How many days have you felt like this?
You toss and turn all night. Wake up groggy. Curse at the alarm.
You stumble through a morning fog. You’re drowsy, even after two cups of coffee. You stare at the computer screen feeling overwhelmed and unfocused. You get sucked into Email Hell. You spend the rest of the day bouncing between interruptions and distractions.
You finish the day knowing you’ve accomplished nothing.
You’re frustrated. You want to accomplish so much. Launch a business. Travel. You have a vision for your life. But days, weeks, months tick by without progress.
You’ve chastised yourself to “work harder.” You’ve given yourself pep talks. And yet … yet … you can’t break the cycle.
Sound familiar?
Let’s fix it.
First, let’s identify a few common problems:
You’re sleep-deprived. You’re not exercising. You eat junk.
Your mornings suck. Afternoons are worse. You bounce from task-to-task. By evening you’re exhausted, but you’re not sure how you spent your day.
“Okay, okay, stop making me feel bad. What’s the solution?”
You hold the answer.
You’ve developed habits — hundreds of habits, which you repeat daily. You brush your teeth, tie your shoelaces and wear clean underwear out of sheer habit. You don’t give yourself pep talks.
If you want to move closer to your goals, forget motivation. Forget willpower. Focus on building strong habits.
I’d like to share some of my favorite habits and tools that improve my focus, energy and output. When I stick to these, I get results. When I don’t, I work harder but accomplish less.
I’ve organized this article into three sections:
- How to create energized mornings
- How to stay focused all day
- How to sleep deeply and wake up refreshed
As always, take what works, tweak as needed, and ignore the rest. If something doesn’t fit into your life/work, skip it and move on.
If you’d like a PDF of these habits to print or save to your computer, you can download one for free below.
Make Mornings Awesome
Here are six ways that I energize my morning.
#1: Drink a Pint of Water
Your body dehydrates while you sleep. (Do you pee yellow in the morning?) As a result, you’re less focused in the morning.
I drink a pint of water (16 oz.) the moment I wake up. I’ll squeeze a lemon into the water (this helps) for an extra kick.
I turned this into a habit by associating it with an existing habit. You could do the same. Find a trigger; an action you perform every morning. Here are a few choices:
- Before you brush your teeth
- Before your morning coffee
- Before you wear shoes
Immediately follow one habit with the other. Your mind will bundle these together as the same action.
#2: Eat Protein
Eat protein and complex carbs when you wake up, even if you’re not hungry. My favorite is two eggs, hard-boiled or over easy, with a small bowl of lentils or beans.
How do you start this habit? If you eat breakfast, the action is ingrained. Change only the food (if needed); don’t change the routine.
If you don’t eat breakfast yet, find a trigger. Do you brew coffee? This is your ‘anchor.’ Drop your new habit into this spot. Start with food that requires almost-no prep or cleanup. The easier, the better.
#3: Exercise for Two Minutes
I spent years telling myself I “didn’t have time” to exercise in the morning. Then I discovered this routine:
Stretch for one minute. I mean this literally. Set the timer on your phone for 60 seconds. When the timer finishes, try jumping jacks, burpees, or planking for one minute. Total time commitment: two minutes.
What’s the point? You’ll feel better (even after two minutes). More importantly, you’re building a habit. Two minutes can later extend to four minutes, which becomes eight. Nice job.
#4: Focus on Marginal Gains
Add other steps into this morning chain, such as journaling, reading, or practicing a foreign language. Just start small.
If you launch with an ambitious 20-minute goal, you’ll quit at the first inconvenience — before habit-formation. Instead, create marginal gains. If you don’t meditate yet, start with one to two minutes. You can’t scale unless you’ve cemented the habit first.
#5: Maintain the Chain
Tie these habits together, so every action leads to the next. For example:
Use toilet > brush teeth > drink water > meditate > stretch > exercise > shower > dress > brew coffee while making breakfast.
This is a chain. Every action triggers the next one. If you maintain the chain for 3-4 weeks, these actions convert into habits. Your job is to protect the chain.
Which leads to the next tip …
#6: Build a Playlist
Listen to the same playlist every morning. You’ll start associating sounds with actions.
