Here are 5 habits that can do that for you too:
Habit #1. Start your day getting energized with a morning routine.
How can it improve your life?
There are tons of benefits to having a morning routine. First, you become the master of your own time. This means you can start working on things that are important to you, instead of leaving them for later. Also, you can be more calm knowing in advance what your day will look like.
How do you start practicing it?
- Hack your morning alarm. Create an alarm that is friendly to your sleepy self. Pick a ring tone that’s unusual but not irritating, make a recording of your own voice saying a positive message, or queue up some music that you find uplifting and energizing and schedule it to play when you need to wake up.
- Meditate early to reset your brain. It can help you cope better with the thousands of random thoughts that occupy you throughout the day and may contribute to your feeling stressed, rushed, and overwhelmed. Download the Headspace app and practice for only 10 minutes; it’s great for absolute beginners.
- Do a short workout (15–20 minutes): a morning yoga routine, a 15 minute bootcamp session, a set of sun salutation poses or a 20-minute power walk. It won’t take a lot of time, but you’ll feel the benefits for hours.
Habit #2. Ask yourself one question every morning: “What is the ONE THING I am committed to completing today?”
How can it improve your life?
Sounds pretty simple, right? And it is. But this question does many things for you. It simplifies your life, it helps your brain focus better, makes you prioritize your goals, and streamlines your work so you don't feel overwhelmed with having to accomplish too many things in a single day.
How do you start practicing it?
- Write the question in big bold letters on a sheet of paper and hang it on your bedroom or bathroom wall.
- Read it out loud as you start each day, and come up with an answer on the spot.
- Keep your answer top of mind as you go through your work for the day, so that you don’t get distracted by other things that might take you away from what’s important to you.
Habit #3. Eat breakfast to optimize your brain.
How can it improve your life?
Unless you are fasting or just cannot tolerate any food in the morning, it’s important not to skip the first meal of the day. When you feed your brain right, you can optimize your cognitive performance, boost memory, and increase concentration in everything you do during the day.
How do you start practicing it?
- Try oatmeal: mix it with 1 tablespoon flaxseeds, 1 teaspoon peanut butter, sliced banana or other fresh fruit, and some walnuts or almonds on top. Flaxseeds are an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a healthy fat that boosts cerebral cortex function.
- Make a parfait: in a small dish, layer 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1 tablespoon granola, 1 cup fresh fruit (sliced or diced), and a spoonful of nuts such as walnuts and almonds. Almonds are beneficial for increased attention and awareness, as well as restoring memory and cognitive function.
- Eat an egg or two: they’re a powerful mix of B vitamins (they help nerve cells to burn glucose), antioxidants (they protect neurons against damage), and omega-3 fatty acids (they keep nerve cells functioning at optimal speed).
Habit #4. Say “thank you” for everything you have in your life right now.
How can it improve your life?
Practicing gratitude is a total game changer! It trains your brain to focus on positive things and makes you think of what you already have in your life, as opposed to what you do not. Being grateful will also keep you grounded in your personal life so you are less focused on what others (friends, classmates, relatives, coworkers) are doing with theirs, which is a huge waste of time and won’t help you get any closer to your personal goals.
How do you start practicing it?
Super easy. Each morning, take 5 minutes to write down or say aloud 3 things you are grateful for having in your life right now. It can be something as simple as having a roof over your head, a warm bed to sleep in, or food in your fridge. Or, it can be having a close family member or a friend. Be specific: if it’s a person, emphasize which of their qualities you are grateful for (they’re warm, gracious, kind, loyal, or always in a good mood). Listen to this episode of my podcast if you’d like more ideas.
Habit #5. Do your deep work early in the day.
How can it improve your life?
First of all, let’s identify deep work: it’s any kind of analytical thinking that requires the most concentration (for example, reading, writing, coding, analyzing, critical thinking, or problem solving). Creating a habit of doing deep work early in the day benefits you in the long run because you save a ton of time by focusing fully on what’s most important, before the day gets more busy. It also creates more time for activities later in the day that require socializing and being more physical (attending group meetings and working out, for example).
How do you start practicing it?
Get into the habit to do your deep work around 2-4 hours after you wake up. Why? Many scientists say that this is the brain’s peak performance time. If, for example, you wake up at 7, your peak times are between 9 and 11 a.m. You can extend this time to whenever you have lunch, around midday, if you want to maximize your peak performance hours.
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