5 productive ways to use your free time
The researchers discovered that self-control and energy are not only intricately linked, they are also finite and daily resources that tire like a muscle. Although we do not always realize, as the day progresses, we have greater difficulties in exercising self-control and concentrating on our work. As self-control runs out, we feel tired and find tasks to be more difficult and our mood decreases.
This exhaustion of self-control kills your productivity and makes the morning hours when self-control is the highest, the most important hours of the day.
But the trick is not just to spend the morning hours working; it is doing the right things in the morning that will make your energy and self-control last as long as possible.
"For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am going to do today?' And every time the answer has been 'No' for many days in a row, I know I need to change something. "- Steve Jobs
The research of Nottingham has led me to discover 11 powerful ways in which we can break bad habits in the morning and maximize our energy and self-control throughout the day.
Whether you wake up naturally feeling alert and productive or wake up with the intellectual capacity of a zombie, these tips will help you transform your morning routine and set a positive tone that will last all day.
1. Start with exercise
Researchers at the University of Bristol discovered that people who exercise during the workday have more energy and a more positive outlook, which are critical to doing things. Making your body move for just 10 minutes releases GABA, a neurotransmitter that makes your brain feel calm and keeps you in control of your impulses. Exercising early in the morning assures you that you will have time to do it, and will improve your self-control and your energy levels throughout the day.
2. But drink some lemon water first
Drinking lemon water as soon as you wake up increases your energy levels physically and mentally. Lemon water gives you a stable and natural energy that lasts all day by improving the absorption of nutrients in your stomach. You should drink it first thing in the morning (on an empty stomach) to ensure total absorption. You should also wait 15-30 minutes after drinking it before eating (perfect time to do some exercise). The lemons are full of nutrients; they are full of potassium, vitamin C and antioxidants. If you have less than 150 pounds, drink the juice of half a lemon (a full lemon if you have more than 150 pounds). Do not drink the juice without water because it is hard for your teeth.
3. There is no screen time until breakfast.
When you immerse yourself directly in emails, text messages, and Facebook, you lose focus and your tomorrow succumbs to the wishes and needs of other people. It is much healthier to take those precious first moments of the day to do something relaxing that sets a calm and positive tone for your day. Going directly to electronics has the opposite effect: it is a frantic way to start the day. Exercising, meditating or even looking at the birds through the window are excellent ways to start the day.
4. Eat a real breakfast.
Eating something for breakfast puts you ahead of many people. People who eat breakfast are less likely to be obese, have more stable levels of blood sugar and tend to be less hungry throughout the day. And these are just the statistics of the people who eat breakfast. When you eat a healthy breakfast, the doors of a productive day open completely. A healthy breakfast gives you energy, improves your short-term memory and helps you concentrate more intensely and for longer periods.
5. Set goals for the day.
Research shows that having concrete goals correlates with huge increases in confidence and feelings of control. Setting specific goals for the day puts everything in motion. Reduce your goals to a few achievable that can be easily divided into steps. Vague goals such as "I want to finish writing my article" are counterproductive because they do not include the "how" of things. The same goal reformulated in a more functional way would read something like this: "I'm going to finish my article by writing each of the three sections, without spending more than an hour in each section." simply something you want to achieve, you have a way to achieve it.
Starting the morning at home is important, but it is only half the battle. If you cannot maintain that tone once you set foot in the office, your morning may lose momentum quickly. Here we show you how you can maintain a productive tone once you arrive at the office:
