Time Multiplies Good And Bad Habits

Time is the ultimate test of our behaviors, beliefs, assumptions and values.

It reveals whether we are optimists or pessimists. It reveals whether we are doing more what brings out the best or worst in us.

Time also tests our habits: are they good ones that bring joy, peace and happiness — or bad ones that bring stress, fear and misery?

If you think about it, our habits reveal who we really are. They neutralize the pressures of daily life and reveal our true priorities.

Everyone has habits. Some of them are good, while others are not so much. What we do on a day-to-day basis reveals how we spend our time.

“Out of our beliefs are born deeds; out of our deeds we form habits; out of our habits grows our character; on our character, we build our destiny,” says Henry Hancock.

Time is an evenly distributed asset — everyone is allocated the same amount of time every morning. How you spend it is up to you. Time is also one of the most fleeting and challenging to manage.

Great time management skills can help you live a happier, healthier and more productive life. However, developing these habits takes time and will not be instantaneous. Spending time wisely is an iterative process that requires continuous practice.

Making good choices regarding how you spend your time is an ongoing process. Investing time is continuous maintenance, monitoring, and adjustments as your circumstances change over time.

The secret to a productive life is not how much time you spend but how effectively you use it.

What you repeat daily multiplies for or against you

“Good habits, once established are just as hard to break as are bad habits.” — Robert Puller

Your actions reveal who you are — but your habits reveal who you will become. The things we do every day, as automatic as they may feel, clearly indicate where our interests lie, how we perceive ourselves, and what kind of person we aspire to be.

Reducing the scattered fragments of our days into habits — routines that we perform with intention and deliberate practice — is one of the best ways to influence our future self positively.

Habits are behaviors performed so often that they become automatic; if you are not spending time on purpose, you may be unconsciously multiplying habits that are not helping you become a better version of yourself.

“It’s not what you do once in a while, it’s what you do day in and day out that makes a difference,” Jenny Craig said.

To do more of what guarantees better outcomes, track how you spend your time. Time tracking can feel like a chore. Who wants to sit and write down how they spend their time?

It feels like double work, especially if you are already spending time wisely. But tracking is essential to ensuring that you’re spending your time as productively as possible.

What you plant today, you will harvest tomorrow

“Cultivate only the habits that you are willing should master you. “ — Elbert Hubbard

Our choices, beliefs, thoughts and actions determine whether we move forward or backward. And the momentous events that take place in life have long-term consequences.

In fact, everything we do is compounding and multiplying on us — for better or worse — making us who we are today as well as who we will be tomorrow.

Therefore, what you repeat daily multiplies or compounds for or against you. What makes you miserable today or tomorrow won’t change unless you change what you do daily.

The little things do matter. The seemingly insignificant actions in life usually have the most impact if done daily. That’s why habits are so important; what you repeat daily is how you spend your life.

If you are fortunate enough to recognize your shortcomings and desire to improve yourself, focus on compounding life-changing habits.

There are many ways that you can take back control over your everyday habits by making small changes in how you behave.

Identify one small habit you can repeat daily to multiply good outcomes, whether it’s your career, finances, relationship, health, or personal development.

Make it so easy to do that you can’t say no to yourself. “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out,” Robert Collier once said.

This simple change in routine can have a profound effect on your overall well-being. If you choose to repeat something positive and healthy, it will build and reinforce your best self. If you choose to repeat negative behaviors, it will weaken and bring out the worst in you.

This article originally appeared in Medium.