise, but at least he can see another dog and be coddled). No extra gardening. Did floss and RPG despite being really tired. Must admit the flossing was almost, almost given up.
25th: Woke up early, took dog to mom's on my way to RPG (went by car, which isn't reaaaally necessary for this distance, if only I plan the time), then took dog to work with me. Parked 2 blocks away so we could walk (so 4 blocks!). No extra gardening. At least the beans are growing pretty well. I really must start this tomorrow. I'm not allowed to do the extra RPG exercises today, but I did all that I could (and got praised by her today, despite thinking I'm still a lazy bums that doesn't do all the homework), so I count that as a yes. Flossing - check!
26th: Travelled to my family's country house, so the dog was auto walked (lots of playing, running, swimming). Planted new green onions on the pot we have behind the kitchen (check, yay!). Doing the exercises was easy at night, and flossing... well, I almost almost skipped it, but didn't. So that's a day with full marks!
27th: Another day with full marks, despite the dog-walking part being very easy. I set up a new garden patch by the side of the house, using an old, hollow, log section, and planted some local medicinal flowers that grow everywhere but you need to catch a lot of them when you need to use. They look pretty and fit the log look. Exercises check and flossing check!

So I started a points system. I work well with points, so let's say it takes 66 points to build a new skill (or at least that'd be the perfect score). So far, this is where I'm at:

Flossing: 5/5 (woot!)
RPG exercises: 5/5 (this is actually amazing... everyday is so hard to get started on them!)
Extra gardening: 2/5 :(
Dog walking: 3.5/5

oldtoyota

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Re: Next 66 Days Form Some New Habits RELOADED
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2013, 07:49:21 AM »
Nice work!

farmstache

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Re: Next 66 Days Form Some New Habits RELOADED
« Reply #5 on: November 01, 2013, 05:34:35 PM »
New batch:

28th: Came back from the country today, so the dog got plenty of running there in the morning. Didn't do actual gardening, but to make it count a little bit, I was walking home when I saw a fruit tree I really wanted to have one day, bearing fruit. Picked a couple of them and dried the seeds to plant. Did exercises and flossed. Almost 100%!
29th: In the morning, I decided I wanted a full gardening point today, so I started clearing the rocks in a part of the garden, to free the soil for planting. 1h30 on that! But I decided I really need to either: get an actual decent tool instead of doing it by hand; or forget about this and do raised beds. Took Thor to mom's at night, so he was half-walked again. Exercises and flossing: check.
30th: Went to my mother's in the morning to pick up some serious tools. Again a half walk for the dog. We went out at night and came back really late, so no exercises. But check for flossing! If only I had known it could be this easy to pick up this habit, I'd have done it sooner! (admittedly, I almost went to bed without flossing many a time... but got back and did it).
31st: I realized I hadn't actually walked the dog in 2 weeks. We always find ways to help him lose steam without actually having to leave the house with him on a leash (except when I walk him to work). So, I took him for a walk at lunch time (yay!). No gardening, though. I didn't do the exact RPG exercises, but did a few other stretching for my horseriding class (and after as well). Flossing: check. But barely! I was sleepwalking when I brushed my teeth. :)
1st: Today I started to work full time (not only part time as before), so managing time will be a little trickier. SO left the dog at my mom's in the morning. Half a point for this. I didn't even look at the garden, not even the regular watering since it seemed it would rain, though I sent a longing stare to the tools. Went to RPG (check). Will account for flossing... if I miss it, I come back and change it. Feeling confident, though.

So, points:
Flossing: 10/10 (woot! woot!)
RPG exercises: 9/10
Extra gardening: 5/10
Dog walking: 7/10

Maybe I should make the journal shorter...

farmstache

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Re: Next 66 Days Form Some New Habits RELOADED
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2013, 05:35:43 PM »
Nice work!

Oh, yes, thank you, by the way! :)

Though after checking these 4 things everyday, I'm also face-punching myself for the amount of car I've been using... and a few other bad habits I need to change.

farmstache

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Re: Next 66 Days Form Some New Habits RELOADED
« Reply #7 on: November 05, 2013, 07:23:10 PM »
Nov 2nd: Walked to my mom's, with the dog on leash. Check that! Helped her with her garden and brought back a few vases and taioba plants. I'll consider this a check. Did exercises and floss!
3rd: Left early for a test, then came back and started working on removing an old bush from the garden, to open room for the taiobas, next to the banana trees. 2h and the bush was out! Plus many of the river rocks that someone put there for ornament (crazy! spoiling all my potential garden!). Took the dog to my friend's house when I went there, and he ran a lot. Did RPGs - more or less - and flossing.
4th: It rained a lot all day, so no gardening. The dog spent the day at my mom's (0,5 point). Did RPG very very well (I think I went a bit too far, since today I was feeling sore in a few points), flossed. I don't want to miss the perfect flossing points!
5th: Planted the taiobas. Actually walked the dog this evening. Now fighting the urge to skip on RPG (after all, it's past midnight). Will floss.

I realized flossing and RPGs are easier to keep up with because I'm choosing them against sleep. Yesterday and Sunday I was really going to bed without doing them, after midnight, then I thought: "Oh, okay, let me at least stretch my legs a bit and do the hip correction exercise" - then ended up doing almost or all of it, and sleeping at 1am. It's a bit crazy, and I think my next challenge should be to keep doing all that + sleep earlier. This would also help me spend more time with SO.

