Alright, let me tell you about this little experiment I ran for myself not too long ago. I called it “4 for four” in my journal. Wasn’t anything groundbreaking, just a personal thing to kinda shake things up a bit.
I was feeling a bit sluggish, you know? Like Groundhog Day every day. Same routine, same distractions. Needed a change but didn’t want to commit to some huge, life-altering plan that I’d probably ditch after a week. So, I thought, okay, keep it simple. Four things. For four weeks. Seemed manageable.
My Four Things
Here’s what I decided to focus on. Nothing fancy:
- Get Moving: Actually get up and walk for at least 30 minutes every single day. Rain or shine.
- Read Real Paper: Ten pages of a physical book. No screens, just paper and ink before bed.
- Digital Sunset: Put away the phone, tablet, laptop – all that stuff – by 9 PM. Tough one, I knew it would be.
- Water Up: Drink more water. I got one of those big bottles and made sure I finished it each day.
How It Went Down
So, Week 1 kicked off. I was pretty motivated, naturally. The walks were actually nice, explored the neighborhood a bit more. Found a dusty novel on the shelf for the reading part. The water was… okay, lots of bathroom trips. The 9 PM digital cutoff? Yeah, that was hard from day one. Kept reaching for the phone out of habit.
Week 2 was the real test. Enthusiasm dipped. It rained a couple of days, and I really had to force myself out for those walks. Felt grumpy. Almost skipped the reading a night or two. The phone thing felt like an addiction I was trying to break – fidgety evenings. Honestly thought about just quitting the whole ‘4 for four’ idea. Felt a bit silly.
Then came Week 3. Something kinda clicked. I started looking forward to the walks again, sometimes listening to music. Made progress in my book, actually got into the story. The 9 PM rule got easier; I started tidying up, prepping for the next day, or just sitting quietly instead. Still missed scrolling sometimes, but it wasn’t a fight anymore. Drank the water without thinking too much about it.
By Week 4, it felt… normal? The four things were just part of my day. I finished the book. The walks were non-negotiable. Evenings felt calmer without the endless blue light. I wasn’t magically transformed or anything, but I felt better. Less frazzled.
So, What’s the Point?
Look, this “4 for four” thing wasn’t some miracle cure. It didn’t solve world peace or make me rich. But doing it, sticking with those four simple, small things for a whole month? It showed me I could actually follow through. It wasn’t about the specific habits as much as the consistency.
It made me more aware of my own patterns, especially the phone thing. And yeah, I felt physically a bit better from the walking and water. Mentally clearer too, maybe from the reading and less late-night screen time. It was just a small, personal project, but it felt good to complete. Just putting one foot in front of the other, four ways, for four weeks. Sometimes that’s all it takes to get unstuck a little.
