Some people wake up at 5 a.m. to exercise, meditate, or write in their journals. They try to optimize every moment to create the most productive day possible. If this works, great. But that doesn’t apply to everyone.
As a neuroscientist, I don’t follow a strict routine. Trying to force real life into a rigid structure can create unnecessary stress and undermine what you’re trying to accomplish.
Instead, I’m focusing on a few key categories to ensure your brain gets what it needs to perform at its best without burning out. Here’s how:
1. Focuses on consistent movement rather than intense training
Physical activity doesn’t have to be strenuous to have a positive impact on the brain. Most mornings, I do about a minute and a half of yoga and 20 push-ups before breakfast. When I need a break at work, I take a 10-minute walk.
Cleaning the kitchen, carrying groceries, and using the stairs also count as helpful activities. It may seem like a small thing, but research shows that simply being grateful for the physical activity you’re already doing can improve your health and happiness.
2. Use pleasurable activities as mental fuel rather than productivity rewards
I try to do something fun every day. Play the guitar, read a book, or watch your favorite TV show or movie.
When possible, I try to do fun, physical activities like pickleball. Or you might turn a chore into a game, like seeing how clean the kitchen can be in five minutes.
Pleasant activities increase motivation and reward circuits in the brain and reduce stress hormones. All of this will give you more energy to invest towards your big goals.
3. Prioritize meaningful activities, even if they aren’t fun.
Meaningful activity is connecting your actions to ideas, values, and relationships that are bigger than your ego. Not everything meaningful is fun, and that’s okay.
Starting a company, writing a book, or helping others can be time-consuming, frustrating, and unpleasant. But these experiences give your brain an essential sense of purpose and fulfillment. Without it, it’s easy to lose motivation, even if things seem to be going well on the surface.
Try to connect the unpleasant activity to something more meaningful in your life. Going to the dentist protects my health and allows me to go to the dentist for my children. Ensuring that my emails are read is a commitment to my client’s success.
4. Enjoy small achievements.
If you want to bring great satisfaction to your life, do not ignore small victories. When you focus only on the end result, you miss out on the important support your brain needs to stay motivated.
To maintain a sense of progress, I break down large goals into smaller pieces. For this, I often use the Pomodoro technique. Give yourself 25 minutes to work on one project. Then tick off to yourself that you completed those 25 minutes, regardless of whether the task was completed or not.
After all, even if the project isn’t complete, there are still plenty of completed checkboxes. A small sense of accomplishment can also come from doing household chores or doing fun, meaningful activities.
5. Don’t eliminate social interaction for efficiency.
When life gets busy, social activities often take priority. But as a social species, our brains have evolved to be interdependent and connected. Strong relationships support brain systems designed to boost mood and reduce stress.
The biggest mistake you can make is ignoring one of your brain’s most basic needs. In this case, all you need to do is be completely present with the people you care about.
6. Give yourself enough time to rest and reset
Sometimes your brain needs a break. In a culture that values continuous performance, taking time off is often seen as a weakness, but that’s not the case.
Athletes need sleep and rest to reach their full potential. It doesn’t interfere with their training. They need it to perform at their best. That applies to all of us.
You don’t need a highly structured or “perfect” routine to be successful. Focus on what makes your brain feel its best every day.
Dr. Alex Korb is a neuroscientist, professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, and mindset coach. He is the author of “The Upward Spiral.”
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