4 Simple Life hacks to set yourself up for Success...
We all know that the definition of success is not the same for all – it varies according to different people. But what is same for all regarding success is that it brings immense joy & happiness. Anyone who achieves his definition of success feels happy and satisfied, at least for the time being. This is the reason why we all wish to achieve success in one form or the other.
It is difficult to have a universal law or mantra for success but as we all know that the greatest and the most successful minds have advised sticking to well-defined routines to achieve excellence in work that they do. In their own words, the best part about routines is that they can make you do the right things at the right time.
What is this Law/ Life Hack for Success ?
Doesn’t this sound like an easy and doable mantra? Well, it definitely is. Let’s break them into parts and look at them one by one.
1. Think in the morning :
We all have a certain amount of energy and enthusiasm in the morning as it signals a new day for the body and the mind. The mornings are hence, the best time for creating, to ideate and planning activities. Mornings are often the ideal time to do all of these activities which require mental energy and freshness.
What’s the first thought that goes through your head when you wake up in the morning? Is it deliberate or is it the default “Oh shi#$, it’s six!”?
When you wake up in the morning, you are always asking yourself questions, whether you realize it or not like “Why am I so I tired? Why didn’t I sleep earlier? What am I going to eat?”
If that’s how you start your day, then it’s likely your day will be filled with anxiety and stress. It’s not exactly the most productive mechanism for getting things done. These thoughts generally don’t serve any useful purpose, and in some cases, as you can see, are even hurting you. The idea behind using questions is to take conscious control of the direction of your day.
I guess it's time to give some consideration to changing up how you start your day. Questions are quite powerful if used in the right way. So, let me give you a few examples of things that you could ask yourself first thing in the morning:
If that’s how you start your day, then it’s likely your day will be filled with anxiety and stress. It’s not exactly the most productive mechanism for getting things done. These thoughts generally don’t serve any useful purpose, and in some cases, as you can see, are even hurting you. The idea behind using questions is to take conscious control of the direction of your day.
I guess it's time to give some consideration to changing up how you start your day. Questions are quite powerful if used in the right way. So, let me give you a few examples of things that you could ask yourself first thing in the morning:
- What do I have to look forward to today?
- What’s absolutely perfect about my life?
- How can I make today absolutely awesome?
- What’s the best thing that could happen today?
By asking yourself these kinds of powerful questions, you start to shift the focus of your mind toward all of the things you want to have happen. What happens when you do this is that your brain will create a link, known as a neuro-association, between the empowering states you create with your questions and being awake in the morning.
2. Act in the noon :
When we dedicate our mornings to plan and introspect, doing becomes easier in the course of the day. We don’t have to again spend time thinking what to do.
The afternoon is the best time to “act & manage” your tasks, rather than focus on the bigger picture. You don’t need all the willpower you used in the morning to work on systems that are already in place. Plus, you’ve already planned your day (in the morning). Those decisions are already made, leaving you free to simply do them. We can quickly get started with work. To know what needs to be done, we just need to plan well in the morning and begin execution after that.
The afternoon is also the best time to manage the scheduled tasks. Once we have drafted the things to do and now that only doing is left just do them.
3. Eat in the evening :
It is commonly believed that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But several experts have disregarded this thought. In contrast, they believe that dinner may be the most important meal of the day. For their respective reasons, every meal is important. You need to fuel yourself throughout the day but dinner can help your body function better than other meals.
Gas, indigestion, uncomfortable full feeling in your belly; all of those can seriously impede your ability to fall asleep and stay resting through the night. Also, eating at night may also upset your body’s natural day/night cycle, impairing your sleep cycle and causing you to have trouble managing your blood sugar levels. These food-induced sleep disruptions could even lead to insulin resistance and diabetes.
Try eating lighter at dinner and giving yourself at least 3 hours between your meal and hitting the bed to see if your sleep improves. There may not be any scientific reasoning, but when you go to bed with a full stomach you’re going to feel it in the morning. Waking up feeling heavy and lethargic is not the best way to start your day and it can be hard to get a fresh start when you’re still feeling the effects of what you ate last night. To begin the next day’s routine with boosted energy, a good night’s sleep is important.
