Hello! I am back from a wonderful family vacation at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Here is the video from last week that I couldn’t film while we were away:
One thing I’ve been trying to do more of this year is run little experiments.
Not huge life overhauls. Just tiny changes to see what happens.
Some failed. Others have quietly (well... significantly!) changed how I work, read, run, and spend my time.
Here are five that have stuck. I hope one of them will be worth trying yourself.
Starting the next book within a few days of the last book
My reading has skyrocketed this year. I’ve read 28 books this year so far, and I may already be done with 29 and 30 by the end of this week.
I’ve never tracked how many books I’ve read in previous years, but it’s probably around 12-15.
So, how am I on course to more than double my typical reading?
I have a new rule: I start the next book within three days of finishing the last one.
Typically, when I read, I get into a story, but when it ends, I lose momentum. This year, I’ve kept the momentum going by having a plan for what the next book on deck is and starting it.
Three other things that have greatly increased my reading this year:
Audiobooks: As I’ve shared before, they count as reading 🙂 46% of this year’s books have been audiobooks.
Libby: I get so many books on Libby. This also helps me finish books quickly, as I have to return them. 60% of this year’s books have been from Libby.
Reading more fiction: I went through a really strong non-fiction phase, but this year at least I’ve read 80% fiction. Now, quite a few on my to-be-read list are non-fiction, so we’ll see how this ends up, but I’ve rediscovered my love of being in another world – even non-Wizarding worlds!
So, if you want to read more books, try to keep the momentum going by setting a deadline to start the next one. Or, apply this to any other habit you’re trying to cultivate and start making progress on the next part before you lose your momentum.
Also, please let me know what you’re reading! I need recommendations.
Bricking my phone
This is the newest experiment on the list, but it’s already making a noticeable difference. My husband bought the Brick device last month. Basically, when you put your phone in Brick mode, you can’t bypass it until you scan the Brick with your phone.
So now, if an app is locked, I have to go downstairs and open a cabinet to access it, instead of just entering my Screen Time password to bypass the lock.
I mentioned before that one of the main issues with using my phone is that I read stuff in the morning, start the day reactively, and delay my workout. Now, at 10 pm, my phone locks most of my apps, and they are still locked in the morning.
I’ve already seen it reduce my screen time, particularly in the morning and at night, when my willpower is at its lowest.
Closing all my tabs when I’m done for the day.
I’m the person who usually has a ridiculous number of tabs/windows open, but I’ve noticed it’s making my morning go back into react mode. Every morning, I was essentially opening yesterday’s unfinished thoughts.
If I had had LinkedIn or Gmail open, I would have started perusing that rather than what I was supposed to be doing to start my day. I’ve mentioned before that I’m a big believer in timeboxing, but I was making it hard not to get distracted immediately.
So, now when I am done working, I close all the tabs I have open so I can start the day with a blank slate.
Closing everything gives me permission to start fresh.
It’s been nice.
Following dedicated training plans
I wrote a lot about my recent 5K training plan, and now I’m doing a half-marathon one.
Both plans have been more challenging than I would have created for myself, but they also include a good mix of workouts that keep things interesting.
Most importantly, they’re another way of reducing the need for willpower. I don’t have to decide what kind of run to do or whether I’m pushing myself enough. I simply look at the plan, lace up my shoes, and do the workout.
My enthusiasm for running has never been stronger, and I don’t have to spend any mental energy planning the run. I just execute.
Face washing
Six months ago, I would have been deeply skeptical that “wash your face” would end up on a list of things that changed my year.
There was a whole post about this one recently, but the tldr: big results can come from small, seemingly unrelated changes – like finally starting a skincare routine.
Looking back, none of these experiments were life-changing on their own.
What they all did was remove friction.
Instead of relying on motivation, they made the next right action obvious.
Start the next book. Follow the plan. Close the tabs. Leave the phone locked. Wash your face.
Tiny changes. Much less friction.
See you next week 🙂
About Catherine Connelly:
Catherine Connelly is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and author of Designing Success: Lessons from 20 Years as a Female Tech Entrepreneur. She co-founded myYearbook as a teenager and helped grow it into The Meet Group, a NASDAQ-listed social discovery and livestreaming company acquired for $500 million. Today, she writes the weekly newsletter Growing Up Startup and speaks about innovation, decision-making, and unconventional career paths.
