Our brains have the capacity to work at almost 100% efficiency. The brain uses up more than 80% of our total energy. This means, for peak brainpower, you need as much energy as you can have. No surprises here, but we have the most energy right after waking up. In the first 4 hours, our brain functions like it’s on steroids. This is why the less time it takes to get to work, the better your ideas will be.
The Morning Routine
The way you start off your day will determine how your day feels. Starting off like a rocket can ensure you have a productive day. Most people’s morning routine looks like this:
Go to bed late
Sleep less than 6 hours
Wake up at 7
Drink coffee
Get ready to commute
Chitchat with colleagues
Get to work at around 9-10 AM
By the time you start working, your brainpower drops by 70%. This drop reaches the bottom around noon, and right after lunch, you’ll plummet. I hope you see the flaws in this morning routine. You just wasted your best brain on mundane tasks. This might not seem that significant, but as soon as you experience the power of your morning brain, your perception will shift. You will not want to go back.
Now, let’s explore how a morning routine built on peak performance could look like:
Go to bed early
Sleep 7-9 hours
Wake up at, let’s say, 6
Quick stretching
5-10 min walk
Straight to work
Now, you used 30 minutes at max to get ready for work. Your brain at this time will perform at its highest capacity. Let’s explore the different parts of this routine.
Quality Sleep
It enables your brain to be fresh when you wake up. It means:
Going to bed on an empty stomach (no food 2 hours before bed).
No screens 2 hours before bed.
At least 2 hours of your sleep should be before midnight.
Waking up early enables you to spend time working before getting ready to commute. This is crucial, as most workplaces are not built on performance. They want you to be there physically, even if you waste your early brain doing it. Working on your side-hustle in the first hour will get you so much done.
Movement
Stretching, yoga, and walking are great ways to get your blood pumping. This will give your brain the fuel it needs to function at its peak. I didn’t include breakfast because fasting enables your brain to be more focused. Your gut uses up precious energy to process food, taking away blood from your brain. This way, you can maximize your creativity, analytical skills, and overall performance.
Summary
If you do creative work, writing, or any type of work that requires brainpower, this will enable you to get insane levels of work done in a very short amount of time. Every part of this routine is aimed at sending all the troops to the fronts, to the FRONT-al lobe (haha).
Try this routine, and see the magic happen.