21-Day Self-Improvement Challenge: Week 1
After reading tons of self-help books, articles, and watching so many videos on productivity and self-improvement, I realized that whatever is taught in the personal growth industry never sticks. It's easy to consume hacks and tips, but most people don't follow through.
So I decided to do a 21-day self-improvement challenge. Here's how the first week went:
Day 1: Delete social media.
Social media is a major distraction, so I deleted all of the social media apps from my phone. I also left servers and groups on Discord that weren't essential. This helped me feel more in control of the information I was consuming.
Day 2: Do a physical activity.
I don't exercise regularly, so I decided to start going for a jog in the evening while listening to my favorite music. I really enjoyed it, and I hope to continue moving my body at least 5 days a week.
Day 3: Set a goal for 30 days and break it down.
I decided to focus on completing a coding course that I had started. I committed to coding for at least 30 minutes every day.
Day 4: Sleep an hour earlier.
I used to stay up late texting friends, scrolling Pinterest, or playing chess. But I realized that this was hampering my sleep and increasing my screen time. So I decided to start going to bed at 11pm every night. This has made a big difference in my energy levels.
Day 5: Write a gratitude list.
I never used to believe in gratitude lists, but I decided to try it out. At the end of each day, I wrote down three things I was grateful for. This helped me focus on the positive things in my life and stop thinking about the negative.
Day 6: Do something out of your comfort zone.
I'm an introvert, so I decided to do something that involved people. I started going to an internship for UX design. It's been challenging, but I'm having fun and learning a lot.
Day 7: Start learning something new.
I'm already working on the coding course and the UX design internship, but I decided to start learning chess professionally as well. I've always wanted to learn how to play chess well, and I figured this was the perfect opportunity.
Overall, I'm really happy with how the first week of the challenge went. I'm motivated to continue and see how much I can improve in 21 days.
Lessons learned:
It's important to be specific when setting goals. Instead of saying "I want to be more productive," say "I want to write for 30 minutes every day."
It's also important to break down big goals into smaller, more manageable steps. This will make them seem less daunting and help you stay on track.
It's okay to miss a day or two. Just pick up where you left off the next day.
Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. You might be surprised at what you're capable of.
I'm excited to see what the rest of the challenge has in store!