Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin Read Free Book Online

I’m heading to the podium. It drives my staff crazy, but that’s when I get my ideas.” Another Sprinter observed: “I prefer to be completely immersed in a project for a short period of time. The work flows better, I can hold my concentration. Spread things out, and the total hours go way up.”
    Sprinters and Marathoners usually feel good about their work style, but Procrastinators don’t. Procrastinators may resemble Sprinters, because they too tend to finish only when they’re against a deadline, but the two types are quite different. Sprinters choose to work at the last minute because the pressure of a deadline clarifies their thoughts; Procrastinators hate last-minute pressure and wish they could force themselves to work before the deadline looms. Unlike Sprinters, Procrastinators often agonize about the work they’re not doing, which makes it hard for them to do anything fun or meaningful with their time. They may rush around doing busywork as a way to avoid doing what they know they have to do. (It’s a Secret of Adulthood: Working is one of the most dangerous forms of procrastination.)
    Sprinters call Marathoners “plodding,” and Marathoners call Sprinters “irresponsible,” but there’s no right way. Procrastinators, however, are happier when they change their work habits to work more steadily.
Am I an Underbuyer or an Overbuyer?
    Underbuyers hate to shop and buy; overbuyers love to shop and buy. As a confirmed underbuyer, I delay making purchases or buy as little as possible. I scramble to buy items like a winter coat or a bathing suit after the point when I need them. I’m suspicious of buying things with very specific uses—suit bags, hand cream, hair conditioner, rain boots, Kleenex. I often consider buying an item, then decide, “I’ll get it some other time” or “Maybe I don’t really need it.” Because we underbuyers dislike buying, we often resist buying equipment or services that would help us keep our good habits.
    Overbuyers, by contrast, find excuses to buy. They accumulate large quantities of office supplies or kitchen gadgets or travel paraphernalia with the thought “This will probably come in handy someday.” When trying to shape a habit, overbuyers tend to load up on equipment or services that they imagine will help them keep their good habits.
    The underbuyer thinks, “I don’t need to buy running shoes. These old tennis shoes will be fine.” The overbuyer thinks, “I need running shoes, and a spare pair, and a reflector vest, and a pedometer, and a book about avoiding injury.” Knowing our inclination to under- or overbuy can help us identify opportunities to buy, or not buy, to foster our healthy habits. Underbuyers should remember that spending money to support a good habit is worthwhile; overbuyers should remember that mere acquisition isn’t enough to establish a good habit.
Am I a Simplicity Lover or
an Abundance Lover?
    As an ardent fan of children’s literature, I’ve started three children’s literature reading groups. Yes, three . (When I started the first group, I truly believed that I was the only adult in New York City who loved children’s and YA literature.) At one of our meetings, a friend remarked, “I always want to feel empty,” and another responded, “I always want to feel full.” This was one of the most interesting brief exchanges I’d ever heard. I didn’t understand exactly what these two people meant, but it got me thinking about those who love simplicity, and those who love abundance.
    Simplicity lovers are attracted by the idea of “less,” of emptiness, bare surfaces and shelves, few choices, a roomy closet. I’m in this camp; I get more pleasure out of shedding things than from acquiring things. I easily feel overwhelmed when there’s too much noise, too much stuff, or too much happening at