The Case for Tiny Experiments

A more realistic way to shift your sleep, energy & habits without guilt or a full life overhaul

Lately I’ve been noticing how easy it is to slip into autopilot. I go through seasons with this. A few months of starting the morning on my computer, a few days out on the porch with my coffee (because what a GREAT idea)…then back to the computer. A couple of weeks of trying a new breakfast routine. Half a year of adding in a workout routine (and then abruptly dropping it). And there’s always this “I should really start xyz…” thought in the back of my mind about something.

Right now, for me, it’s workouts. I’m really, really struggling to find a routine I like. (As I sit here, I’m realizing I was having this same exact thought last December. How has it been a year?)

What I’m realizing (for myself and for so many women I talk to) is this: big identity-level goals sound inspiring. But tiny experiments are what actually move the needle.

Because ultimately, it comes down to this:

Habits feel heavy. Experiments feel…lighter.

Think about how different these two things feel in your body:

“I’m going to wake up at 5:30 every day from now on.” vs.“For the next 7 days, I’m going to see what happens if I get light in my eyes before I look at my phone.”

One feels like a test you can fail. The other feels like…curiosity.

Same with food: “I’m never eating sugar again.” vs.“For the next week, I’m going to eat something with protein and fiber before any pastries I decide to add to my breakfast this holiday season ☺️, and see how my energy feels.”

We don’t need more chances to feel like we messed up. We need more chances to notice what helps.

So here’s a question I have for anyone who is interested…

What if you treated your life like a gentle science experiment?

Not in a cold, data-only way (I love reading about those, but not actually doing them). More like: “Let’s see what happens if…”

Here are some ideas I’ve come up with to play with:

• For 7 days:
  Eat some protein with breakfast (eggs, Greek yogurt, leftover chicken, whatever you actually have).

  • Just notice: Do you still get that 1pm crash?

• For 5 dinners:
  Sit down, put your phone in another room, and actually chew your food.

  • Notice: Is your bloating any different? Do you feel calmer after?

• For one week:
  After a bigger meal (lunch or dinner), go for a 5–10 minute walk instead of heading straight to the office chair or couch.

  • Notice: Digestion? Mood? Sleep?

• For 3 nights:
  Keep lights lower after 7-8 pm and use lamps, not overheads. Or if you dare to go big, even try using a pair of blue blockers (yellow or red) or a blue-light blocking bulb (blockbluelight.com is one of my favorites for all of these products…and I’m not an affiliate…just pure lover of their products).

  • Notice: Does your brain feel a tiny bit less “wired”? Does sleep feel deeper?

No perfection. No “forever.”
Just: I’ll try this for a short window and see what I learn.

Why this matters more than another “challenge”

Your hormones, gut, and nervous system don’t shift because you downloaded a new habit tracker or read James Clear’s awesome book, Atomic Habits.

They shift because of what you repeat. And repetition is way easier when it started as something small and kind, not as punishment. When you treat things like experiments, you’re not a failure if you miss a day. You’re just “collecting data”. For me at least, this helps build a little file in the brain labeled: “Things that reliably make me feel better.” And that file becomes gold when life gets chaotic.

If you want a place to start…

Pick one of the experiments I listed above for the next 7–10 days, or choose your own. Here they are again:

• Protein at breakfast

• A 5-10 minute walk after a bigger meal (lunch or dinner)

• Phone in another room at dinner

• Lights lower after 7-8 pm

• One fully undistracted meal

Write one sentence each day about how you felt (Not to judge, but just to gather your thoughts).

Big overhauls (even modest ones) usually backfire and make you feel worse about yourself. This is why I’m in tiny experiment mode.

If you join me on this, I’d love to hear how it goes.

Also, I started a free chat called “The Rhythm Reset” that any subscriber can join. Here we can share our experiments and wins…offer tips and encouragement, etc. Basically, do these things that we want to do to feel better, but in the middle of real-life and without feeling alone in it. You can access that here:

Or just comment below.

xx,

Dinah