Anyway:

Flossing: 14/14 (woot! woot!)
RPG exercises: 13/14
Extra gardening: 8/14
Dog walking: 10.5/14

farmstache

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Re: Next 66 Days Form Some New Habits RELOADED
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2013, 07:12:30 PM »
Nov 6th: Another rainy day. No dog walking, no gardening. Did only the basic stretching for the RPG. Did floss, half asleep.
7th: Continued clearing rocks on the garden, planning for a garden bed. We took the dog to my mother's at night, so half a point there. Missed horse riding, so I made sure to do the RPGs (past midnight). Flossed.
8th: SO took the dog to my mom's in the morning, because it's a busy day for me, but this proved silly because I ended up going there by foot at lunch to eat with them. So, I missed a walk. Before that, after RPG session (check), I went bananas on a banana tree, cut it off and used the trunk to build a garden bed. Then only missing dirt to fill it up. To get a perfect score, we went to my mother's by foot to pick up the dog. Ended up going out to a bar with them, and returning walking at 1h30am. It's actually pretty peaceful to walk at night in my neighbourhood. Nice walk. Bonus: we got two planks that someone was throwing away to actually structure the garden bed.
9th: Went to the pet store with the dog (check walking), he's weighing 37.7 Kg. Also purchased a potted basil for the garden. Got home and planted it, while at the same time removing a poisonous plant and filling a weird hole with river rocks (which I've been taking from the garden). So check. Did all RPG exercises, and flossed. That's another perfect score!
10th: Built the garden bed in the morning, went to buy dirt and new seeds in the afternoon. Also hanged a few leads for green beans. Everything is planted, watered, and tomorrow I'll start rock removal from a new section. Check! Took dog to mom's before getting the dirt (so half point), he almost hunted a bird (tsc tsc). We also decluttered a bit our deposit room while going after a saw (that's a pretty good check for the cleaning house challenge around here). Did RPGs and flossed. It's amazing how I can floss with my eyes barely open from sleepiness.

Points:

Flossing: 19/19 (Now it's a matter of honor to keep it this way!)
RPG exercises: 17.5/19
Extra gardening: 12/19
Dog walking: 13.5/19
« Last Edit: November 10, 2013, 07:15:07 PM by farmstache »

farmstache

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Re: Next 66 Days Form Some New Habits RELOADED
« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2013, 09:48:07 PM »
Wow. It's been 9 days this time! I'll try to keep it short (and not as sad as it actually is).

Nov 11th: Did RPG. Stretched a string to allow some green beans to climb. No dog walking. Flossed.
Nov 12th: Had RPG today, so check. Did floss, planted an edible flower. Walked the dog back home.
Nov 13th: So today was a zero day. Left home early to give a lecture and got back late. No dog walking, no gardening. I fell asleep during the stretching phase of RPGs and didn't floss. Woke up at 2am to brush teeth, but too sleepy to floss. There goes my perfect score. :(
Nov 14th: Since I always leave RPGs and flossing for the night and had a supermarket run going from 22h30 to 2h30am, they were missed. Walked the dog to work. No gardening.
Nov 15th: Traveling to the beach. I consider the dog very much walked. No RPG (despite lots of exercises), but managed flossing. No gardening.
Nov 16th: Same. Hard to do RPGs when you're always surrounded by people and sand. Lots of trekking, though :)
Nov 17th: Same, but this night the floss was locked in at night. Skipped it. I could be gardening here. Just there's so much else to do... :-/
Nov 18th: Back home! RPG check (felt great!), flossing check, dog walking still check from the morning in the beach. Gardening half a point for picking up some seeds with my cousin.
Nov 19th: Gardening: check. Planted some new flowers by the side of the new bed. Walked the dog back from my father's. Muscles slightly sore from RPGs yesterday, but did it anyway. Flossed.

Score:
Flossing: 25/28
RPG exercises: 21.5/28
Extra gardening: 15.5/28
Dog walking: 20.5/28

farmstache

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Re: Next 66 Days Form Some New Habits RELOADED
« Reply #10 on: July 09, 2014, 10:14:44 PM »
Guys, just to bring closure to this:

I stopped posting here because I got a really cool app to start tracking my habits on. It's called Lift.do

I also changed the habits to track a bit, had better and worse times, but successfully spent 4 months alcohol and sweets-free, have been fine with my no shampoo habit and really good at walking the dog on my new city. Improved a lot on exercises, then devolved, now getting back on track.

I really do recommend the app!

marty998

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Re: Next 66 Days Form Some New Habits RELOADED
« Reply #11 on: July 10, 2014, 02:53:19 AM »
Hmm. I thought RPG stands for Rocket Propelled Grenade or Role Playing Game (being the RPG in MMORPG).

Care to correct the record and say what it means here?

farmstache

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Re: Next 66 Days Form Some New Habits RELOADED
« Reply #12 on: July 10, 2014, 10:22:34 PM »
Hmm. I thought RPG stands for Rocket Propelled Grenade or Role Playing Game (being the RPG in MMORPG).

Care to correct the record and say what it means here?

Global Postural Reeducation, but since it was created by a frenchperson, it was actually Reeducacion Posturale Globale (sp), thus RPG. It's a kind of physiotherapy.

It was costing me $400 a month and I stopped it when I moved to the new town, with orders to keep doing the exercises on my own. Been successful about 2x a week. Still not good enough...