7 Habits for Success

I admit it. I probably stole this title from somewhere. After all, it may be impossible to track down every article with a similar subject matter that has ever been written. Countless right? So why one more? And why listen to this one? I say, why not? I've practiced Traditional Chinese Medicine at the highest levels, played baseball at a high level, run several successful businesses. I say again, why not? For so many people success is measured by zeroes on their paychecks, and material goods on their mantle-pieces. While this is certainly the most visible form of success, as Madonna said, 'we live in a material world," it is certainly not the only form of success that individuals strive for.

Gratitude

These are not in any order of significance, but if they were gratitude would be numero uno. Tony Robbins proffers, when you just can't seem to find things to be grateful for, head down to the local soup kitchen and volunteer. You will find so many things to be grateful for you will forget what it was that had you down. Native Americans have a custom of naming nine people they are grateful for. The names can change based on circumstances or time, but upon waking each morning you speak the names. Small acts like these help to set a mind frame for the day, and help us to remember what's most important. This is something I have tried to instill in my 3 year old daughter, and it is heartwarming to hear her morning gratitude prayers.

Exercise

This is a pretty simple one, and we all know how important it is. It doesn't have to be Insanity or p90x, although if that is your thing then go for it. Walking is perfectly acceptable, and probably much better for you in the long run then a lot of exercise programs out there. Yoga is wonderful, as is martial arts, just don't over do it and injure yourself. Trust me I speak from experience. Tai Chi and Qi Gong are also phenomenal.

Sleep

Sleep is pretty important. I like to sleep, sometimes I feel lazy for doing so, but rarely. I'm a big fan of naps. There has been significant research that shows the brains peak productivity occurs roughly 2-4 hours after waking. Many proponents of multi-phasic sleeping, or short periods of sleep, followed by productive periods, do so for this reason. In my own experience, I like to get up, meditate, have some coffee, and use my peak productive time mid-morning. I will usually take a short nap later, in order to get another burst of productivity in the late afternoon, taking advantage of this burst in mental function after rest.

Multitasking

We call this multitasking, but in reality it is multi-sucking. Email, Twitter, Facebook, texting, all while working on a project. You might as well just head home for the day. If you have seen the studies on 'context switching' then you know what I'm talking about. Multi-tasking is an absolute myth. Context switching is defined as the time it takes your brain to shift gears between projects. It literally takes your brain time to reconfigure itself to most effectively tackle a given problem. When switching back and forth, this is time lost. When working on two projects, time lost is 20%. Three projects, time lost 40%. Four, 60%. Five projects, 80%. You are literally accomplishing nothing. Stop multitasking because you really suck at it!

Reading

Reading is potentially one of the most productive things you can do. A mentor in every book. I try to set aside an hour a day to read some form of nonfiction, informational type literary production. Don't get me wrong, I love fiction as much as the next person, and firmly believe The Lord of the Rings is one of the greatest literary works of all time. I also believe that important life themes and lessons are found in fiction as well as nonfiction works. However, if you want to become adept in technical fields, aside from apprenticeships which simply aren't the norm these days, manuals and the like are essential.

Meditation

There are many different forms of mindfulness that can be applied here. Some are merely forms of intense focused concentration, others rely on breathing techniques in order to center the mind, some use mantras or sound, others movement. The idea is the same, and individuals will gravitate towards the method that serves them best. Studies show meditation increases cohesiveness of brainwaves between the right and left hemispheres, allowing for more clarity of thought and creativity. This as well as numerous health benefits due to overall reduction of stress levels and diseases related to such make it an ideal practice for young and old alike.

Eating

If you are trying to be as productive as possible, it is good to remember "junk in, junk out.' The easiest way to promote a healthier style of eating is twofold:

• Eat at home
• If you can't eat at home, make it at home.

Simple really. In theory anyway. Making meals at home makes it much easier to use whole foods and fresh ingredients. You are also getting much healthier doses of fats and foods that are not filled with chemical preservatives. If you have to eat while out, pre-package your lunches to encourage healthier choices. Obviously, you need to live you life, and can't be expected to attend dinner parties with a brown paper lunch bag, but these two guidelines can go a long way to making healthy eating choices.

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