You brush your teeth when the music starts. You drink water at the chorus. You start stretching at this particular verse.
Your morning playlist turns into a series of triggers. When you hear this sound, you take this action.
As a bonus, the music sets the pace. You won’t need to check the clock.
(Thanks to Charles Duhigg, Leo Babauta and Hal Elrod, whose writings inspired the tips above.)
How to Stay Focused
Here are a few tips that help me stay focused at work.
#1: Plan Every Hour
I finish every workday by planning the following day’s tasks. I’ll start the day by reviewing this plan. For example:
- Edit blog post (9 am – 11 am)
- Draft lesson for real estate course and send feedback on video (11 am – 3 pm)
- Podcast interview (3 pm – 4 pm)
- Email the online business list (4 pm – 5 pm)
- Answer email, comments and social media (5 pm – 7 pm)
Of course, nothing goes according to plan. Every action expands beyond the time I give it (damn you, Parkinson!)
Yet daily planning is critical. It helps me spot inefficiencies. It shows me what tasks to eliminate/automate/delegate. Without a plan, I sit at my computer thinking “????,” wander into the Dark Depths of Email Hell, and achieve nothing.
Planning is more important than sticking to a plan. It creates a daily habit of contemplation about how to invest your time.
#2: Use E.ggtimer
I use e.ggtimer.com to countdown the time I’ve allocated a task – 60 minutes for this, 90 minutes for that. Limiting task time helps me take advantage of Parkinson’s Law.
Remembering to use this tool is the toughest part. How can you make this a habit?
- Hide every browser tab except e.ggtimer and mission-critical tabs. (OneTab is great for this.)
- Set the timer.
- Repeat.
When you limit browser tabs, you limit distractions, take action on the open tabs, and repeat until it’s second nature.
#3: Skip Lunch
This seems counterintuitive: Skip your lunch break (unless you’re meeting someone). Nothing kills productivity like a heavy meal.
I nibble on snacks throughout the day. This carries two benefits:
- I avoid a mid-afternoon energy crash.
- I take multiple mini-breaks instead of one prolonged hiatus.
How can you start this habit?
- Keep healthy snacks at your desk. I like cashews, oranges and protein bars.
- Sip a smoothie while you work.
- Drink loads of water.
Sure, your desk will resemble a dining table. But you’ll snack without noticing, which means you won’t be ravenous at lunchtime.
By the way, here’s the world’s easiest smoothie recipe:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Mixed berries (CostCo frozen)
- Water
- Optional: banana for sweetness; cucumber for flavor.
Keep a pint at your desk; you’ll absentmindedly sip throughout the day.
#4: Plan Tomorrow
Before you finish working, plan the following day. Create an hour-by-hour plan, like I covered in the example above.
Use any tool except email: Evernote, Google Calendar, whatever. I use a physical notepad and pen, which denotes heft in a world where everything is digital.
Snooze to Success
Sleep is crucial to productivity. Yet most people (myself included) are sleep deprived anyway. Here’s how I battle restlessness:
#1: Remove Blue-Wavelength Light
“… Exposure to excessive light at night, including extended use of various electronic media, can disrupt sleep,” the American Medical Association says. Duh. Sounds obvious.
But they threw a curveball: “This effect can be minimized by using dim red lighting in the nighttime bedroom environment.” Whaaa??
As it turns out, the human eye contains a photoreceptor called melanopsin, which is tied to the section of our brain that controls our sleep/wake rhythm. Melanopsin is sensitive to blue-green visible light. Studies show a strong link between alertness and blue light exposure.
That’s not surprising if you think about it. The natural daylight spectrum is packed with blue light. Campfires and candles grow red. Not a coincidence that blue light triggers alertness while red light doesn’t.
Laptop, iPad and TV screens imitate natural daylight, which keeps our brains buzzing. Sure, it’s best to avoid screens after dusk, but let’s be realistic. The second-best choice is to remove the blue wavelengths.
Use a free browser extension like f.lux or g.lux, which automatically remove blue-spectrum lighting when you work late. (This is a tool, not a habit — but it’s awesome.)
