#chains.cc

[ratherboogie]

Since we're almost 3 weeks into the new year and it's working for me: if there's a resolution you're trying to keep of the "I need to do this every day" variety (or one you'd like to start), try chains.cc.  It's "don't break the chain," but online, with customizable skins, apps, social options, etc.  It's kind of fun, and it's actually helped me do things I need but don't want to do, like check my e-mail when I'm afraid of what might be in my inbox, write every day, etc. -- and to get back to doing those things if I slip up and miss a day.  Worth checking out.

[euhaline]

I Won't Shut Up About Chains

That's Chains.cc , and it seems weird and too-minimal at first, but it's really fun.

The Good: This post! Doggy bed and vest thing are clean, SINK IS EMPTY, LAUNDRY HILL IS GONE.

The Bad: None today? Mood stuff, but that's not new. I am still resisting that table. I will make it the first thing I do Wednesday.

The Ugly: The only thing worse than finding a roach in your sink is finding PARTS of a roach in your sink. ALL OF THE SHRIEKING. FOLLOWED BY ALL OF THE SCRUBBING. SO MUCH SCRUBBING AFTERWARD. The bathroom may never smell like anything but Pine Sol, ever again--and I'm okay with that, really.

Successes Today: I know I say "this post" over and over, but man, getting to click this THREE DAYS IN A ROW on Chains is so satisfying. Put away all the laundry. Washed all the dishes. Washing the dishes is actually A HABIT, NOW. This. Actually. Works!

[altnate]

Form some good habits with Chains.cc

Chains.cc is a new iOS app from Siirre Transplants. It’s available now as a $0.99 download from the App Store. Chains.cc is a simple productivity tool aimed to boost motivation by following the “don’t break the chain” leverage technique supposedly … Continue reading → http://goo.gl/2b5Tm #AltNate

[withpotatoes-blog]

My Toolbox

Ahhh..dammit. I just watched the brain crack video again and I'm totally all cracked out. I'm getting moderately overwhelmed again by everything, and I'm doing my best to keep this anxiety in check. I'm not getting much done beyond getting to work and doing my job, and shopping a lot again. Retail therapy is highly effective in that it takes up SO MUCH time, and you feel productive for getting such great items for such a low low price. The dopamine kicks in just great. Meanwhile, you've used up all your time and energy on looking great instead of on getting shit done.

The main tools I am using lately for keeping my shit together are:

Welbutrin - very low dosage, but I find my anxiety skyrockets to paralyzing heights if I skip it for more than about a day. 

Adderall - very low dosage, but I find if I take any more, then I feel speedy and anxious.

Unfuck Your Habitat - holy shit this thing, this thing has gotten me to clean better than anything ever before, and that includes when I owned dogs that would eat any clothing that I didn't put away immediately. I'd like to try to apply the ideas here to academic pursuits and other career-related things, but I get overwhelmed just figuring out where to start

Biking - Transit and exercise and dopamine, but more importantly: bikes are the best. 

Noom weight loss coach (Android app) -  I do have weight-loss goals, but so far I'm using this more to get into the habit of paying attention to what I eat and when. By far the easiest to implement of all the health-related apps I've tested.

Chains.cc - This wasn't helpful at first because I started about a dozen new habits at the same time. Then I decided I'd get to check things off if I worked towards them, as opposed to completely accomplishing each goal every day (e.g. I still get the check if I drink 6 glasses of water instead of 8). I'll adjust the chain goals as each habit becomes established.

It's not a bad toolbox. If I find writing to be helpful, then I will keep it up. Writing more, even if it's just a tumblr post or an email, is one of the things on my gigantic to do list.

The line in the brain crack video that gets to me the most is, "When I get an idea I get it out into the world as soon as possible..." 

So I'm going to try to do that.

Onward.

[universityisabattlefield-blog]

Progress Report - 26 April

Achievements!: - Went to PBL tutorial - Did 2 hours coding - Went to a really excellent Comp Sci learning centre tutoring session thing - Went to ITP practical  - Worked 4pm - 7pm - Did 3/10 questions of Chem assessment (due tomorrow 5pm) - and ~2 hours of study as an unintentional but glorious side effect. Today was okay. I mainly panicked and freaked out about my practical, because there was no way in hell I was getting the thing all done, but I was able to at least get the first question finished and hand it in. I have next week to study and figure out how the hell to do it, then submit it to the course director, so that's okay. Also impressed with the amount of study I've done today -- I always forget how magical Chemistry is until I actually sit down and force myself through it. The periodic table is witchcraft, I swear. Tomorrow: - 9am Chemistry practical - 12pm go home for Afternoon Of Study! - Finish Chemistry tutorial assessment before 5pm (involves at least 3 hours    Chem study - really good idea for an assessment, seriously) - 1 hour Javascript revision - 1 hour Psychology revision - PBL question (due Monday) - ITP tutorial questions if I'm feeling cocky 

Notes: Yes, I'm skipping lectures in the afternoon tomorrow. In my defense, I've realized that I need to catch up on the old lectures before I can resume going to new ones - and I've done a solid whack of work toward that today. More will be done tomorrow and over the weekend. I've signed up to Chains.cc because it's amazing. I've only started two chains to be safe at first, tying in with my current modest goals - at least 30 minutes of study each day, and at least 20 minutes of tidying / unfucking my room/house per day.  I'm actually looking forward to coming home to study tomorrow afternoon. I am blaming this in part on how tidy and sweet my room is at the moment. It's a pleasure to be in here. Blaming it also in part on how it feels really good to be catching up on uni. Don't get me wrong, I'm still behind in just about everything. But I'm in control of it. And I'm catching up. Shit is hard! Let's do this!