Sabotaging myself (or DOH!!!)

Being a trained scientist and working as one for years, I have a habit of seeing patterns and connections most people miss. It's just the nature of the beast when in science. Sometimes it's the least obvious connection that makes all the difference. So I can see patterns and connections really easy in other people but not so much in myself.

It's been just over 2 weeks since I worked out (I checked on my calendar) and just about a week since I said I was going to put working out on the back burner for now. Well, once I said that of course I really wanted to work out, but very honestly I just could not find the time and the energy. I had so much going on and so much work to do I just didn't see how I could fit it in, that's why I stepped away for a little bit. Then E.L. left a comment that noodled around in the back of my head for a couple of days. He said:

if you've formed the healthy habits and therefore naturally gravitate towards them

Those few words bounced around in my head and were making me question some things. Then, the other day, I was thinking about people who do make time to work out consistently and I thought to myself, well, they have worked their routine so they can do that. I just can't right now. Well, those words joined E.L.'s words in my head and kept bouncing around in there. Something was starting to click.

Last night as I was cleaning up the kitchen I was thinking about my routines, not in reference to working out just in general, and it hit me -- Finally!!! I was sabotaging myself. I had set up my routines to do just that. For example, in the morning here is my normal routine:

Get up
Make coffee
Feed the birds
Sit at computer while I drink coffee
Realize I don't have time to work out
Take the dogs out

Sit at computer while I drink coffee!! I inevitably sit down to check email and suddenly 30 minutes is gone. That's where I'm sabotaging myself. So I've decided to make new routines. This morning I:

Got up
Made coffee
Fed the birds
Sat with my planner and planned my day while I drank coffee
Worked out
Took the dogs out

Wow!!! Just one small change has made a huge difference. There's more to do with my routine but I think I'm not only on to something but off to a good start. Yea!!!