21 Days
Illustration
21 Days encourages people to try a new habit for three weeks. The project and habit choices were inspired by several TED Talks, namely In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honoré and The Lost Art of Letter-Writing by Lakshmi Pratury. Each set of cards has its own color and illustration with a short description of the importance of the habit and space for people to spend time each day journaling about their experience. The cards are designed to be used as a starting point for reflecting on the place of each habit in their life and inspiring the practice and implementation of the new habit.
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Visual Identity
Each habit has its own color palette and illustration while using consistent typography. As each one has an individual set of colors it would be possible to expand the set in the future to include new habits or ideas.
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Being Present
Text on front: We’re so busy watching out for what’s just ahead of us that we don’t take time to enjoy where we are.
Description: Most of our time is spent in the past or the future rather than the present and we only pass through the present to reach something else and miss the moment. Practicing mindfulness and being present no matter what it is you are doing will allow you to slow down and appreciate what is happening in your life right now. Pay attention to every aspect of what you are doing, all of your senses and your thoughts.
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Breathing
Text on front: Smile, breathe and go slowly.
Description: It is not easy to master moving through life with purpose and mindfulness, it is far simpler to speed up and get caught up in the fast paced lifestyle that has become commonplace. When you being to feel this way slow down, pause, and take a deep breath. Take your time and find enjoyment in your life and what you are doing. Continually practicing and checking in is the best way to not lose track of what you are trying to achieve.
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Appreciating Nature
Text on front: Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
Description: Over our history nature has become an other, something that is no longer constantly connected to our daily lives. However, appreciating nature and immersing yourself in the natural world offers many benefits in the rest of your life. There are countless ways to spend more time slowing down and enjoying nature that can work into anyone’s schedule. You could eat lunch outside, stargaze, exercise outdoors, or just take a moment to step outside into nature without distractions and take a moment for yourself, to relax and reflect.
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Focusing on One Thing
Text on front: The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at a time.
Description: In our fast paced world today, it is easy to get overloaded with information and things to do. While everything has a place, multi-tasking is often not the most efficient or simplest way to achieve something. To practice single task working set up to-do lists and prioritize what needs to be done first. Plan out your day or work schedule in blocks, allowing a few open blocks for when urgent things come up. When you are working on a project during one of the times you planned out, shut off all distractions you can, silence notifications and close extra tabs, focus on the one task and get it done without worrying about other tasks.
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In Practice:
Twenty-one days is the generally accepted timeframe for forming a new habit. The goal of this project is to give people somewhere dedicated that they can journal and keep track of their progress towards each habit. A daily reminder to record reflections is more effective than a blank journal or notebook.
