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3. THE DEATH OF YOUR BRAIN STARTS WITH YOUR MORNING ROUTINES

 


Many people start their days digging into social media and emails. If you have opened your eyes in the morning to read my post, then nothing is wrong, you are on the right track. But if you sleep with the phone next to your head or waiting for you in the bathroom, and you dive as soon as possible to what is new on your email box or in the social media platforms, there are great chances you are being driven by FOMO - Fear of Missing Out. The fear of not being included in something that others are experiencing at the unstoppable world that we live in. A world of terrible distractions.

This habit, might be followed by rushing through breakfast - if any - stressful running into the work day, at home or in the office. You might need coffee so you spend the next 30 minutes at the coffee spot chatting with your colleagues. The next hour is spent checking emails and of course social media and the news, but nobody needs to know. Another frequent alternative to this work morning routine, are those early, long and boring informative meetings where coffee is the life saver. 

By lunch time, you are drained and looking forward to the end of the working day to do nothing. Because you have ran out of energy and brains to even think about learning something new, do anything creative or active, or even play with the people you live with.

The next day the story repeats it self, you already know the sequence. By Monday, you long for the weekend and your sense of control over your life has gone. To a point that your need external help to regain self control and self worth. 

Does this ressonante with you? If it does, know that this is the most predictable way to kill your brain. And of course the other parts of your body will follow.

I could go on and talk about living a purposeful life and so on, but I won't. Just google it and you will find the answer.

I will take an easier path: own your day by owning your morning. The way you choose to start your day will have a tremendous impact in the rest of your life. Because your days are your life in miniature (Robin Sharma). 
It all starts with your morning habits. If the ones you have now are not working for you, try something new. That does not include social media, reading emails or waking up to rush for work.

I will leave you with 7 tips that I hope will help you own your days and advance your brain:

1. Own the first hour of your day. From exercise, to meditation, journaling, reading or learning something new, the alternatives are diverse and easy to fit your needs. You can even do it all!

2. Non negotiable. Whatever new habit you decide to implement, make it a non negotiable. Just like brushing your teeth. You just do it. 

3. Find a good reason to do it. Not just today but something you will benefit from always. No matter what. 

4. Do it everyday, for at least 66 days. This is how long it takes on average to form a new habit (Lally et al., 2009).

5. If you are a checklist person, change the way you do it. Instead of listing tasks or to do's, describe the outcome or even better, how you will feel once you get it done.

6. Your day starts with how you end the previous day. Your sleeping hygiene, the time you go to bed, what you do before, what you bring into your sleep.

7. If you think it will not work because you don't have time, remember that there is no such thing as time management. You cannot manage a thing that does not change and stays the same no matter what. Like time! What there is is self management. Because this is so important, it will be the topic for another mind hack.

Just try. You have nothing to loose. And you will be amazed with the increased sense of control over your life in general. 

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