Hello everyone, this is Helen Huang @ Organizing, based in Beijing, China. In order to better learn and practice the YiXiaoNeng Time Management System, after finished publishing 100 Chinese articles, I decided to continue writing and publishing a daily English article in another 100 days based on the "YeWuBin Time Management 100 Episodes" audio program. Today is the 115th day.

Today's topic is: Excellence is A Habit.

Starting today, we will discuss the "habit" component of time management. Habits are behaviors that are controlled by our subconscious mind. 70% - 80% of human behavior is controlled by habit.

All of us have both good and bad habits. But can you guess which kind of habit most of us have more of?  That's right! More of our habits are bad than good.

In fact, the difference between successful people and unsuccessful people, is that successful people have more good habits than bad habits.

Aristotle once said: "Excellence is a habit."

So what is the relationship between habits and time management?

Tasks that we can control with our subconsciousness require no tools and only a minimal amount of energy from our brain.  This is what it means to have converted an action into a habit – it becomes so easy to perform that it requires almost no energy.

In fact, these tasks that can be done without thought or effort are done automatically. The more things we can automate, the more efficient we will be and the more free we will be.

For example, every day we brush our teeth without thinking.  We breathe in oxygen, and our heart beats every second of every day without thought. These behaviors are controlled by our subconscious, and we do not have to think about whether to do it or not.

Another example: Driving. When we are first learning to drive, we must focus on each individual task from looking at surrounding traffic and anticipating the actions of other drivers, turning the steering wheel, remember traffic rules, etc.

At first, it takes a tremendous amount of energy for our brain to process so many different things at one time. There is a great amount of stress and anxiety and we grow tired very quickly.

But over time, as we repeat this behavior over and over again, these actions become more familiar to us, and require less and less thought and energy.  They become conditioned reflexes.  They become automatic behaviors.

Driving becomes easier and easier as the skill becomes more and more of a habit.

So today I want you to understand we must develop the habit of good time management. Great time managers are simply men and women with excellent habits.

For example, I've said this before that in order to write everything we think about in our minds onto paper, it is necessary to develop the habit of recording information at any given time;

In addition, we should always use tools such as a calendar, OmniFocus or other apps to arrange our own time.  This is another habit we must develop.

Can you see how great time management is not a magic trick or a natural born trait?  It is nothing other a series of excellent habits: a group of finely tuned skills that can be learned.

So how can we develop these habits? It should begin with the right work-life balance.

Every 24 hours there are many things that we must do. Our habits control our actions. And if our habits are efficient and our life is organized, then our actions will also be efficient and organized.   

Examples of good habits include going to bed and waking up early, and completing a morning ritual after getting up.  A ritual that I recommend is take a cold shower and drink a cup of honey water each morning.

For example, let me share my morning ritual with you:

Each morning after I awake, I firs take a cold shower.

Then, I write in my morning diary.

Next, I run and then eat breakfast.

If I am away from home teaching class, I call my children in the morning. And if I am at home I take my children to school.

At different times throughout the day, when I have good energy, I will open my phone contextual list, and make calls.

At other times, I will meditate and exercise. These things are done for only a few minutes.

These small habits have become so automatic and routine that I do them without thinking at the same times throughout the day. Behaviors that are directed by habit require no energy or focus. As long as you are in the appropriate situation and context, your brain will recognize the situation and respond with the automatic habit.

So while others must concentrate and focus, I can complete tasks with ease and automation. Things like: Determining which clock I need to set to wake up in the morning. At what part of the day should I exercise, the morning, noon or night?

When you need to think hard about these things, they become additional tasks on your list and require more energy. They greatly decrease your efficiency.

The more habits you can generate, the more automatic your actions will be and the less time and energy you will use.  

You will save your energy to use on the more important things, like accomplishing your goals and dreams, enjoying your hobbies, and other meaningful things. Your life will become more meaningful, more exciting, and more colorful.

It is so important to develop good habits, because if we do, then we will spend less time working and more time living.

In the next lesson, I will discuss more about habits including the secrets to successful life!

Can you see how much time we waste every day focusing on things we should automate?

Can you see how we must change the way we live in order for our lives to truly change for the better?

Can you see how we must make our lives more meaningful?

In the next lesson, I will talk about energy management and the work-life balance!

That's all for the class. Thank you being with me together today. Have a wonderful day!