Research shows that nearly half of New Year’s resolutions fizzle before February. Instead of setting overly ambitious New Year’s resolutions that make you feel bad when you can’t accomplish them, we want to help you revolutionize your approach to resolutions with Microsteps, Thrive’s science-backed, too-small-to-fail mini behavior changes that you can integrate into your life right away, making it easier to meaningfully form new habits.
We challenged Thrive staffers to test a Microstep for 32 days and write about their progress. The result? Some very honest and encouraging Microstep Diaries, like this one.
Thrive staffer: Lisa Chin Mollica, Director of Product Design
Microstep: Turn on Night Shift to make your phone’s display easier on your eyes.
Why I chose it
I always wanted to do this but was too lazy to look into how to set it up. It felt like something that I could set and forget, but that could potentially impact how I feel day to day. I hoped that at the end of 32 days I would feel more calm at night.
Keeping consistent
Since you set it once, it was really easy to keep this habit going. What was difficult was recording how I felt. I set a daily reminder and even a shortcut on my iPhone. Clicking on a button started my voice recorder, which then saved to a list named “Night Shift” in my iOS reminders.
No more burning eyes
I have watched fellow engineers turn their devices onto Night Shift for years but never felt compelled to do so myself. The first night I did use it, I realized that turning my phone on at night no longer burned my eyes. The same would happen in the morning. It was just so soothing. I liked it so much that I turned the Night Shift on for my Mac Desktop as well.
Key takeaways
I don’t think that I felt any noticeable difference in how rested I felt. In general, there are too many other factors going on in my life to be able to pin any particular shift in feeling down to a change like this. But I’m fairly certain that the “burning of the eyes” is a part of many people’s routines, and to rid your life of that is well worth it.
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More Microstep Month Diaries:
I Made a Small Change in My Pre-Bedtime Ritual for 32 Days and the Results Were Amazing
I Tried A Quick Burst of Exercise Most Mornings for 32 Days and Here’s What Happened
I Journaled Every Night for 32 Days, and Turned It Into a Sweet Gift for My Partner
Arianna Huffington: Give Your New Year’s Resolutions a Boost by Joining Us For Microstep Month