What if you feel more energetic throughout the day (without restoring to endless cups of coffee)?

What if you could feel more at peace right before bed each night?

As part of my morning ritual, I’ve incorporated these four life-changing habits…and they’ve dramatically increased my productivity, happiness, health, and energy:


1. Drink a full glass of water as soon as you wake up.

Why? Because your body is dehydrated after a full night’s sleep.

Far too many of us drink too little water, so this is a great habit to incorporate into your morning ritual. I used to begin my day with a cup of coffee, but ever since starting this habit, I feel more energized and healthier. Plus, research shows that drinking more water helps with weight loss, improves your skin and increases mental alertness.

Try it: Place a glass of water on your bedside table tonight when you go to sleep.


2. Practice five minutes of yoga.

Why? Because it energizes your body and spirit.

I learned from Tony Robbins that energy comes from motion. I used to be skeptical about yoga – it just didn’t feel manly enough for me. Boy was I wrong!

I downloaded an app called DailyYoga, and the workouts have been both challenging and refreshing. I keep the workouts short (under 10 minutes)…but even then, I feel a lot happier and ‘looser’ after the sessions.

Try it: Download the DailyYoga app for your phone and try at least one workout.


3. Read something inspirational or motivational.

Why? Because just one insight can change your life.

Brian Tracy said, “You can learn anything you need to learn from a book.” I’m a huge believer in the power of reading non-fiction books. Books allow you to tap into other people’s expertise and fast-track your success. Why would you not want that? Every morning, over breakfast, I read a couple of pages of a non-fiction book. This puts me in the right state of mind to tackle the rest of my day.

Try it: Start with this book.

4. Split your day into 50-minute blocks

Why? Because it’ll boost your productivity.

Brendon Burchard recommends that people use the blocking technique to stay productive. He says, “Work/create in 50-minute scheduled blocks. During these blocks, NOTHING is allowed to happen except you focus and work. You don’t take calls, look at your inbox, browse, or start other activities. You do ONE THING.”

I absolutely LOVE this habit. Blocking allows me to focus 100% on the task at hand, and thus achieve far more than I would otherwise.

Try it: Create a 50-minute block and use it to focus on your Most Important Task of the day.


BONUS: NIGHT-TIME RITUAL

Right before bed, I also engage in another habit. This one has dramatically improved my sleep quality.

Plus, it’s made me more compassionate and loving towards the people in my life.

5. Meditate for 10 minutes.

Why? Because it will cultivate in you a sense of peace, serenity and love.

I used to have trouble falling asleep because my mind would constantly race around. To tackle this, I downloaded a meditation app called Headspace…and with only 10 minutes of meditation each night, the results? A greater sense of peace. Gratefulness. Serenity. With the bonus of a very restful night’s sleep.

Again, like with yoga, I wasn’t someone who ever thought I would meditate…but once I tried it, I fell in love with it.

Try it: Download Headspace and try your first 10 minutes of meditation.

Pick and choose any one of these habits…and try it. You may be surprised at how it begins to transform your life.

Author(s)

  • Akash Karia

    Keynote Speaker on High Performance, Wellbeing and Engagement at Work

    HPX Institute

    Akash is a global keynote speaker and bestselling author on high-performance habits at work. His books have sold over 250,000 copies worldwide and have been translated into Italian, Korean, Japanese, Russian and Chinese. Thrice, he has been ranked the #1 Most Popular Business Author on Amazon (Kindle). Via his consultancy and training company, HPX Institute, Akash helps empower teams to perform at their best. He helps companies increase energy, boost resilience and improve wellbeing. Connect with Akash via his company website: www.HPXInstitute.com