Try eating lighter at dinner and giving yourself at least 3 hours between your meal and hitting the bed to see if your sleep improves. There may not be any scientific reasoning, but when you go to bed with a full stomach you’re going to feel it in the morning. Waking up feeling heavy and lethargic is not the best way to start your day and it can be hard to get a fresh start when you’re still feeling the effects of what you ate last night. To begin the next day’s routine with boosted energy, a good night’s sleep is important.
4. Sleep in the night :
Most of us know that getting a good night’s sleep is important, but too few of us actually make those eight or so hours between the sheets a priority. For many of us with sleep debt, we’ve forgotten what “being really, truly rested” feels like. To further complicate matters, stimulants like coffee and energy drinks, alarm clocks, and external lights—including those from electronic devices—interferes with our "circadian rhythm" or natural sleep/wake cycle.
Pay careful attention to your mood, energy and health after a poor night's sleep versus a good one. Ask yourself, "How often do I get a good night's sleep?" Like good diet and exercise, sleep is a critical component to overall health.
Pay careful attention to your mood, energy and health after a poor night's sleep versus a good one. Ask yourself, "How often do I get a good night's sleep?" Like good diet and exercise, sleep is a critical component to overall health.
It is believed that a good night’s sleep brings the difference between great work and poor productivity the next day.
To pave the way for better sleep, follow these simple yet effective healthy sleep tips :
- Stick to a sleep schedule, even on weekends.
- Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual.
- Exercise daily.
- Evaluate your bedroom to ensure ideal temperature, sound and light.
- Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.
- Beware of hidden sleep stealers, like alcohol and caffeine.
- Turn off electronics before bed.
The body performs regenerative functions while sleeping which works against the groggy feelings on getting up. The heart and cardiovascular system also get recharged while one sleeps.
Apart from these life hacks you can try inculcating the below activities in your routine which can prove beneficial in the long run.
Don’t turn on the computer or TV.
Many people out here may have a tendency to turn on the computer or check your smartphone right when you wake up. Starting your brain off with so much information overload right when you wake up can’t possibly be healthy. Consider enjoying your coffee, tea or breakfast for about twenty minutes.
Many people out here may have a tendency to turn on the computer or check your smartphone right when you wake up. Starting your brain off with so much information overload right when you wake up can’t possibly be healthy. Consider enjoying your coffee, tea or breakfast for about twenty minutes.
Turning on the TV is one of the most insidious things you can do.
The news can have such a negative impact on one’s mind that they might not even realize it. The news is generally about everything that’s wrong in the world and this is the first thing you become exposed to in the morning.
Our minds tend to be extremely receptive in the morning. That’s why I encourage you not to turn on the TV if you’ve been doing it.
Listen to some uplifting music.
I always love listening to music and when possible I even use an alarm that actually plays music. Try finding some uplifting songs or ones that have peaceful melodies. A simple Google search will give you many uplifting music tracks which you can legally download. Think about how the effect this will have on you if you do this for about thirty days.
If you listen to inspirational/uplifting material right when you wake up, then you will eventually condition that message into your mind and connect it with waking up in the morning.
Try Meditation.
One of the most challenging things about meditating is to free yourself from thought. As a normal human we all have our mind wanders at what feels like a million miles a minute. Your mind is in a fairly quiet state in the morning and even five to ten minutes of deep-centered relaxation/meditation can make a huge difference in your day. Recommended article : Meditation and The Monkey Mind.
I leave you with the image summarizing the morning routine of few successful people.
I always love listening to music and when possible I even use an alarm that actually plays music. Try finding some uplifting songs or ones that have peaceful melodies. A simple Google search will give you many uplifting music tracks which you can legally download. Think about how the effect this will have on you if you do this for about thirty days.
If you listen to inspirational/uplifting material right when you wake up, then you will eventually condition that message into your mind and connect it with waking up in the morning.
Try Meditation.
One of the most challenging things about meditating is to free yourself from thought. As a normal human we all have our mind wanders at what feels like a million miles a minute. Your mind is in a fairly quiet state in the morning and even five to ten minutes of deep-centered relaxation/meditation can make a huge difference in your day. Recommended article : Meditation and The Monkey Mind.
I leave you with the image summarizing the morning routine of few successful people.
Start Early and keep raising the bar throughout the day. Get Going.
