Not really a security topic but imagine I’m using a building a security program analogy.

I’m not a New Years resolution guy. I think January 1 is an arbitrary date and if that I’m going to make changes that stick I need to start now rather than later. I’ve started new habits in the middle of the year and on December 20th. I’ve found that I tend to be more successful when I just start. Three years ago I got a Whoop in November 2020 and it’s been tremendous for habit changes I want to make. It tracks my sleep and strain for the day using a heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen, and stress levels. I fill out a journal every morning on the habits and activities that affect my recovery. I’ve discovered valuable insights that have allowed me to make adjustments for the betterment of my health.

This is one of the things to remember when making changes to your life. It’s not one month and done. It’s a journey. The Whoop has helped with my journey because it provides me the data I need to make more targeted adjustments. It wasn’t something that happened over night or even in a month and I’ve been working on some of my vices for over three years. It took my seven years to quit smoking in my 20s. I did that with small steps.

It’s the same thing for any habit change. It requires small progressive steps. Some people can quit cold turkey or make drastic changes. Good for them! I’m not one of those people, unfortunately. For me it’s small changes that help me make life changing habits. There’s been set backs. A lot of setbacks!

If you’ve set a New Years Resolution that’s great! Making changes is hard. I would advice patience and the acceptance that there will be set backs. If there is a setback work to get back on track. If you keep plugging away it you’ll get better and be healthier for it. Health is very important not only for yourself but also for your career.

This blog post first appeared on Exploring Information Security.