Jimmy Chim

Tag: Habits

  • Losing Rhythm

    I have been tracking my morning habits on and off for two years. My morning routine has three things: a few minutes of light exercise, a few minutes of meditation, and reading/writing. In my journal, I write an X every time I do these things. 

    I fell off the routine over the last 30 days; that was the longest stretch of misses in the last two years. I got sick for a couple of weeks and had work travels, among other things. My body struggled in the morning, so I prioritized rest. 

    My strength had since returned, but I didn’t resume my habits right away. After missing it for a few weeks, I lost rhythm. 

    Maybe I should just scrap the routine? 

    But I miss how it feels to accomplish the things I set out to do first thing in the morning. When I follow the routine, I feel more grounded. Going without it in the last few weeks left me more irritable and distracted. 

    So for the 47th time, I have decided to restart this week. I have been through this before: I will fall again, and that’s okay. What matters is whether I choose to pick up where I left off.

  • Haruki Murakami’s Writing Habit

    ​​From The Paris Review, Summer 2004:

    When I’m in writing mode for a novel, I get up at 4:00 am and work for five to six hours. In the afternoon, I run for 10km or swim for 1500m (or do both), then I read a bit and listen to some music. I go to bed at 9:00 pm.

     I keep to this routine every day without variation. The repetition itself becomes the important thing; it’s a form of mesmerism. I mesmerize myself to reach a deeper state of mind. 

    But to hold to such repetition for so long — six months to a year — requires a good amount of mental and physical strength. 

    In that sense, writing a long novel is like survival training. Physical strength is as necessary as artistic sensitivity.

    See also: “The Running Novelist,” The New Yorker, June 9, 2008

  • Disrupt a 20-year Pattern

    In the last 20 years, I started many projects. I had a dozen blogs with less than ten posts. I had a podcast in 2006 with five episodes on computer-related topics. I lost count of how many journals I had bought.

    These projects were nowhere to be found three months later (sometimes only two weeks).

    Cantonese, my first language, has a lovely expression for someone like me: “having three-minute passions.”

    While six months isn’t long, my weekly newsletter project is the most consistent creative pursuit I have ever done.

    This time, I made a simple rule for myself: No matter what happens, the newsletter goes out on Friday at 6:30 am Pacific Time every week. No exceptions. Even if the week is a disaster. Even if doubt kicks in. Even if I cringe at my draft on Thursday night.

    Let’s see if one change can break the patterns of two decades.

  • A Habit Changed My Life

    I want to share with you a practice that has transformed my life. I have been doing it for more than two years. It makes me happier. It helps me make sense of a bad day. It gives me a sense of clarity.

    This practice is a five-minute daily review. The method is inspired by an exercise called the examen, developed many centuries ago by St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. I further simplified the practice and made it my own. Every morning, I answer three questions and note my answers in a journal.

    1. Gratitude

    The first step is to look back at the last 24 hours. Then ask: What are you grateful for right now? Doesn’t matter what it is. Note it. Some examples:

    • A delicious meal with family
    • A fun get-together with friends
    • A comfortable bed
    • A sense of peace when seeing the clouds in the sky
    • An inspirational line from a book
    • Kindness from a friend, a co-worker, or a stranger
    • Produced work you are proud of
    • Did vigorous exercise that made you feel alive
    • Tried something new for the first time

    Gratitude is one of the most underrated superpowers. It shifts our focus from what we lack to what we have. Gratitude affirms that good things exist. We are free to enjoy them as they are given to us.

    “If you’re grateful, you’re not fearful.” Benedictine monk David Steindl-Rast once said. Gratitude casts out fear. That makes it easier to experience joy with what we already have. It’s simple. It’s free. And it’s powerful.

    2. Reflection

    The second step is to review the challenges in last 24 hours. What do you see in your day? Sometimes we go through a hectic crazy day without being aware of what happened. This step gives you space to observe.

    Pay attention to what you did, how you felt, and what left an impression. What was difficult? What made you sad or angry? Did you feel tense, empty, or discouraged? If something didn’t go well, what could you have done differently?

    3. Resolution

    The last step is a natural extension of your reflection. What are one or two things you will commit to doing (differently) today?

