Keeping it simple

It's been a considerable time since I last blogged here on WinAcc. Other commitments seem to have a habit of taking over from writing blog posts here and generally being green. What with work, other blogs, magazine editing, a new startup business and family life I've barely had time to think about anything green.

And that's often the problem with many people who are trying to reduce their carbon footprint. Other things get in the way. Time is short or life just gets in the way.

I've known for a long time that simply listing out chores that work towards low carbon living is never going to be effective. I have to make low carbon living a lifestyle choice and not just a list of tasks. Low carbon tasks get pushed aside when I run out of time. Tasks are lower priority than life itself. And that's why I, and many other people, approach low carbon living in fits and starts.

One month we are green, the next we are carbon heavy. One day we recycle everything, the next we just throw it in the waste bin.

So making low carbon living a lifestyle is the only way to ensure you remain consistent and ensure longevity in your plan to reduce your carbon footprint.

Simple. Right?

Well not so simple really. Making lifestyle changes is incredibly tricky. Our lives have been conditioned over many years and making changes to our mental models, outlooks and daily activities requires more than a notebook and list of objectives.

It requires us to sit down and really think about how we can make changes. It requires us to realistically assess how deep a change we can make. It requires some thought.

So I've compiled a few points that could help you achieve the changes you feel you need to make:

1. Write down your end goal of low carbon living. i.e. What's the ultimate end goal for you and your green living. Once you have this end goal work backwards from it, breaking the route down in to smaller and more manageable objectives.

2. Now you have a list of changes you need to make list them out and mark them in order of priority. Which ones must be done, which tasks should be done and which tasks could be done.

3. Once prioritised work on one new lifestyle change at a time. Concentrating on just one task means you give it the focus it deserves. Too many things going on will result in confusion and lost focus. This means it won’t get done, you'll get disheartened and then you'll have to start again.

4. Make your list public or at least share it with friends and family. This means you now have more focus, you have people to support you but you have also made a public dedicated commitment to your goals.

5. If you fail, keep trying. Don't be put off by failures. They will happen. Accept this and keep moving on.

6. Why not write about your lifestyle changes in a blog or on a forum. Like right here on the WinAcc.

7. Keep a close eye on your tasks and appreciate that they will change, morph or simply be removed. New ones will get added; change is inevitable.

8. Subscribe to blogs or green twitterers (http://wefollow.com/twitter/carbonreduction) or (http://wefollow.com/twitter/greenliving) to give you daily inspiration. This will keep you focussed and motivated.

9. Don't try and do huge lifestyle changes. Smaller, more manageable tasks will guarantee success.

No doubt I will add some more to this list over time. It's just a start.

Making lifestyle changes is tough. Very tough. And often people fail because they take on too much. Small, incremental changes are the way to success. And don't forget to celebrate the successes.

And keeping with the tips I've shared with you today I'll be posting up soon my list of goals for 2010 with regard to lowering my carbon footprint.

Good luck.