Everyday Systems

Had an interesting thought as I am procrastinating on my swim training. The whole point of what Reinhard recommends as an uberconcept of everyday systems is that you're doing something unobtrusive and habit-driven that has a large cumulative effect. Shovelglove for 14 minutes every N-day is a good example, as is No-S with its focus on simplicity and clarity. None of these systems takes much time out of your day.

I clean house like that, doing things in small chunks -- putting things away right away, using a couple of minutes here or there to do some cleaning or toss some things I no longer need. The cumulative effect is amazing, and I think it does fall into the daily unobtrusive habit mindset of everyday systems pretty well.

I don't exercise like that. My minimum swim is well over half an hour, and takes at least an hour what with getting to the pool, showering and drying my hair afterwards. A two to three hours time commitment is not too unusual with my swims.

This isn't habit, my friends. I have to go to lengths and expense to do it, and it's a large mental as well as physical focus. This is a hobby, not a habit.

I mean, obviously I think it's just fine to have hobbies that have payoffs (I knit and sew garments, too!) but I think it's important to be clear on the topic. It helps you make intelligent choices about whether or not that hobby is a good use of your limited time.

I also think that's why No-S is a habit and calorie counting (especially when you get to the level of weighing every gram of food you eat) is a hobby.

What do other people think?

I think you're on to something there.

Running and exercise aren't my default behaviors. I have to plan them, even after years and years of doing them.

But it is habit to think about fitting in my workout every day. There is no longer a question of whether or not I will, unless I've already exercised 4 or 5 days when I allow myself a day off or I'm sick.

I don't think that we go from something being habit to hobby just because it is more time-consuming than unobtrusive. To my mind, a habit is something that we do with regularity because it has become part of our routine, no matter how much time it takes.

I do my housework like you, and also exercise like you...in much larger time installments. But I still think of it as habit. I make it part of my day without question...I just get my butt out the door and to the gym.

As far as No-S, it is the unobtrusiveness that makes the habit easier to form.

Just thinking as I write, but there's my two cents.

I think Brightangel might agree that calorie counting (and all it takes to adhere to limits) is a hobby, since her site is called Diet Hobby.

I got to the point at which I thought of it as a part-time job, not a hobby. Just unpaid.

I'm a bit of a hypocrite in that I've spent just about as much time on this site and one other one to merit as a part-time job, similar to the focus I used to spend on dieting, but it's been a lot more fun. I also think it's just so interesting to examine how "non-dieting" actually has more examples of success in the wide world. I've spent most of my time finding that data and sharing it. It certainly qualifies as a hobby, though it's also a habit. I admit that it's one of my ways of thwarting stress and may be an obsession.

I admit that part of my problems with eating has been trying to find life outside of these concerns, but I can't lay the blame for that on No S. I certainly think it allows for much more attention to life in between meals than traditional dieting.

This is wandering, but I tend to agree with NF, though I see wxwoman's point, too. I've never been able so far to make exercise or housework, except for the bare minimum, a habit. And I doubt I could ever see housework as a hobby! Though I do enjoy the results when my maid comes.

Wow, this is showing to me a related idea: that if I won a small sum in the lottery, it would probably be satisfying for me to make paying a weekly maid my new hobby!

oolala53 wrote:I think Brightangel might agree that calorie counting (and all it takes to adhere to limits) is a hobby, since her site is called Diet Hobby.

I got to the point at which I thought of it as a part-time job, not a hobby. Just unpaid.

I'm a bit of a hypocrite in that I've spent just about as much time on this site and one other one to merit as a part-time job, similar to the focus I used to spend on dieting, but it's been a lot more fun. I also think it's just so interesting to examine how "non-dieting" actually has more examples of success in the wide world. I've spent most of my time finding that data and sharing it. It certainly qualifies as a hobby, though it's also a habit. I admit that it's one of my ways of thwarting stress and may be an obsession.

I DO choose to treat "Dieting" as a personal Hobby.
For ME, the "Hobby" is what LEADS to - and facilitates - the "Habits".

My website, DietHobby, details how I treat the issue of "dieting" -- which includes planned eating schedules - like No S,
as well as issues of calorie counting, food tracking, and a great many different "diets/ways-of-eating/lifestyles"
even those that are allegedly "non-diets", like Intuitive Eating - the eating-to-Hunger Diet - etc. etc.

Fortunately, I have a great deal of free time to spend on my many different Hobbies -
and dealing with issues of "Dieting" is one of them.