5 Simple Habits for a Productive and Energized Day

Knowing about yourself is great, but understanding your body can really amp up your game in handling daily tasks more efficiently! Here are some tips to keep in mind about movements, sleep, and more. Do you have any tips? share with me! Find all the sources at the bottom of this piece.

Shake it, shake it

Even 30 seconds of exercise can be effective in your day, so do something if nothing.

Cortisol, coffee and the hard stuff in the morning..

If you usually have coffee right when you wake up, try delaying it for 2–3 hours. Cortisol, the stress hormone, peaks in the body about 30–60 minutes after waking up. Use this time to tackle the hardest task of the day. I’ve tried doing this, and it’s pretty effective but can be challenging as you might need to set aside more enjoyable stuff.

Beam me up, Scotty

Avoid looking at your smartphone first thing in the morning while you’re still in bed. Take in some sunlight, and if if the sun is not out, turn on artificial lights to help wake you up. Feeling like you just can’t get out of bed even though your eyes are open might be linked to Anhedonia.

Music it away ❤

Personally, as someone who works remotely, listening to podcasts (other people talking) and watching live music concerts makes me feel better. Develop a good music taste and find what you enjoy listening to while working. You’ll come across great music, and it’s nice to have it in the background. I’m listening to this playlist as I write this. Consider getting a smart speaker; having a dedicated device for music is good.

Power-sleeping

Sleep occurs in four stages, and we need four to six cycles of sleep every 24 hours, each lasting about 90 minutes. Plan your bedtime and wake-up time to avoid disrupting these cycles. It’s best to have a fixed bedtime, and if you use an alarm, choose one that is melodic and gradually increases in volume rather than a sudden blaring noise. If you plan to nap in the afternoon, keep it short, around 20–30 minutes. More tips: sleep in the dark, use weighted blankets, and consider sleeping naked?

Sources:

1. Microsoft Copilot, Preplexity AI and ChatGPT were used to prepare and edit this piece.
2. The 30-second workout
3. Morning Cortisol and its Collection Time
4. Are You Consuming Your Coffee Correctly?
5. Anhedonia
6. Sleep: How Much You Need and Its 4 Stages
7. Understanding Sleep for Optimal Recovery & Productivity
8. Why You’re Always Tired (and how to fix it)