#2: Exercise 20 Minutes a Day
Exercising at least 2.5 hours per week correlates with falling asleep faster and waking up refreshed, according to a study of 2,600 adults. That’s 20 minutes a day. It can take awhile to build to 20 minutes; start with two minutes to establish the habit.
One problem — working out too late disrupts sleep in some people (myself included), thanks to elevated body temperature and adrenaline. As an alternative, try bedtime yoga on YouTube.
#3: Never Sleep Hungry
Most fitness experts recommend avoiding late-night snacks. But I’ve found that slumbering with an empty stomach leads to bleary mornings.
Solution? Eat one tablespoon of peanut butter before bed. (Or try cashew, almond, whatever nut is trendy this month.) Link this to a habit chain: spoon, water, toothbrush.
#4: Drink a Pint
Guzzle a pint of water (16 oz.) before bed. If chugging is unpleasant, sip while you’re winding down. Speaking of which …
#5: Unwind for 30 Minutes
One of my worst habits is trying to leap from working (emails, planning, writing) to sleeping, without any intervening buffer. Even if I resist screens (e.g., writing on a legal pad), my mind races with work-related thoughts, which interferes with sleep.
Recently I started a wind-down period. I’ll spend 30+ minutes reading a book, which might be about business/finance, but also might cover any random topic. Recent books I’ve read include this paperback by John Grisham, this classic on the magic of thinking big, this treatise on writing well, and this embarrassment that exposes me as a crazy cat lady.
(P.S. — If you have trouble sleeping, read this.)
#6: Wear a Sleep Mask
Did anyone read Chelsea Handler’s memoir?
In one scene, Chelsea gets thrown in jail for a night. Her arrest doesn’t phase her, though. She’s more upset about the fact that her jailers didn’t provide a sleeping mask.
I can relate. (Well, not to the jail part.) I share her overzealous enthusiasm for eye masks.
Light disrupts sleep. Blackout curtains help, but not enough. Sleeping masks are better, plus they’re dirt-cheap.
I like these so much that I own three: one that lives next to my bed, another stashed in my luggage 24/7, and one for my laptop case (why, I’m not sure).
To kickstart the habit, keep your sleeping mask on your pillow. You’re more likely to use it when it’s as convenient as possible.
#7: Avoid Caffeine After 11 a.m.
I don’t drink caffeine in the afternoon (well, most of the time). When I break my own rule, I notice. Caffeine is terrible for sleep, even hours later.
#8: Carry Earplugs
I live in downtown Las Vegas, which means 3-4 nights every week I fall asleep against the high-pitched shrill of tourists belting Katy Perry lyrics as they stumble past my building, searching for the nearest roulette table. Sigh. Baby, you are a firework.
As you might imagine, I love earplugs.
If you live somewhere reasonable, you won’t need earplugs at home, but carry these when you travel. They’re helpful for snoozing in airplanes, hotels and anywhere with unpredictable noise.
Easy implementation: Toss a few earplugs into your luggage/laptop case, where they’ll live forever. Grab them when you need them. And trust me, you’ll know when you’ll need them.
#9: Listen to Boring Bedtime Stories
When earplugs aren’t enough, or when my mind is racing (“what’s the point of life? Do those pants fit? What do fish think?”), I listen to this sleep podcast. The host tells unbearably boring stories that conk you out. (Don’t worry; this is intentional.)
To boost monotony, I listen to the same episode every time (this one). To skip straight to the snoozefest, start at the 22-minute mark. (The first 22 minutes are dull, but not sufficiently sleep-inducing.)
Feel free to share suggestions for other sleep-inducing podcasts in the comments. (Uh-oh. I hope nobody says mine …)
#10: Buy a Great Pillow and Mattress
My junior year of college, I slept on an inflatable camping pad for months until I received a free hand-me-down mattress.
Ugh. I’m definitely not 19 anymore.
If you have discretionary cash, buy a comfy mattress and pillow. It’s not an “investment,” but it’s a damn good consumer purchase. If you’re budget-conscious, get a good pillow and mattress topper.
Time is Your Most Limited Asset
As I’ve mentioned in other articles, time is your most valuable asset. You can’t earn more; you can only spend wisely. Developing strong habits can save hours — or days — of otherwise squandered time.
