“Go big or go home”—that’s the phrase often used in Vegas. The reality, as I found out this month, is that going big doesn’t really work. It’s the small stuff that really matters.
The Yo-Yo Effect vs. Sweating the Small Stuff
One thing I want to touch on is big changes; they really do mess with you. When forced upon you, you just can't control that; you just have to deal with it. But when you are trying to make changes, big ones are not the way to go, which is already well documented.
In my case, I am trying to reduce screen time. One week I decided I need to cut down big time, and I did. Went from a daily average of 4 hours to 2 hours, and I was happy with the results. But this was so drastic that the following week, boom, up to 7 hours on one day: the yo-yo effect took its hold.
Reality is real change happens by taking small, consistent actions. It takes time, and this is the hard part, as you don't actually feel the change. This is doubly true in our culture of wanting everything now. But small consistency is how you get sustainable, lasting change. It's about sweating the small stuff.
“Well-being is realised by small steps, but is truly no small thing” - Zeno, quoted in Diogenes Laertius, Lives of the Eminent Philosophers, 7.1.26
With my new career, I would love to be bringing in new clients and work, to make a success of it straight away. But I know if this happened, the reality would probably mean burnout and it wouldn't be sustainable.
Consistency In the Gym
Strength training is going well. I am getting personal bests regularly, but I know soon I will hit my limit, which is fine. I can’t believe how much has changed on this front; I think back to about two years ago, when I was struggling to do more than a few push-ups. This is small consistency paying off in real time.
In addition to my usual cardio routine (step climber and bike), I am now swimming twice a week, trying to improve my freestyle, and in addition, I have started hiking. Just short hikes near home, four years after moving there—better late than never.
Disconnecting: Testing "Monk Mode"
To end the month, I tried something new. I went "monk" mode, where I totally disconnected. I'm re-reading Sahil Bloom's The 5 Types of Wealth book where he talks about doing this for 1 day (and some people also do it for 1 week). I didn't want to go big (see above), so I tried it for one afternoon. During this afternoon, the computer was off and the phone set to do not disturb. I set myself up with no distractions, just my notebook and Kindle.
I caught up reading some articles, reviewed and re-assessed my goals for the year, meditated, journalled, took a few walks, and wrote this reflective piece. I avoided jumping on my phone and computer to scroll, and I also avoided doing things. I really wanted to give this a proper go to totally shut off from doing and use the time to reflect and clear my head.
What did I make of it? Well, it was good to shut off for a few hours. It was good to catch up on some long-form articles I wanted to read, and I was able to get some clarity on how my year has gone and how I want it to go. Will I do it again? Yes, probably in another month and probably again for an afternoon, rather than a whole day. Maybe one day I will get to the point of being able to go "monk" mode for a whole week!
In the meantime, I will start small and try to keep consistent. It was a really great opportunity just to slow down for a few hours, something we find hard to do in today's fast-paced, always-on society.