In the pursuit of an optimal morning regimen, a considerable number of individuals habitually initiate their day by gravitating toward the coffee machine as a matter of priority. This predilection is founded upon the gratifying taste of coffee and the caffeine infusion that helps navigate the initial hours of the day. However, it appears that this customary approach may warrant reconsideration, as it prevents sleep, which is just too important.
Sleep Is Important
A distinguished neuroscientist, Professor Dr. Andrew Huberman of Stanford University, has recently unveiled his prescription for an ideal morning routine – one fundamentally centered around the realm of sleep. Dr. Huberman’s revelations prescribe a morning ritual that commences with the earliest hours, awakening promptly at 6:30 each morning. Diverging from the conventional trajectory towards a coffee machine, Dr. Huberman embarks upon a morning walk, synchronizing his steps with the gradual ascent of the sun, as an invigorating prologue to the day.
Upon concluding a brisk outdoor excursion, Dr. Huberman indulges in a glass of saline water, imbuing his routine with a rather unconventional yet refreshing touch. This rigorous daily routine has evidently yielded remarkable benefits, as he attests. Nevertheless, amidst the sundry components of his regimen, Dr. Huberman discerns an overarching priority – sleep. He underscores the pivotal role played by certain foundational behaviors, labeling them as either conducive or detrimental to one’s overall efficacy.
Rest and Exercise Are Also Crucial
Dr. Huberman elucidates that sleep, as the cornerstone practice within the 24-hour cycle, assumes paramount significance. Consistent and adequate sleep, he contends, bolsters one’s capacity across the spectrum of daily activities. Having underscored the paramount importance of sleep, Dr. Huberman’s step-by-step blueprint for an ideal morning routine also includes an early awakening timeframe, ideally between 6:00 and 6:30 AM, followed by immediate exposure to natural sunlight. Dr. Huberman expounds on the vital role played by a brief 10-15 minute outdoor walk, emphasizing its salutary impact on both mental and physical well-being.
Subsequently, Dr. Huberman introduces an unconventional yet intriguing facet – the consumption of saline water. Intriguingly, he refrains from consuming any solid sustenance until close to midday. He extols the manifold benefits of this practice, encompassing enhanced blood sugar regulation, bolstered cardiovascular health, and augmented cognitive function. As one might anticipate, Dr. Huberman accentuates the significance of physical exercise within this holistic morning routine, advocating a regimen of five sessions per week.
Here’s How Hustle Culture Can Be Escaped
Simone Boyce, an LA-based TV host and correspondent, was part of the hustle culture. Until 2019, she was posting on her Instagram profile daily, living in what she describes as “an empire-building era.” She even built a green screen studio to make YouTube videos and would often spend the whole night editing them. When she got her dream job as an on-air reporter, she was a burned-out zombie. She says, “Making any kind of social plans was out of the question. I often had to fly on nothing but a moment’s notice.”
Motherhood Brings Meaning to Her Life
She didn’t stop after the birth of her first child, either. Instead, she tried to juggle her personal life with her pursuit of career development. Near the end of her second maternity leave, her boss asked her to start covering the news again. “As a mom with two children, that’s when I realized I must put an end to the whole hustle lifestyle. I suddenly grasped I’d been so focused on my career that I was missing out on other things. But my children helped me broaden my focus to things that helped me find true meaning in life.”
Boyce hasn’t abandoned her ambition, it just changed as her life developed. Presently, she’s embracing motherhood while being an entrepreneur. Surely, that brings less money but brings her much more satisfaction.
Hustle Culture Can Lead to Complete Burnout
The creator of The Motherload newsletter may now be in her “recovery era.” Still, hustle culture hasn’t disappeared. In fact, it’s still going strong. The pursuit of higher and tougher challenges comes with a whole bunch of promises. Try hard enough and you’ll finally achieve your dreams. But, as time goes by, many start wondering whether it’s worth it.
Some explain it with a phenomenon called the ‘hedonic treadmill.’ Namely, you constantly speed up your life to achieve a goal. Once you meet it, you just want to continue striving for new heights. The result is that you’re constantly dissatisfied with where you’re at right now.
How to Abandon It
You don’t need to constantly strive for more in your life, as that often leads to nothing but unhappiness and constant burnout. Instead, one needs to learn how to be content with their life, regardless of their achievements. Psychologists say the pursuit of happiness is much more valuable than the strife for achievements.
While it’s easy to say that hustle culture isn’t the best thing for a person, it’s not so easy to abandon it. Many feel that being content will lead to a lack of motivation to make a positive change in your life. That’s just how Boyce felt when she first abandoned it.
It’s all about balance. Find what’s giving you satisfaction in life, and take a moment to appreciate what you’ve achieved so far. Once you achieve balance, you’ll see that contentment and career pursuit can coexist.