    Did you feel grumpy working in front of the computer all day yesterday? Perhaps a short walk after lunch today will improve your mood. Did a comment yesterday hurt someone? Maybe you should say sorry. Did you waste too much on your phone? You can try leaving your phone in another room for a couple hours so you can focus the most important work.

    You don’t need to come up a laundry list of complex, overhauling changes. One or two simple things are enough. The point is not to be hard on yourself, but to see the possibilities within your control. Think of this as making small tweaks in the system. You can get creative, experiment with a tiny change, and see if it works. Then resolve to doing it.

    Putting It Together

    This three-step program—gratitude, reflection, and resolution—is not complicated. Yet it could be the best five minutes you spend on a given day. It allows you to make sense of what’s going in your life. It gives you a holistic perspective. At the end, you arrive at small actionable steps you can take.

    There’s no success or failure in this exercise. You simply learn to see things as they are. You experiment and see what works. Every day you learn something new. Not from other people, but from yourself. You can’t find better, more relevant lessons from anywhere else.

    Once you do this for a few weeks, the benefits will become even more obvious. Things that seemed like a big deal on a particular day will look trivial after a while. You will start to see patterns over a timeline. You will gain a better perspective of your life that no one else can offer you.

    You will be surprised by how much you can learn from yourself.

  • Identity + Action

    One interesting contrast between English and Cantonese speakers is the way they describe what they do.

    English speakers tend to assert an identity: I’m a teacher. He’s a photographer. She is a great basketball player. Cantonese speakers prefer to state the verb: I teach (我教書). He likes to take photos (佢鍾意影相). She plays basketball really well (佢打籃球好勁).

    The English way of thinking is powerful. An identity shapes your beliefs. If you believe you are a marathon runner, going on a long run is natural. The behavior is expected.

    There is, however, one limitation: you can establish an empty identity and fail to follow through with any action. Painters that don’t paint. Artists that don’t create. Entrepreneurs that don’t start businesses.

    The best strategy is to combine the two: state the identity and act.

    Say “I’m a scientist” and head to the lab.

    Say “I’m a chef” and fire up the stove.

    Say “I’m a designer” and sketch.

    Do both.

  • Tweak the environment

    The items most accessible in our environment often determine what we do in a given moment.

    If there are potato chips on the counter, I will likely eat them. If the phone is my pocket, I will likely check it. If the TV is on, I will likely watch it.

    We can exploit this by making the important things easier to access. For example, put fruits and vegetables in a visible location to eat healthier. Carry the book you want to read. Lay out supplies on the desk to encourage more creative work.

    Conversely, we can increase the barrier for the things we want less of. For example, charge electronic devices in another room. Remove an overused app from the homepage. Hide the chocolate chip cookies behind the cabbage.

    Changing the environment alone doesn’t determine whether we do something or not, but it has a huge influence.

  • Start small

    When we start a new project or develop a new habit, it is tempting to go big right away: read an entire book, run three miles, or play an instrument for five hours.

    But by doing too much at the beginning we risk burning ourselves out. I can’t tell you how many times I quit an endeavor within a week.

    Another option is to start small. Do a little on the first day. Make it easy. Read one page. Walk half a mile. Practice one chord. Then ramp up slowly.

    Never underestimate the power of a small step. Going from zero to one is already an achievement.

  • Not do something

    How do you stop doing something that hurts you?

    1. Decide you won’t do it.
    2. Increase the barrier of doing the thing.
    3. Pour yourself fully into something else.

    You need all three.

  • Rituals: Create Meaningful Time For What Matters

    Most of us want to spend time what matters. The challenge is most of us leads a busy life. When much is going on everyday, it’s easy to get distracted. We end up unconsciously diverting our attention to the things that don’t serve us.

    How can we dedicate more time to the activities that help us connect with ourselves, our loved ones, and the broader world? One practice has helped me: build a ritual. I have used this simple framework to create a few rituals over the years. Basically:

    1. Set intentions on the important activities important
    2. Bring full presence and undivided attention
    3. Repeat the above at the same time every day, week, or month

    My morning ritual is dedicated to spiritual growth and creative work. The intention is to observe my thoughts, train my focus, and start my day with peace. This time is reserved for brain-stretching exercises that are best with a clear mind: reflect on my life, write on this blog, and create new work. My morning looks like this:

    My evening ritual is dedicated to family and health. The intention is to nourish my body with healthy food, spend time with family, and create space to wind down for the day.