You can wake up well-rested and hydrated. Enjoy your morning. Dive into work with enthusiasm. Maintain focus. Smile more. And fall asleep knowing you’re one step closer to a better life.
These are really good tips.
Getting enough sleep and do a work out are the 2 that work best for me…
We have bought a good pillow and mattress and that does miracle… we take our pillows with us everywhere!
I am a little behind on the work out lately, and it starts to impact me. Funny how you feel when that happens. Tonight I WILL run again!
Another mini-mastepiece from Paula! Thank you for taking the time to write it.
Make mornings awesome! Chronologically speaking it makes sense to write about starting your day off right with a solid morning routine, but for me, success tomorrow starts tonight (and because it’s 11:30pm and I need to be up in 6 hours, I’m already screwed tomorrow!)
Personally, I’m sick of feeling groggy and lethargic all the time, but if I’m not willing to make changes, then I’ve no right to complain when things remain the same. You’ve motivated me to start creating good habits. Starting tomorrow night! 🙂
Awesome tips – I love the one about eating snacks throughout the day. At my day job, I’m not allowed to have food where I work, but I’ll only be there for three more days! After that I’m going to carry around food pouches like a squirrel.
One thing that’s really helped me with my morning routine is my todo list. I use the Todoist app, and while I put big things on there that I need to do each day, I also put small daily things on there (like comment on a blog post!). After a couple months, I barely even need to look at the list anymore to get it all done in quick succession. Plus, it gives me momentum for tackling the bigger things!
I love everything you publish. I end up emailing each of your posts to at least three people every time one pops up in my feed. Thank you for what you do, and how you inspire me!
Thank you Jessica! 🙂
Thank you for giving solutions and pairings for the habits. Carried extra water with me this morning while walking the dog and finished it before we were done. Looking forward to adding some more of these to my day 🙂 Especially Mondays! I have a bad habit of letting them being a continuation of the weekend. Thanks a lot Paula!!
Awesome! Water is SUCH a game-changer. When I was a kid/teen I never drank water; now I feel strange if I don’t drink at least 3-4 pints a day. (I also drink more water because I live in a dry climate, but still … ) Once you develop a hydration habit, you’ll really tune into its results. 🙂
You’have outdone yourself this time Paula. This is probably the best, most concise step-by-step guide to make your day productive and the fantastic part is the tips that you have included to implement all the suggestions 🙂
Few questions/suggestions
1) Morning (Eat protein) : I have recently decided to become Vegan. Are you aware of any plant based rich protein source that we can have in the morning?
2) How to stay focused (#1: Plan Every Hour): I used to do this but when I was not able to stick to my schedule, I used to feel frustrated and disappointed. The work around that I found – Instead of deciding the time slot, decide the number of hours that I will be giving to each activity in a day. This way, even our distractions,if I am able to spend the necessary time on the activity, I feel more accomplished. Sharing it for your readers benefit
PS: Loved your idea of #5: Maintain the Chain. I used to do it but unintentionally. Now that I am aware of the trick, I can leverage it more effectively 🙂
Hi Vivek –
Thanks! A few vegan breakfast ideas:
(1) I love beans, avocado and something spicy, like salsa or hot sauce. You could mix a grain like quinoa in there, but I prefer to stick to only beans/avocado/salsa, since the beans themselves hold so much protein/fiber/complex carbs. This is one of my favorite snacks/meals, actually, because it’s so simple/filling/easy/cheap.
(2) Lentils — Personally I get bored with traditional lentils (dahl style), but I discovered this “pasta” made from only one ingredient, 100% organic lentils. It’s as easy to make as pasta, and holds the health benefits of a bowl of lentils (protein/fiber/complex carbs).
I’ll eat this for any meal (brkf/lunch/dinner/snack/whenever) with either spaghetti sauce or pesto. (My favorite topping: pesto + extra pine nuts + red chili flakes). I eat this a LOT.
______
I love the idea of decide the number of hours that you’ll give each activity in a day. That way your focus is effort — the part you directly control — rather than outcome. Plus you can use Parkinson’s Law to your advantage!
Thanks!
Wow. These tips are great. I think I will try skipping lunch.
