Meow.
I stopped working and looked up. Charlie cat was howling again.
He usually wants into the bedroom after I get up early to write so he can curl up with the missus.
I went up to the bedroom door. No Charles. Hmm.
Meow. He calls again. Not upstairs.
I go down and check the front door. Nope.
The garage door. The garage was his prison all night… again. Poor guy.
Recently, this has started to become a trend since we have some family staying with us.
It did make me think about triggering yourself for success.
Triggering has kind of been getting a bad wrap lately. Yet it’s been one of the most useful ways for me to help transfer some of my good habits to others.
Let me explain.
You can’t remember it all.
While reading Getting Things Done by David Allen, he mentions putting things by the front door so that you don’t forget them.
As a result, your memory gets a break and you don’t suffer.
The items are in your way as you go through a set routine. They essentially do the remembering for you.
This is triggering you.
The good news. It’s 2020. So everyone still seems easily triggered (sarcasm) but we can use this to our advantage. (Hint: It’s human nature.)
An example – I don’t typically lock up the house anymore.
Now someone else does it since I go to bed before 10. I’m getting up early! I can’t do all the things.
As you can imagine, this has not worked out so well for Charles. The garage was his prison twice already this week.
Advanced technology for elegant solutions
My solution? A post-it on the garage door, just above the lock.
It reads, “Is there a CHARLIE behind this door?”
Simple.
The note triggers whoever goes to lock up.
I don’t need to remind anyone.
Or change my schedule to track them down coming or going.
Heck – I don’t even need to know who locks up.
We’ll see how this new system works. No stress. No remembering.
Pretty painless really.
And with that Charles has just come in the back door to greet me for the morning, so I should probably wrap this up.
I’m sure he’s going to yell at me to open the bedroom door shortly.
If there’s a particular topic you’d like me to explore there – reach out and let me know at [email protected] I read and respond to all my email there.
Tim
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