One of the best things I discovered in 2009 was Nike+. The ability of this tool to track and then present data about my running thoroughly captivates me. It actually makes running interesting. How far? How fast? How often? How can I do better? Every time I run, Nike+ is adding insight to all if these questions and more. So in 2010 not only will I be using Nike+ to help me train for my first full marathon; I am also going to copy the idea and start gathering data about other parts of my life as well.
Exercise:
I want to continue to exercise more in 2010. 2009 was a good start, but in 2010 I am going to push much harder. There are 3 numerical goals that I am going to attempt to reach with regard to physical exercise. They are doing 50,000 push-ups, 50,000 sit-ups, and running 1,000 miles. That amounts to about 137 push-ups and sit-ups per day and about 2.8 miles per day. I know that there will be days that I don’t exercise at all. To compensate for this, my approach will be to do at least 200 push ups and sit ups daily, and running a minimum of 3 miles – allowing for the occasional off day.
I am going to track all of this activity by creating a form using Google docs. I will put a link to the form in my gmail inbox using the quick links feature, and then complete it daily with all of my activity. This information will then feed automatically into a spreadsheet where my results can be measured.
Can I do it? As of right now, I have 49,800 push ups and sit ups to go, as well as 996.8 miles to run. I also hope to do more yoga, weight training, bike riding, and just being more physically active overall.
I am not just going to track my exercise, there are other things I want to track as well.
Diet:
If I am going to take time to log information into a form, I might as well make it worth my while. One of the things I want to track is what I eat and drink every day. I am going to track what I eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the number of beers, sodas, coffees, and waters I drink, as well as any snacks that I much on throughout the day. I am not looking to track everything precisely. I am not concerned with capturing everything exactly. What I want is to get a general idea of what I am putting into my body, and gauge it against my overall health. Perhaps I will find that I need to eat more fruit, drink less soda, or drink more beer. It will be interesting to find out.
Sleep:
Sleep is important to health. Everyone knows it. I have never tracked exactly how much sleep I get every day, but I know it is not enough. In 2010 I plan to roughly track when I go to sleep, when I wake up, and how soundly I was able to sleep. If I stick with the exercise program, I have a bunch that sleep will not be a problem. My hope is to get at least 8 hours a day – hopefully this is more than a dream.
Television:
I watched less television in 2009 than in 2008, but still watched more than I needed to. I am going to watch less television, especially mindless television in 2010. I have no problem with tv, but sitcom re-runs and TMZ are doing nothing to enrich my life. I like watching sports, and will continue to do so within reason. Not having cable television helps to limit my choices. I will also will continue to watch a lot of PBS, as it brings so much entertainment and education to my life. I will also watch other select programs that I enjoy. Still, I am going to be much more quick to hit the off button and find something else to do. I don’t want my life story to be about me sitting around in a catatonic state staring off into the abyss. I would rather do things. I plan to track how many hours of television I watch, and plan to be stunned with how much of my life is still being wasted.
Reading:
One of the activities that add tremendous value to my life is reading. I know it. Still, as Goethe said “to know and not to do is not to know.” Thus my goal is to spend over 5,000 minutes reading books in 2010. If I spend only 15 minutes a day reading, I will beat this goal by almost 500 minutes. Hopefully I will be able to beat it by even more. I know that I want to read at least 25 books on Creativity, and Seth Godin, Garr Reynolds, and Dan Pink all have new books either out or on the way. To get all these books read is going to take effort. I am certain that I am up to the task.
Writing:
In 2010 I want to write 150 blog posts. That amounts to about 3 posts per week. These posts will force me to write and will also include more podcasts, videos, and photos too. I look forward to applying my creativity and creating some interesting content for those of you who are kind enough to spend time visiting my site.
2010 is going to be a great year. I have a lot to accomplish, and a lot to track. I will keep you posted on my progress. Wish me luck. Happy New Year!
