13 Things to Avoid When Changing Habits

“Habit is habit, and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time.” - Mark Twain

I’ve learned a lot about changing habits in the last 2 1/2 years, from quitting smoking to taking up running and GTD and vegetarianism and waking early and all that. I could go on, of course, but you get the picture.

I’ve not only learned a lot about what you should do when changing habits, but through my failures, I’ve learned about what not to do.

And trust me, I’ve had lots of failures.

Create a New Habit in February

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. - Aristotle

We’re a month into 2008, my friends! Whether you’re sticking to your goals for the year or not, this is the time to buckle down and create the new habit you’ve been wanting, a habit that will lead to your goal

I’d like to give you a great tip to start your year off right: Join the Zen Habits February Challenge on the Zen Habits forums.

What is it?
The Zen Habits challenges are monthly challenges that have worked great for many Zen Habits readers in the past year. Basic concept: you commit yourself to sticking to a habit for one month. You log in to the Zen Habits forums as often as possible, and report your progress in the daily check-in thread. This accountability to your fellow challenge members is what makes the challenge work.

Happy New Year! The Zen Habits January Challenge: Start Your Year Off Right

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. - Aristotle

Happy New Year, my friends! I’m extremely excited about having another great year with you guys. I hope the New Year is going well for you and your families.

I’d like to give you a great tip to start your year off right: Join the Zen Habits January Challenge on the Zen Habits forums.

What is it?
The Zen Habits challenges are monthly challenges that have worked great for many Zen Habits readers in the past year. Basic concept: you commit yourself to sticking to a habit for one month. You log in to the Zen Habits forums as often as possible, and report your progress in the daily check-in thread. This accountability to your fellow challenge members is what makes the challenge work.

5 Powerful Reasons to Make Reflection a Daily Habit, and How to Do It

It’s New Year’s Eve (where I live), and I’ve been doing a lot of reflection over the last year. It’s the perfect time of year to look back and reflect on what you’ve done right this year, to learn from what you’ve done.

And on further reflection, this habit of reflection is something that I’ve developed pretty strongly this year.

It’s actually one of the secrets to my success.

The Zen of Shaving: How a Double-edge Razor Can Change Your Life

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from John Koontz, a moderator at the Badger & Blade forum on wet shaving.

If I told you a way you could improve your health, save money, help the environment, and feel better about yourself by doing something you already do every day, would you be interested?

As a reader of Zen Habits with values of simplicity and efficiency … I thought so. What’s surprising is this method has been around for over a hundred years. I’m talking about a traditional wet shave using a shaving brush, shaving soaps/creams, and a double edge razor. Before you scoff at this idea, let’s take a look at the benefits.