‘Tis another week. Did you jump out of bed this morning, excited for Monday? Are you ready to tackle another week, or did you dread the alarm? Did you daily routine go smoothly or are you scrambling to get out the door in a frenzy?
I get it. I don’t have my shit together every single day of the year. Things can get out of hand and chaotic if we don’t have good systems and habits in place. Here are 5 things you can do everyday to upgrade your daily living this week.
Start each day with a tall glass of water
We all need to drink more water. Hydration affects every process in our body. Everything will get better or worse with hydration. Dehydration can cause brain fog, headaches, decrease our alertness, make us tired, and decrease our physical performance in the gym by up to 20%! This means that if you are supposed to hit a 200 lbs overhead press, you may only get up to 160 lbs!
I relearn this lesson every time I work with one of my elderly patients. Any day that one of these individuals is dehydrated, their balance, cognition, memory, alertness, and physical performance suffers. What’s more, I can almost immediately tell if they are dehydrated upon meeting them.
We are usually dehydrated upon waking. Make it a part of your normal routine to have at least 8 ounces of water or more as soon as you can. Add a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon to help your body absorb it. We tend to better absorb fluids that have some sort of solute in it. I like having a small serving of creatine and a pack of Liquid IV in my water (not an endorsement, I just like their stuff). Ever since I started every morning with a big Mason jar of water, my mental clarity and focus has skyrocketed.
Upgrade your brain with books
One of my buddies said it best: reading is like a cheat code to life. Good books are jam-packed with information, actionable strategies, and experience. Why try and relearn every mistake and lesson that other people have already worked through?
It’s no accident that most successful people spend a lot of time reading books. It’s like installing new software into your brain. You will think differently and just know more when you spend time reading.
Set aside some time everyday to read at least for 30 minutes. I’ve been trying my best to get an hour of reading everyday. Replace the endless scrolling of low-quality content on your phone with a good book. You’ll be surprised at how many books you can finish when you consistently read everyday.
Get outside into the sun
Our bodies are governed by the circadian rhythm. The morning sun is one of the most powerful signals that resets our internal clock. This is vital to maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle.
Getting outside during the morning to get some sunlight will make our brains wake up and be ready for the rest of the day. The sunlight entering our eyes sets off an abundance of processes that prime our mind and body for increased activity. This will also improve mood and sleep quality later in the day.
The best way to do this is to get outside before 9am and face your body towards the sun (obviously, don’t look directly into the sun). Depending on how bright it is, staying outside for 5-20 minutes on a sunny day and up to 30 minutes on an overcast day will work wonders for your health and mood.
For more on the benefits of morning sunlight, read this.
Set down your phone
You’ll be surprised at how much your brain craves silence. It’s unsettling at first. Some may even panic at the thought of not being stimulated for a brief moment.
When we let go of the chaos of the modern world, our brains will finally settle down. The fog and anxiety will lift. Our focus will sharpen. We might even become happy.
The main culprit of this modern overstimulation and overconsumption is our smartphone. Although a marvel in convenience and making our world more connected than ever, it also steals our attention and cognitive resources from more important things.
How many hours of your life has been hijacked by screen time? It’s scary. Some days I look at my screen metrics and see that 5-8 hours of my time was wasted on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram.
What’s worse is that all of that content and consumption is usually completely devoid of any meaning or quality.
Fight back. Don’t let the Matrix steal away your life and energy. Create a dedicated spot for your phone when you get home and keep it there. Silence any notifications that aren’t important. You’ll still hear if you’re getting a call or text, but otherwise, let it be.
Do one thing everyday that will move you towards your goals
It’s one thing to have goals. It’s a completely different thing to have goals and consciously execute a plan.
What are your aspirations and what are you doing to move towards them? Perhaps it’s to start a business, learn a musical instrument, or organize your finances. What’s the one thing you can do today to move towards that goal?
Maybe you can set up a meeting with a mentor, set up a business checking account, or get a business license.
You can find a music teacher or enroll in a class.
You can find a financial advisor or set up an investment portfolio.
But nothing will actually set you on the right path unless you take action.
No matter how small, if do one thing everyday, you will build the momentum to get to where you want to be.
Maybe your goal is to lose weight or bench 315 lbs. What do you need to do to get there?
You can dial in your nutrition and set up a consistent meal plan. Maybe you need to start getting to bed a normal time so you optimize your recovery.
Maybe you just need to get up and start.
Imagine the possibility of a future where anything is possible. The only thing standing in your way is action.
Nothing will change unless you do.
And maybe that’s just what you need to get excited for a new week.
