Everyday Systems

What is an everyday system?

An everyday system, TM, is a simple, commonsense solution to an everyday problem, grounded by a pun or metaphor.

What is an everyday problem?

A common, personal problem that is amenable to self-discipline.

I know my problem, where's the system?

In this convenient problem index.

What is the relationship between the systems?

The systems are independent but compatible. I do all of them. But you don't have to. Pick and choose just the ones you like.

Are there any guiding principles shared by all the systems?

Yes. Here they are:

• Striking Image. As mentioned above, each system is grounded by a striking image, pun, or metaphor.
• No keeping track of things. None of the systems require you to keep track of anything beyond the day of the week, what planet you are on, etc. You have too many things to keep track of already. New: since even this level of tracking can be pain, I've developed a free online habit tracker to help.
• Small temporal footprint. They are designed to be minimally intrusive, timewise. Ideally, the systems should free up time, not take more of it. The above point helps a lot with this. It also doesn't hurt that it will take you ten minutes or less to read and understand each system.
• Free or cheap. If you need anything at all, it's nothing you can't pick up at your local hardware store.
• Simple but specific. Common sense is great, but too vague to be a practical guide. Commercial self help systems need to fill 300 page books with something, and are thus of necessity too complicated to be effective. Everyday systems are the happy medium.
• Comic pragmatism. Self help tends to take itself dreadfully seriously, I guess in the hope that other people will. But crazy is a great mnemonic device. If something is a little nuts, you'll remember it. I call this the principle of comic pragmatism. It's a joke, but it's also serious. It's effective because it's a joke.
• Focus on willpower and habit. Unfashionable as it may be nowadays, you've got to wake up to the fact that you have free will. That's step one. Step two is figuring out how to leverage your free (but weak) will against the 800 pound mega-gorilla, habit. Yes, this means tricks. But no trick is going to help you unless you recognize these two key players.
• Enjoyable. They aren't just unpleasant grinds towards a distant goal. Maybe you wouldn't do them solely for pleasure, but you can do them also for pleasure. And when the goal is distant and doubtful, or boring because already (temporarily) attained, that makes all the difference.

I encourage you to come up with your own systems. It's fun, and there's nothing like founder's zeal to get you motivated. Let me know if you do.

How can I connect with other everyday systems practioners?

Visit the bulletin board.

There is also an archive of older posts from the previous bulletin board system.

So what's next?

I've got several more systems in the oven, but it may be another age and a half before I'm sufficiently satisfied with them to give them their own web sites. Until then, you can examine their progress or lack thereof at the everyday systems lab.

Does it cost money to run these sites?

Yes! If you like any or all of these sites, help me pay for them. Buy anything from amazon.com through this link, I get a tiny cut, and you don't pay anything extra.

Random Links to friends' sites

Oh, how unprofessional. But it's one of those things you can still get away with when your own site is running out of your basement.

• Suite Khamush
• Brasidas
• On the Rise Bakery in Richmond, Vermont
• Shiho Masuda art and design