A heavy lunch makes takes me 2 hours sometimes afterwards to feel like myself again.
I have added a lot more protein and exercise to my diet and it has really been helping. Thanks for the very useful post
I drink a protein shake for lunch and I think it helps a lot.
I’m working on my morning routine right now, so great timing. I have a lot of flexibility, which I highly value, but hope introducing a little structure will provide better results.
Ferrrry Vunny as always Paula and certainly a lot of good advice.
I sleep like a log, do most of the stuff you mention except that spoon
with peanut butter…No thank you.
Keep on going with your writings.
Thanks as always!
Hey Paula,
Great post! I have been hearing about change a lot lately. Just got another post today about the same topic. Mostly I keep hearing about change because it is central to my message and the way I help people.
You see, back in 2011, actually December 20, 2011, I had enough. I was tired of being overweight and out of shape. I wanted to approach the me I was in my mid twenties when I “competed” in triathlons. So I decided to get back on my bike.
The first month, I biked for almost 30 days in a row. I would go out to the garage after everyone had gone to sleep, pop on one of my favorite TV shows and bike for 20 minutes. Granted, I was half in the bag most nights, as if the TV was not enough to distract me. And, as you talk about with your two minute exercise program, cycling became a habit for me.
That one small change in my day made everything else possible.
Now I am down over 45 pounds and I feel great. I’m here to tell you that small changes get big results over time.
Now I look forward to that next 30 day challenge or implementing smoothies into my morning routine (thank you for that easy recipe). Change is good.
One small change can set your life in a whole new direction.
You rock Paula!
Awesome tips Paula, thank you! I have to try out that red light browser extension (too bad it’s not available in the iOS app store though…:() I also love your constant reminder about time being your most valuable asset.
Great tips. My fitness instructor recommends the pint of water 1st thing in the morning to start the day off right. I’m glad to hear you also need a snack before bed. With all the no-snack advice, I’ve wondered if I’m the only one who needs protein before bed to avoid waking up hangry.
Hey Paula- great post! loved the reminder to start keeping a a jar of water by my nightstand for quick and easy morning consumption.
As a Mom that until recently experienced disrupted sleep all-the- time- I found getting into a semi-regular yoga nidra practice really helpful. Not only did it allow me to recharge when the mid-day energy lag showed up- it also helped me to sleep better at night. Such a lifesaver- consistently not getting enough sleep is such a drain- I love that I can get a full nights rest now. ( the simple joys!)
Thanks for a great post! I am actually in the market for a great pillow, but that one is for back/side sleepers. Does anyone have a good recommendation for stomach sleepers? Thanks! 🙂
I LOVE this and it is JUST what I needed! I’ve had HORRIBLE insomnia and can’t wait to try the “boring bedtime stories”!!! I’ve been doing a 7 min morning routine since before January and have not missed one day. It gets me in the right frame of mind and I feel like I accomplished something. 100 squats, 30 pushups, 1 min plank – BOOM!
I like that you mentioned Hal Elrod. His Miracle Morning book really improved many aspects of my life, especially fitness. A simple and short workout in the morning (I use the 7 minute workout app) can really set the stage for a great day.
If you like ear plugs or want to try.
http://www.amazon.com/Macks-pair-Pillow-Soft-Plugs/dp/B007P8CZS0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1463523818&sr=8-4&keywords=macs+ear+plugs
Or try the adult ones and cut them in half.
http://www.amazon.com/Macks-Pillow-Silicone-Earplugs-Value/dp/B003LZQGN6/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1463523897&sr=8-3&keywords=macs+ear+plugs
Great post Paula! I really like that you included so many actionable suggestions. I’ll definitely be implementing at least a few right away. Thanks for sharing the ideas! By the way, I just heard Hal Elrod on a Bigger Pockets podcast today, and his miracle morning sounds intriguing.
Great post! Was surprised to see another article mentioning Charles Duhigg, as I just wrote one myself about the Power of Habit. I too have noticed the snowball effect that happens with a few good habits – will need to start incorporating some of yours into my daily routine!
Wait. Do you live in Las Vegas, #8 and the dry climate reference, or Atlanta? Who wrote this? How do you manage properties in Atlanta from LV?
