A tick on xl sheet can do wonders

Last term (I am at XLRI, Jamshedpur right now. Pursuing MBA-HR, VI term) in a course called Personal Effectiveness and Leadership (PEL), an assignment was given in which I had to decide on a few things which I will do daily for the whole term. Since I am in a B-school, the use of power point or excel sheet is inevitable in any assignment. Here too, I had to put entries in an excel sheet about whether or not I did. In addition to that, there had to be put in some of my feelings about those things or the day in general.

The Start: When I started, I put in a few things which I wanted to do. They were very simple and ordinary. Playing badminton, doing yoga, going to gym (unfortunately I could write 'Y' in this column only once), reading news, brushing teeth before sleeping and so on. It started off well. Most of the columns had a 'Y' in it which meant I did them. I loved myself for that. I have always struggled with remaining regular all through my life. Innumerable times I have started things only to leave them in the middle. I hate this habit of mine.
After a few days, the 'Y's increased and it only motivated me to do those things regularly. Often I did them even when I didn't want to. Mostly I am quite soft with myself. I don't do a thing if I don't feel like. However, for the first time I was able to push myself to actually do things which were correct.

The term ended and so did the assignment, and so did the regularity.
Today being the first day of the year 2011, I am revamping my excel sheet again. It will have different headers now, may be more may be less, but there will be. And I would tick in them daily. I expect an increased level of regularity and discipline in myself through the use of excel sheet. Thanks Bill Gates!

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