Control your health

Author

Kevin Kermes
March 02, 2024

Happy Saturday!

In January, this newsletter focused on “choice.”

And, in February, we looked at “confrontation.”

Now we’re diving into control.

Let’s get curious about controlling your health.

Asana

Productivity enthusiasts are certainly familiar with Parkinson’s law.

For those who aren’t, it’s a theory around procrastination.

In short: the more time you give yourself to complete a task, the more time you’ll waste trying to complete it.

Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.

Cyril Northcote Parkinson

It’s not uncommon for me to hear people blaming their lack of time as the main reason for not meeting their goals (especially health goals).

Here’s the thing about time — we all get the same amount.

So, let’s flip the script.

More time ≠ more impact

Here’s an exercise to try.

I want you to think about a health goal you set for yourself this year.

Now, strip away the belief that you don’t have enough time to complete it. Ask yourself, could it be, that maybe you don’t have enough control to complete it?

I believe when it comes to our health goals, we can overcome Parkinson’s Law by doing what the best project managers in the world do: Gain more agency over the goals we set.

Here are a few tips/ideas I’ve gathered to give you MORE agency over what you’re trying to accomplish. When you have more control, you can make more impact.

Kevin’s Tips

Example

Invest in a deadline.

Sign up (and pay $$) for an event that has a specific date/deadline. E.g. a half marathon in 4 months. The deadline along with the money you spent acts as a stronger forcing function.

Get outside accountability.

This could be hiring a personal trainer, a nutrition coach, or simply joining a health-related group that forces some form of social accountability.

Kill perfectionism.

Strive for excellence. Consistency is more important than intensity or perfection. Walking on the treadmill is better than not walking at all. Just show up.

Celebrate recharging.

Learn 3-5 new stretches on YouTube that serve your sorest areas. Investing in recovery will allow for exponential impact on your health goals.

KEVIN’S RECOMMENDATIONS
More to get curious about

📌 4-Day Working Week Study Completed: Results are in for the 61 companies in the UK who took part in a six-month 4-day-workweek pilot study. With 89% deciding to keep the structure in place, reports say employees were more efficient, happier, and less likely to turnover.

📌 Visualizing humanity’s wisdom: I’ve been seeing more and more accounts on Instagram that visualize quotes with neat little illustrations. This is one of my favorites called @golimitless. Something about how quickly our brains process visuals over text… I don’t know maybe it’s just a fad but you might enjoy it too.

And just like that, another week of learning and growing is over.

As always…

I’m in this with you shoulder-to-shoulder,

Kevin

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