EXAMPLE:

Successful New Habit: Develop effective time management strategy that includes limit socializing with other lawyers in office.

Benefits: Increase productivity, meet or exceed billables, decrease stress.

STEP THREE

Create a 3 step action plan to jumpstart each new habit. Be specific, pick a start date, a completion date and begin.

EXAMPLE:

Action Plan

1) Develop Time Management System that fits my work-style. 2) Create blocks in day where I close my door and work for 2 hours without interruption. 3) To satisfy my desire to socialize, schedule lunches and after-hour meetings with colleagues so I stay connected. 4) Keep conversations to 3 minutes or less.

Start Date: January 7 Completion date: January 17th

Implementing new habits, new patterns of behavior, will take time. Stay committed to process and you’ll soon achieve your desired results.

Dr. Stephen Covey in his excellent book, The Eighth Habit, says that part of reason that people fall into habit of blaming others is that don’t want to face fact that they are truly to blame for where they are in life. They would much rather “play victim” in life. The truth is ,though, that until a person can honestly say “I am what I am” or “I am where I am because I chose to be here,” they can never improve their current situation. It’s time for us to take responsibility for our lives, no matter situation we find ourselves in.