    • Cook simple food after work
    • Say a short prayer to give thanks
    • Have dinner with my wife at the dining table
    • Clean up right away*
    • Put away electronics an hour before bed
    • Read a physical book or magazine

    Rituals can also be weekly and monthly. While not every week looks like this, here are some common themes:

    • Fridays: Do something fun with my family and/or close friends, e.g. watch a movie or play board games
    • Saturdays: Do vigorous exercise, e.g. biking or basketball
    • Monthly: Meet up with the same group of friends every 4-6 weeks.

    The payoff of these rituals can be tremendous. I find myself spending less time wondering what I should do. Instead, I stack up a series of habits that add to my health, relationships, and well-being. Along the way, I discover more joy, meaning, and purpose in the simple things I do every day.

  • A Simple 3-Minute Workout

    A challenge I have during weekdays is finding time to exercise. I used to have a gym membership before covid, but even then I didn’t go consistently. I preferred to do group classes, so I had to look up class schedules, make plans around it, get changed, pack my gym bag, and drive to the gym. There were too many steps involved.

    What I Learned About Myself

    Now working from home, it’s easy to find myself sitting in front of the computer all day. Before long, it’s the end of the day. When the sun is down, my body doesn’t feel like exercising. It’s dark and there isn’t much I can do outdoor. I’m tired from working all day, and I need to prepare dinner prep.

    As I observe myself, I reached the following conclusions.

    • If the exercise involves too many steps, I won’t do it.
    • It’s highly unlikely for me to work out after work at night.
    • I know a short exercise routine is better than nothing.
    • I need to do it in the morning before work, and make it ridiculously easy to start.

    My 3-minute Workout

    With the above in mind, I designed a simple 3-minute workout that I will do first thing in the morning.

    Now I wake up, get a glass of water, and do the following in my room.

    1. Push-ups: I plant my fingers strong, tuck my elbows in, and try to maintain a perfect plank the whole time.
    2. Squads: I keep my arms extended with a wide stance, bend my knees to 90 degrees, and return to the original position.
    3. Standing Crunches: I first interlock my fingers behind my head. I raise my left knee, rotate my upper body to the left, and touch my left knee with my right elbow. Repeat on the other side with right knee and left elbow.
    4. Jabs: I take an athletic stance and do punches. Alternate left and right.
    5. Kicks: I take an athletic stance, raise one leg at a time, and kick at waist level. Alternate left and right.

    When I did this routine for the first time, I started with doing only five of each of that above. It was absurdly easy that it took less than minute, but that is the point. The hardest thing is to start, so lowering the barrier to start is key. I do the same number on each so there is less number to keep track of.

    After the workout, I log the number in my daily habit tracker and enjoy a short burst of triumph.

    I set two rules for myself. First, I do this workout first thing in the morning. Second, I do at least as many as the previous day. That means I have the option to add (only) one each day. For example, I did 24 of each yesterday and the day before. This morning I felt ready to do my 25th push-ups, so I added one.

    I do it in my pajamas. I know some people suggest sleeping in workout clothes to make it easier to work out the next day, but I am not quite ready to do that yet. My pajamas are too comfortable to sleep in. Plus, it’s one less thing I need to do!

    What You Can Try

    If you are looking to add a bit of exercise in your life, design something absurdly easy that you can’t say no to. The key is consistency, and build on it as time goes. Don’t make it too hard at the beginning, or scale up too much too quickly. When you burn out, you stop doing it. That’s the worst outcome.

    You don’t need fancy equipment or gym membership. It costs nothing, requires no planning, and doesn’t need you to go anywhere. The possibilities are endless. Go for a 5-minute run or a 10-minute walk. Build your own routines like mine, and substitute with what you prefer. Regular push-ups may be hard, so feel free to use your knees for support. Or do give push-ups, do something else, and do another five. Mix it up, and play with it.

    Once you figure out a routine that works for you, try to stick to it, but keep an open mind: you can always change things around. The choice is yours.