A lifestyle habit that can "change your destiny", I really advise you to try it!

Are you a person who gets excited after only three minutes?

Are you a "late-stage procrastinator"?

Do you feel that life is monotonous and meaningless?

…

Let’s try the “Theme Month Lifestyle”!

People on social platforms who have already experienced this lifestyle said, "I'm starting to look forward to every month in the future" and "It seems like every day is new."

Image source: Screenshot of social platform

So, what exactly is the “Theme Month Lifestyle”?

What is the “Theme Month Lifestyle”?

How to practice

The so-called "theme month life method" is to set a theme for each month, focus on and prioritize this one thing for a month. This thing can be your new interest, or something you have always wanted to do but have not done, such as skating, swimming, painting, playing the piano, dancing, doing combat exercises, or even reading a certain type of book, etc.

The specific operation is to first set a theme for the month, and then make corresponding plans on a weekly basis.

1

Week 1 : Learn about the subject first to prepare for practice.

For example, if you choose learning to skate as the theme of the month, you can check the precautions in the first week and prepare the equipment according to your needs and preferences. Things like finding an ice rink, booking a coach, understanding the differences between different skating methods and preparing the corresponding skates can all be put in the first week.

In addition, you can also go online to read other people’s opinions and suggestions, or talk to friends who are good at this. If there is still time, take the time to put it into practice.

The goal of this stage is to "try ", that is, to see if there are any difficulties or things that you don't understand in the process, so as to lay a solid foundation for further practice.

2

Week 2 : Maintain the pace of the previous week and start or continue practical operations.

It is important to note that you should not give up rashly just because you find that you are not good at it or are not well prepared . This will become a bad psychological suggestion. The task of this stage is to strengthen learning . If it is a small skill, you will probably have learned it by the end of this week.

3

Week 3 : You can try to experience this skill or do something with it.

The task of this week is to master this skill . For skills that take some time to develop, such as skating, you can set a small goal first, such as skating around the ice rink; but if it is a relatively short-term task like baking a cake or learning to make wool felt, in the third week, you can try to make a complete work.

4

Week 4 : Review and summary.

How do you feel about your performance? Do you feel a sense of accomplishment? Do you feel happy in the process? In the week when the theme month is about to end, you can review your learning and practice in the previous month, evaluate and summarize. Generally speaking, this will be the moment with the greatest sense of accomplishment.

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Why is the " Theme Month Lifestyle " so effective?

Whether you are a student or a busy working person, the "Theme Month Life Method" is an effective way to enrich yourself.

First of all, it can help people rebuild a sense of control over their lives in a life full of unexpected events.

The advantage and magic of the "Theme Month Life Method" is to break down difficult tasks. Starting with small tasks can not only reduce psychological pressure and effectively fight procrastination, but also make people focus on the present as much as possible. Improving concentration on the current task is the only way to establish a sense of control over life.

When you focus on doing only one thing every month, you can be freed from the pressure of multiple threads. Compared with "I want to learn to skate", "start skating this month and only skate" is undoubtedly a less stressful idea; and in the case of "I want to learn skating and hip-hop dance", "skate this month and hip-hop dance next month" is definitely a better and less stressful choice than "skate today and hip-hop dance tomorrow" - the reduction in stress level can make it easier for people to start doing something.

On this basis, if we do a good job of task division and review every bit of progress, we will have more motivation to act.

Secondly, it sets up the possibility of "gradually getting better" and establishes the cognition that "one is gradually improving."

As mentioned above, complex tasks always reduce people's execution ability, while small tasks that are carried out step by step will make people more motivated to execute. The key to this is the review at the end of the month . As we all know, as long as you do the skill-based tasks, you will make progress. What is feared is that you have no motivation to do them.

After you have effectively promoted the theme plan for a month, you will definitely find that you have made progress, and this recognition of progress will bring a good experience - "I am great", "I can do it", "I have acquired a new skill", such positive expressions can help people gain confidence and do better in their daily tasks thereafter.

Again, the feeling of happiness that comes from delayed gratification is addictive.

The so-called "delayed gratification" is a decision-making orientation that is willing to give up immediate satisfaction for more valuable long-term results.

Because task splitting effectively reduces the resistance to execution and less willpower is involved in the execution process, it is easier to obtain delayed gratification. As we all know, the concentration of young people today is constantly being destroyed by various addictive factors. It is becoming increasingly difficult to execute a task through long-term planning and reap the results. This is related to the fast-paced online life. It is hard to say whether it is good or bad, but the ability to delay gratification is still an important way to gain positive growth in personality, and the "endorphin happiness" it brings is also a great source of happiness in life. On this issue, the "Theme Month Life Method" shows its advantages.

If implemented properly, the "Theme Month Life Method" can become a fulcrum in the lives of young people, strengthen their sense of value in life, and avoid some meaningless self-consumption.

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Things to note about the “ Theme Month Lifestyle ”

Although the "Theme Month Life Method" is good, there are some things to note when putting it into practice.

First of all, don’t set goals that are too big or unrealistic.

Compared to "learn to skate in one month", "start skating this month" is undoubtedly a better task goal. At the same time, it is best not to even think about plans that are impossible to accomplish, such as "read 100 books this month". You can set a specific small goal first and work towards it step by step. Don't set a goal too high at once, as it will easily lead to frustration and resistance.

For example, if you are a person who lacks daily exercise and your long-term goal is to run a marathon, when this ideal is realized in the "Theme Month Life Method", the first month's goal can be set as "start running, run 200 meters every day, and develop a running habit." If you are a person who wants to learn oil painting from scratch, then the first month's task goal can be "copy Monet's paintings."

Secondly, try the "theme month life method". It is best to start with something you are interested in or a new task you have never tried before, because interest is the best motivation at any time. You can also try things that you don't like but should do, such as obtaining a professional qualification certificate. However, when you have not yet developed the habit of completing tasks as planned, it is best to start with the part you are interested in to effectively reduce the resistance to execution.

Once you have set a goal, you must strictly follow it and get rid of laziness, otherwise you will easily feel frustrated. Failure will also produce inertia. If you cannot develop the ability to delay gratification and give up when you encounter difficulties, you will feel frustrated over time, which will not only damage your motivation but also your self-confidence.

Finally, here are some time management tips:

1. Seize the morning time. If possible, take 20 minutes every morning to perform some simple tasks related to your plan.

2. Make use of fragmented time. On your way to work, before going to bed, or even when you go to the bathroom, you can prioritize tasks related to this month's plan.

3. When making a monthly theme plan, you can divide it according to your work, study, and life. Simply put, when you are busy with study and work, you can assign yourself some relaxing and enjoyable tasks, and when you are resting, you can arrange some challenges.

4. Clarify the priority of tasks. Don’t let the pressure of making a monthly theme plan affect your daily study and life. If you are really busy recently, you can put the task plan aside for now, or adjust it to some relatively simple tasks, and continue when you have time. Just keep doing it.

There is a saying that is so common that it makes one’s ears calloused: hard work pays off. But the old saying is undoubtedly correct. If you accomplish one thing every month, over time, you will find that you become more confident and more energetic. And an energetic person will be able to deal with anything in life easily. By then, you will gain a more mature and charming self after the transformation.

Planning and production

Author｜likely popular science creator

Reviewer: Fan Chunlei, Associate Researcher, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Planning丨Yang Yaping

Editor: Yang Yaping