Struggling With Consistency
Have you found a problem with yourself that you had a really hard time changing? Well, consistency is one of mine. I have spent years trying to fix this. I have set up mini deadlines, I have set up schedules, and I have simplified projects. I have done everything I can think of to find the root cause of my consistency issues.
Over the years, I have tried many things and they have all failed. I realized that I am the type of person who likes to "complete" things and never come back to them. This results in doing too much too fast, making projects overwhelmingly large, and ultimately...being inconsistent. I like finishing things and moving on to the next thing. But, I have to accept that this is an unrealistic expectation, to have things "complete".
The reality is that in the online world, we have to keep things updated and relevant. It really is no different in the offline world. You can't just drive your car, you also have to maintain it consistently to keep it in good shape. That means keeping it clean, making repairs, and making sure it has fuel and other necessities. So, I have to accept that every project will be "ongoing" and I have to find a way to work with this. This is where fantasy goes head-to-head with reality. The fantasy is to have things in pretty packages sitting on a shelf to be collected and admired. The reality is that those things will ultimately lose relevance and beauty over time if they are neglected. This is true with everything, nothing can ever be 100% complete. Especially as the world evolves and updates are made.
So, blogging should help right? We will see. I have set my expectations low. I know that changes in my life can greatly affect my consistency, so I wanted to account for that. For example, if I get sick or hurt it will set me back a certain amount of time which will affect my schedule. It takes me time to get back in the swing of things, more than I would like. I have a hard time doing the same thing every weekend or every day. So, I decided that setting unrealistic deadlines for myself would just set myself up to fail. I know myself pretty well and I have to be lenient with myself. ha ha!
I don't think I am the only person who struggles with consistency. Your life would have to be perfect for nothing to ever get in the way. No one lives in a bubble where they are completely safe from changes. I know some people try, but it is unrealistic to think you can control everything. Life happens. Actually, if you are a simulation person this is probably possible depending on your programming but as a real person, things are going on around you all the time and those things leak into your life at some point. It is kind of how life works. lol.
What have you done to help yourself be consistent? What has worked and what has not?
Have a great weekend everyone! Thanks for reading and telling me about your experiences with this issue. :D
Recent Comments
16
mydeas,
I find that keeping a phone journal can help when it comes to consistency. I have become very good at using Quick notes and Notepads on my phone and other devices. I have my to-do lists, keywords, study guide, shopping lists, and quotes in hands reach.
It's impossible to remember everything. I also add a little gratitude section on my phone calendar. I try to be grateful for at least 3 things every day.
I also made a spreadsheet for affiliate marketing stuff such as ShareAsale, Amazon associate, and for reviews, etc. We have to juggle a lot of things, so might as well right it down.
I'm working on some type of schedule to check my Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest accounts to see how my blog is faring.
That's about it for me.
Rachele
These are great ideas! I would love to see how you set up your spreadsheet. I love spreadsheets, but rarely use them for anything productive. ha ha!
Thank you. :D
Seizing each new day that I am allotted, I confront most tasks as they come and deal with the most important ones first. I am a multi-tasker, and having a lot of projects going and getting completed in stages make me feel productive, Angela!
Different things seem to work for different people! We should always do what works best for us!
Jeff
Hello Angela,
Jay Neill our Wealthy Affiliate Live Training Coach gave a podcast on this topic many years ago. He recognized that being consistent is a problem common to most people. Hence this podcast. Here is the link: Pushing Through the 3 Month Wall I hope this helps.
Edwin
Thank you Edwin! I appreciate that you took the time to find this and post it. I will definitely watch this!
Have a great weekend. :D
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For me consistency is also a struggle especially because life gets in the way with very unexpected obstacles.
I try writing things down on yellow sticky pads…this was I can easily move things around and as I get something done I can pick another item to do.
Also if I get stopped in the middle of a task, lesson or article writing I can pick right back up where I left off.
It’s not a perfect system, but it helps me keep moving forward.
-Mike
I love love love sticky notes! There are so many colors and shapes and they are just great!
I tried the sticky note idea many years ago.....until there were so many sticky notes....it was like wallpaper. Then, I tried virtual ones on my computer....until my entire screen was nothing but virtual sticky notes. Then I decided that this was not working for me...so I got sticky notes that were cute animal shapes just to draw on when I got bored and give them little clothes. Then someone said "Stop putting animal sticky notes wearing clothes all over the house! OMG." So, I put them on and in everything for awhile. Then I got bored and I moved on to cockroach bag clips.......that I put around the house. The random "OMG!" responses were great! I think you can see why the sticky note idea did not help me and bag clips can be a bad influence. I have stopped myself from putting labels on everything with the label maker, but that is only because I don't have enough cartridges. ha ha!
Anyway, this idea does work for many people. It is a great idea! They are a fantastic invention. I don't think they were made to be a toy, but some of us (me) can not resist.
Oh! I tried chalk boards and dry erase boards. You can imagine how that went....they are like giant erasable paper. That means random doodles and nothing productive whatsoever mixed with sticky notes because no one wants to erase the doodles. I think I should have giant ones, but I don't think other people would like that. If I had a studio....oh that would be so much fun! :D
Thank you Mike!
Thank you for this funny response Angela — have a great weekend, and I certainly hope you find a method that works for you. 😆
-Mike
I hope you had a good laugh. :D
Have a fantastic weekend!!