Do you struggle with getting things done? Maybe your house is more cluttered than you’d like it to be. Or perhaps you don’t get enough exercise. You can trick your brain into action by doing things in tiny chunks.
I’ve written a few books. It took time. You don’t just sit down and write a book in a day. You make time to write a little at a time. So over a period of months, or even years, you complete a book. I’ve written all my books in tiny chunks.
You might not have any desire to write a book, but there’s something to be learned from the process. Doing things in small increments helps you start and complete tasks. You can actually trick your brain into a new habit.
How To Get Started In Tiny Chunks
Here’s how it works. Let’s use exercise as an example.
- Start tiny: If you’re not getting enough exercise, try this. Next time you get up from a seated position take 60 seconds to do a little stretching. Next time you go outside, walk once up and down your driveway. Take little moments to start exercising in tiny chunks.
- Increase: Over time you can increase both the frequency and the duration of your exercise. This is how I’ve started my running routine. I started by simply running two blocks while going for a walk. Then I increased to four blocks, eight blocks, etc.
- Reward Yourself: Here’s the catch. The reward is more of what you’re trying to accomplish. It could be a walk to the park with a friend. Or a day trip to the mountains. Guess what? You get more exercise.
- Continue: Don’t stop. You don’t have to do long workout sessions to get a good amount of exercise. Just keep doing it in tiny chunks. If you continue, you’ll find that you naturally start exercising for longer periods of time.
Sounds Great, But What If It’s A Crappy Job?
It’s all about momentum. It’s like the photo above. You start the balls clicking and they keep going.
Cleaning the garage is not my favorite thing to do. So I don’t do it all at once. I do it in tiny chunks. Even though my garage isn’t very cluttered to begin with, it gets dirty. Yard tools, household items, overflow, and some storage boxes can build up.
I’m currently getting rid of some excess stuff that’s built up in the garage. I could do it all in one day’s work. But instead I do it in tiny chunks. That way I can continue to do other things like writing for Hip Diggs, exercising, and creating music. Here’s how I’m getting the garage cleaning knocked out.
- I do a little bit each time I care for my yard.
- Once a week I bring a storage box or two into the house to sort through.
- I reward myself by taking stuff to charity. It feels good to get rid of the excess.
- I continue. In a few weeks I’ll have a clean and clutter-free garage.
Do Things In Tiny Chunks And Get ‘Er Done
You can apply this method to most anything you need to accomplish. Whether you’re building a tiny house or writing a symphony, working in small increments will help you get things done.
Learn more about happiness and simple living in my free ebook, The Happiness Of Simple. Just click the link below to get started on your own simple-living journey.
