2023 was the year that changed my life. Not financially, but spiritually and physically. I was primarily anxious and undisciplined. The average person wouldn’t have noticed — or does anyone? — but I felt profoundly unhappy in my own skin.
After traveling for a few months — because I thought a lifestyle change would make me content — I still felt miserable. I couldn’t pinpoint the problem until I figured out the following 6 steps that made the difference for me:
1. Hard work first
Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves. Dale Carnegie
As soon as you wake up, make your bed and wash your face. Do the small, daily tasks first. Do you have a priority task that day? Do it immediately. After or even before breakfast. The earlier, the better.
2. Don’t overthink, take action
If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done. Bruce Lee
The same goes for me and the start of this Medium blog. I’ve been thinking about publishing my thoughts for a long time, but I didn’t know where or how. As you can see, I took action and published regularly. I found a way and overcame my doubts.
3. Simple lifestyle
Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It’s your masterpiece after all. Nathan W. Morris
Life is chaotic. I used to be the perfect example. Even though I always had my backpack with everything I needed, I would forget or misplace something every few days. This led me to get rid of unworn clothes, jewelry, and books. I reduced consumption and replaced it with durability.
4. Become more active
Productivity is being able to do things that you were never able to do before. Franz Kafka
After graduating, I knew I had to change my lifestyle as I felt stuck and unhappy. In December 2022, I started running again. I was shocked at how out of shape I had gotten. It helped me get my cardiovascular system back on track and my blood pumping.
In June, I finally went to the gym. I had considered it, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. For a long time, I felt anxious, but after every set, I was so proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone. As an introvert and a loner, joining the gym really was the best decision I could have ever made.
I went 3–6 times a week. From day one, I took it seriously, even though I didn’t quite understand the equipment yet. I loved lifting weights and continue to do so.
5. Limit distractions
Where your attention goes, your time goes. Idowu Koyenikan
Distractions are everywhere these days. If you don’t focus on your personal values and goals, you quickly lose yourself. Put your phone in another room while you work.
For many, this point may be self-explanatory, but it wasn’t for me. I come from a large family where everyone is constantly interrupting. Studying in your room is impossible. It’s too noisy and distracting. That’s why creating a quiet and uncluttered workspace can have huge benefits for productivity.
I give more actionable advice in my article “Use focus as your superpower”.
6. Creating systems
Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them. David Allen
Personally, I’ve started tracking every conceivable aspect of my life. From finances to writing views to the gym. Don’t worry about the minute details, but keeping track of everything, even vaguely, helps give you insight into your progress.
I track my daily posts on Medium and my performance to get an idea of what works best. What interests readers the most, what would they like to read more often and what not.
Systems allow you to relax after work because you know you are in full control of what you are doing.
[Published in Writers Fusion]