Yes, I live in Las Vegas and my properties are located in Atlanta. Why would I need to live next door to my rentals? I’m not the person fixing toilets. I have systems and a team in place.
If you’d like to know more — start here, then read this, then check out the monthly income reports, which provide a month-by-month snapshot of all my real estate related activities (not much). 🙂
Speaking of those monthly cash flow reports – when can we expect the post for April? I need my fix!
TOTALLY dig your point that building a good habit is more important than immediate progress. I struggled with working out for a long time, because taking rest days slowed my momentum. Now I don’t worry about rest days and do a few quick bodyweight exercises every day right when I wake up. I’m 31, and while a lot of my friends are starting to slow down and gain some weight, I’m feeling better than I ever have!
A manager I had a few years back used the Pomodoro Technique (which I believe is also an app) in order to boost her productivity at work and swore by it!
I know the question “what’s one thing you could do today to make the rest of your life better?” circulates social media and the PF community often. My answer is usually WAKE UP EARLIER! I’m a night owl and long-time snooze hitter, so I’m going to take some of these tips to heart. I’m particularly keen on the 2 minutes of exercise right away idea. Might drive my downstairs neighbors nuts, but hey, maybe it motivates them to wake up earlier! 😛
You’ve inspired me many times since I started listening to your podcast. 2 minutes of exercise is a habit I can start.
can’t agree more with “#1: Drink a Pint of Water”. I constantly have glass of water beside me all day, really helps.
This post has really helped me. I have started adding a couple of things to my habit routine. Before brushing my teeth put a yeti cup full of iced water with a lemon cube in it by my bathroom sink, ready for the morning. After brushing teeth at night, a 5 minute stretch/yoga from youtube. After waking a 2-5 minute stretch. Loving the idea and am going to write down 2 things i am thankful for at night and put on mirror in bathroom for the morning.
I used the work timer thing today too and it was helpful, along with a loosely held hourly plan. I have Monday planned through 3:30 – so a little wiggle room there. Thanks so much!
That’s excellent, Michelle! I’m happy to hear that! I’m proud of you for taking action and I’m thrilled that these tips helped. Thanks for your note! 🙂
Gosh, what a killer post. I don’t know why I never heard or thought about using the same music playlist every morning. I’ve had trouble sticking to a morning routine.
I LOVE music though and I really think this will help me stay on track in the mornings with my routine. I just finished creating my playlist that ramps up and down in speed and intensity and lyrics depending on where I’m at in the routine. Super pumped.
Going to set the iPod and headphones on my night stand so I can put it in immediately. Thanks Paula!
Awesome, Nick! Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Just wanted to let you know, that adding the music has been insanely helpful! While I haven’t nailed it everything single morning since May, I’ve definitely gotten into a routine with it.
That playlist idea was golden.
Thanks Paula!
Dead on about exercising for two minutes every morning! I started taking my dog for a morning walk and have totally noticed a change in how I feel! I’ll have to try creating a playlist next. I never though to do that but I think it could help keep me on track.
Great post! I’ve been carrying ear plugs for ages and they’re the best. One unlikely place that they make life better- loud action movies. They cut down on the loud (I still hear the dialogue) but I can’t hear the people around me talking.
That’s a great idea! I hadn’t thought of that. 🙂
I just want to say that I really love this blog. I found you thru Budgets are Sexy after listening to MONEY. You have quickly become my favorite blogger. Thank you so much for all of the work you put in to give us great content!!!
Thank you Katie!! 🙂
Hi Paula,
I was wondering If I could ask a few questions for my blog post about investing in Real Estate. I’m a Realtor and you’re an inspiration. I would love to feature you on my website/blog post.
1) How old were you when you purchased your first investment property?
2) What made you invest in Real Estate to begin with?
3) What is your favorite part about owning rentals?
4) How many Rentals do you own to date?
Thank you so much! I hope to hear from you soon!!!
Awesome ideas, Paula P! I’m gonna have to try some, for shore. I’ve used ear plugs before, but these days we keep a box fan running at night. When we travel and have room, we take the fan. When we don’t have room, we take a sound machine. The problem with the sound machine, it has some quirky repetitive sounds that come to light after it’s been running a while.
