5 Things I Do For Optimization
I’m no beacon of ultimate productivity. I leave that to guys like Tim Ferriss. I, however, have an active interest in improving my use of time and energy while I pilot my flesh car around this earth. In doing so, I reduce stress, am healthier and more scrupulous with the delegation of energy. Here are some things that help me achieve those things.
Waking Up Early
I like to wake up early. By early, I mean 5am. I go to the gym at 7am during the week and prefer to go alert and energized. It’s not easy, though. I wake up sometimes and feel like I flew 7 hours. To mitigate that, I set my alarm on my phone and put it wayyyyyyyy on the other side of the room so that I know to turn it off in rage in the morning, I must leave the comfort of my bed to do so. Voila, I’m up.
5-HTP
To make waking up at 5am less of an ordeal, I stay away from caffeine, eating big and drinking too much water (or booze) before bed. Additionally, I’ll take a 5-HTP capsule. It helps me sleep soundly and allows for a less diva-tantrum wake up. It even, dare I say, makes waking up more pleasant. You can buy 5-HTP for pretty cheap at most grocery stores.
Cheat Food
I can’t eat clean 8 days a week. A part of enjoying life is eating really, really good food. It’s not always the best, but hey, it adds value to my life. I’ll typically restrict cheat meals to one to two times a week. Three, if the food is that lit. Vacation? Fuck it, 1,000. I’m on vacay 💅🏻. Sometimes, though, P. Terry’s buries itself into my subconscious until I relent my righteous protest. To stifle the urge, I tell myself: “You can get that burger (you mouth-breathing beta sack of shit), but eat a salad or drink a green smoothie first.” This ultimately ensures I get good nutrients, potentially eat less junk and still enjoy my cheat meal.
Breaking the Chains of the Desk
Like many, I’m a soldier in the 9 to whenever army. I recline in a chair and remain there for hours. It blows. It does regardless of whatever chair/desk type you have. To get in some movement, I set a time for myself every day to take a walk. I’ll say at 2:30pm, you’re going to stop whatever you’re doing, and get outside and walk. Unless it’s incredibly urgent, I abruptly stop working and walk. I’ll try and steady my breath. Control through the nose and out through the mouth. I typically pace the nearby neighborhood and stop to admire the trees, sky, dogs, anything I can to make it more pleasant. I go back to the office feeling a bit reset.
Being Aware of My Mood
I can be a real bitch. For whatever reason it is, I can be pissy, negative and not additive to other people’s (or my) experience. It’s important to me to catch myself at those times. Having the awareness to do that is the first step, correcting the course is second. My life is pretty easy in comparison to how it can not be. I should be appreciative of my time and not spend it being a little bitch. To correct, I stop and breathe and try to find one thing–no matter how small–that can make be a bit happier at the moment. A thought, a cloud, a child playing, a dog chasing–whatever it is, I’ll allow that to enter my thoughts instead of continued negativity. After all, if we were more concerned with allowing ourselves to be happy, wouldn’t that better everyone?
To the 3 of you that read this, I hope you gather something of interest. Maybe, it’s a modification of an above item that allows you be a bit more on top of your game.
Just think about it this way: every heart beat brings you closer to death. Every breath is one less in life you’ll take. Your time and energy are precious. Spend it being happy with yourself. Not just for you, but the world. Don’t be content to waste.
