What one thing can I do to improve my morning routine?
Sunday, May 12th, 2024
There have been entire books dedicated to morning routines, with a commonly held belief that how we start our day sets the tone for the entire day. Undoubtedly, there's a wealth of science and research supporting this idea. Almost immediately after completing my undergraduate studies, I transitioned from being a night owl to embracing the early morning, perhaps akin to becoming a "morning bird" that catches the worm. A well-crafted morning routine comprises multiple rituals arranged in a sequence to optimize flow, reduce stress, and enhance productivity.
Attempting to transform our current routine into the ideal version overnight can be overwhelming and may result in significant setbacks. Instead, I encourage us to embrace the concept of "one" this week and stick with it for a few months until it becomes ingrained before considering adding another element.
Below, I offer some recommended resources to assist us with the question of the week. I’ll post my reflection before the end of the week on YouTube.?
Resources to Complement Our Reflection
[Internalize]: Before every show, Beyoncé listens to the same playlist, performs stretches, and meditates for precisely one hour. Research shows that rituals can offer numerous psychological advantages such as helping us savor experiences, giving us a sense of control, and reducing anxiety. The results are not affected by whether or not people believe that rituals are effective in influencing how people feel. People who don’t believe that rituals work are as influenced by rituals just as much as those who believe they are truly effective.?
[Apply]: Consider adding a ritual in the morning.
Read: The Power of Rituals - 2 mins. - Psychology Today, Jamie Gruman Ph.D.
[Internalize]: One of the work hacks is the idea that we can be really productive in 90-minute blocks of time, and then typically we need a brain break. Then, when you're finished with that 90-minute segment, go for a walk, change your environment, or simply stop what you are doing and enjoy a half-hour or hour, even if it means switching to another project. Projects will expand to fit the time you have dedicated to them. So, if you say you are going to work on something all day, it will likely take you all day.?
[Apply]: Create one 90-minute block this week for a project and follow it with a 30 minute break.
Listen: Block off your day - Tip #25 - 8 mins. -? with Samantha Patil
[Internalize]: The single best thing you can do for your sleep, energy, mood, wakefulness, and metabolism, is to get natural light in your eyes early in the day. This sets into motion a huge amount of neurobiological and hormonal cascades that are good for you, reduces stress late at night, and offsets cortisol among other things.??
[Apply]: Set a goal to get 10 minutes of natural sunlight within three hours of waking at least one time this week.?
Watch: Neuroscientist's Morning Routine For Optimal Performance | Andrew Huberman - ?9 mins. - Chris Williamson
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