How I Ring in Healthy Habits

Melissa and I have this holiday routine where we buy ourselves something we like and then announce to the other, “You got me such-and-such for Christmas.”

So, this year, I’m happy to announce: My dear, sweet, generous wife “got” me an Oura ring for Christmas.

It’s one of those “smart” rings, measuring heart rate, respiration, blood oxygen, body temperature, sleep stages, and stress — among other metrics.

Two reasons I love this gift:

1. It reminds me I’m a healthy person.
2. I can’t manage what I can’t measure.

Identity Sculpting: “I am a healthy person”

In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear says: “True behavior change is identity change. You might start a habit because of motivation, but the only reason you’ll stick with one is that it becomes part of your identity.”

Want to write more and better profit-generating marketing content? It won’t happen if you think of yourself as “not a creative person” or “not a writer.”

You might be able to spit out a few emails by sheer force of will. But over time, you won’t establish the habit, and you’ll fail.

Instead, take simple steps to sculpt your identity as a writer. Journal for a few minutes every morning. Write whatever you want without concern about its business impact.

You’ll gradually sculpt your identity as a “writer,” and you’ll find it easier to develop the business writing habit.

Same goes for me and my health. I could will myself to the gym. I could force myself to eat carrots and kale.

Been there. Done that. It’s hard — especially if I think of myself as an “unhealthy” person trying to lose weight, sleep better, and get in shape.

Now, I’m taking deliberate small steps to remind myself: “I am a healthy person.”

Every time I look at my right hand and see that ring…

…it reinforces my identity as a healthy person. It reminds me to do what healthy people do.

Keeping Score

With guidance from a brilliant productivity expert named August Bradley, I use an application called Notion as the foundation for my “life operating system.”

I keep notes, manage projects, and set/track goals in Notion.

I’m drafting this email in Notion where it will become part of my searchable content archive.

My Oura ring syncs with my Notion account where I record daily steps and hours slept.

I’ve set daily and weekly goals for each. Every evening and at the end of each week, I track my progress against my goals.

I celebrate when I reach and exceed my goals. I reflect and adjust when I don’t.

Scorekeeping like this keeps me focused on my goals and holds me accountable.

Without the ring, this would be a much more tedious process. I probably wouldn’t do it. I would lose the focus and drift from my path to progress.

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