Water is a non-issue. I keep a Bubba Keg insulated tanker full of ice water. I even carry a large on when I’m on the tractor. A bit of lime juice adds a bit of flavor. My Bubba sits on my night stand every night, too.
Thanks for the great info!
All the best, Shin
Eggs and avocado along with a lot of water is my breakfast. But also I stretch out every morning before my workout. It feels so good to stretch every morning.
there’s a great app called ‘way of life’ (little green checkmark is the icon) it’s great for tracking new habits you want to create – and once you string a few together the mere fact that I don’t want to break that little green chain on my phone pushes me through the times I don’t want to do them, ha.
also as far as the blue-wave light, you can buy orange-tinted glasses that block out the blue spectrum (yes you feel like a weirdo at first) and just pop em on an hour or so before bed, much easier than replacing light bulbs IMO. I got the Eagle Blue Blocker from Amazon, but I’m sure any brand works pretty much the same.
I’m really grateful to you for write this 🙂 THANK YOU! Great post that works me.
You should check out the book “habit stacking” (https://www.google.com/search?q=habit+stacking&oq=habit+stacking&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.1503j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)
For years my boring bedtime story was always “Great Expectations” by Dickens. I don’t think I ever managed to finish that book! Some people get gruff when I tell them that and accuse me of insulting one the greatest English writers of all time. However, when I quiz them on it, I find out that they never tried to read it themselves. People will insist they’ve read it but 90% of the insisters haven’t–they watched a BBC adaption or something.
Awesome post! I’m trying lentils for breakfast for the first time ever! However one step was missing… Wake, water, stretch, SPORTS BRA! Exercise. I realized this when I decided to do jumping jacks! Haha
I am so happy i stumbled upon your blog thank you kindly
These are great tips! When I eat a big lunch I find myself very slow afterwards. I need to start just eating small meals through out to day so I can increase my productivity. Awesome article!
These are great ideas. I love the playlist in lieu of the timer.
So many fantastic ideas. I’m going to try ‘maintain the chain’ to develop some good habits!
These are awesome tips and I love your writing so much.
I don’t usually leave comments, but when I do, it means the blog post is something else. 🙂
By the way Paula, just wondering what time do you sleep?
I understand that most successful people wake up early, but I’m wondering how many hours of sleep they need to stay productive and energetic the whole day.
Shawn — Thank you!
I average about 7.5 hours of sleep per night, unless I’m traveling/jet-lagged. I’m a HUGE fan of getting enough sleep.
I’ve tried occasionally taking 20-30 minute midday naps, as well. I find that I can’t fall asleep, but even having time to lay down and close my eyes — that rest time — gives me a productivity boost for the afternoon. (I haven’t made this habit stick yet, though.)
Nice article! Thanks 🙂
I did a literature review on sleep in college for one of my nursing classes and this is pretty on point from what I read. One thing I found that helps me IMMENSELY is a song by Marconi Union who worked with some students in the U.K. (If I’m remembering correctly). It has no melody and no repeating patterns (unlike every song on the radio which I find I sing on repeat from the second my eyes open in the morning) so its great to clear your mind. It’s also set to 60 beats a min and is designed to slow your heart rate. It’s the best thing I’ve found to help me sleep. I work nights so it’s fleeting at times even with the ear plus and black out shades.
Ps. Just found your blog and loving it!
This had some useful input. Especially the part about using e.ggtimer.com. I will definitely try to use that one. Thanks for your high quality writing. Much appreciated.
A great and useful post. I set up an action chain for myself nearly 4 years ago and have rarely deviated from it even when I travel. I sometimes add or modify an item in it when I encounter an idea that resonates with me. Of yours, the exercise, water, food, and some others are all part of it. I tried the sleep mask but still can’t stand to have my eyes or even part of my face covered. I recently discovered not going to bed hungry and reading for 20-30 minutes in bed. I will try to change my lunch habit and the red lighting. Overall I truly enjoy your approach to life
Paula
Thank you for taking the time to share your routines with us . Podcast induce sleep because the speakers often have such a soothing voice