WEBVTT - 7 Ways to Be Productive Even When You're Tired 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:03.520 Sometimes you can be productive, but it doesn't mean that 0:00:03.560 --> 0:00:07.360 you're effective. Productive means you get a lot of things done. 0:00:07.760 --> 0:00:12.080 Effective means you get big, important things done. And I 0:00:12.119 --> 0:00:15.440 find that when I'm exhausted and I'm tired, I struggle 0:00:15.520 --> 0:00:18.680 to do those effective things, even if I'm able to 0:00:18.720 --> 0:00:28.040 do a lot of things and check them off. Hey, everyone, 0:00:28.120 --> 0:00:31.480 welcome back to On Purpose, the number one health podcast 0:00:31.640 --> 0:00:34.159 in the world. Thanks to each and every one of 0:00:34.200 --> 0:00:38.240 you that come back every week to listen, learn and grow. 0:00:39.200 --> 0:00:42.200 Now I'm going to be honest with you. It's nine 0:00:42.520 --> 0:00:51.239 fifteen PM and I have been working around fourteen to 0:00:51.520 --> 0:00:57.800 fifteen hours a day this past week. I am tired. 0:00:58.800 --> 0:01:05.240 I am really, really tired. And today's episode is inspired 0:01:05.280 --> 0:01:09.120 by that. The truth is, if you've been overworking, get 0:01:09.200 --> 0:01:12.200 some sleep. If you're on the verge of burnout, please 0:01:12.240 --> 0:01:15.600 please please speak to a doctor, speak to a medical professional, 0:01:16.000 --> 0:01:19.440 take a break. The reason I'm recording this episode and 0:01:19.520 --> 0:01:22.319 podcast is because I often think that we sometimes get 0:01:22.319 --> 0:01:25.600 into these situations where we've overworked a little bit. We 0:01:25.640 --> 0:01:28.240 need to push through that last little step. But I 0:01:28.280 --> 0:01:30.600 would say that if you can get sleep right now, 0:01:30.640 --> 0:01:34.360 if you can get rest right now, please please take it. 0:01:34.840 --> 0:01:37.240 This is for those of you who know that you 0:01:37.280 --> 0:01:39.679 just need to push a little bit further, and I'm 0:01:39.680 --> 0:01:41.480 going to give you some advice that will help you 0:01:41.520 --> 0:01:44.319 push through. But I still want you to get some sleep. Now, 0:01:44.360 --> 0:01:47.720 Why am I tired? I flew to Egypt for twenty 0:01:47.760 --> 0:01:50.080 four hours. Just so you know, there is a connecting 0:01:50.120 --> 0:01:53.560 flight from la to Egypt. It takes in total, door 0:01:53.560 --> 0:01:57.120 to door, probably around twenty six hours. I was in 0:01:57.280 --> 0:02:00.960 Egypt for exactly twenty four hours, and then I came back. 0:02:01.000 --> 0:02:03.440 I went for work, I came back, went to a 0:02:03.480 --> 0:02:06.560 work dinner. The moment I came back, showered, went to 0:02:06.600 --> 0:02:10.000 that dinner, came back, woke up the next morning, and 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:13.000 started a full work week. And then, because it's the 0:02:13.000 --> 0:02:15.760 week before the Oscars, had a lot of events to attend. 0:02:15.800 --> 0:02:18.880 In the evening work dinners, i'd client meetings, lots of 0:02:18.919 --> 0:02:21.000 different things going on, and in the daytime, I was 0:02:21.040 --> 0:02:26.120 recording podcasts, interviewing amazing guests. It's been a fulfilling week. 0:02:26.880 --> 0:02:30.160 It's been an amazing week. I feel so grateful that 0:02:30.200 --> 0:02:34.680 I've had this week. But the reality is also to 0:02:34.720 --> 0:02:38.840 accept that I'm tired. Now. I know you can relate 0:02:38.880 --> 0:02:41.959 to this. I know so many of you listening right 0:02:41.960 --> 0:02:46.000 now a feeling like Jay. I am tired too, I 0:02:46.040 --> 0:02:48.360 am exhausted too. Maybe you've had too much on at 0:02:48.360 --> 0:02:51.560 the weekends. Maybe your family was just in town, maybe 0:02:51.600 --> 0:02:54.240 you've been going through some personal stuff, whatever it is, 0:02:54.720 --> 0:02:57.359 I'm so glad you chose to be here, and I'm 0:02:57.400 --> 0:02:59.440 so happy that we get to try and talk about 0:02:59.480 --> 0:03:02.280 this together so that I can share some insights that 0:03:02.400 --> 0:03:05.480 help keep me going when this is going on in 0:03:05.480 --> 0:03:10.000 my life. So studies show that around fifty percent of 0:03:10.040 --> 0:03:15.680 people report feeling tired between three and seven days a week. 0:03:16.320 --> 0:03:20.000 The results also reveal a gender gap. Women were sleepy 0:03:20.280 --> 0:03:23.320 on an average of three point four days a week 0:03:23.760 --> 0:03:27.880 and men were tired two point seven days on average. Now, 0:03:27.919 --> 0:03:32.320 only sixteen percent of respondents reported not feeling sleepy at 0:03:32.360 --> 0:03:37.119 all during a typical week. Sleepiness cited by fifty eight 0:03:37.160 --> 0:03:42.400 percent of all respondents. Most commonly affected respondents mood, followed 0:03:42.400 --> 0:03:45.480 by the willingness to go out in the evening, ability 0:03:45.520 --> 0:03:50.440 to focus and exercise, and productivity. Now, the most common 0:03:50.520 --> 0:03:53.560 coping strategy, studies say is to shake it off and 0:03:53.680 --> 0:03:57.240 keep going. Sixty two percent of respondent said that, followed 0:03:57.240 --> 0:04:00.520 by getting fresh air which was thirty five percent, drinking 0:04:00.600 --> 0:04:02.839 coffee with thirty three percent. You know who you are, 0:04:03.240 --> 0:04:06.760 and those are not the strategies I'm going to be 0:04:06.800 --> 0:04:12.480 sharing in today's episode. Why because I believe that there 0:04:12.520 --> 0:04:16.440 are a different set of habits that I practice, that 0:04:16.640 --> 0:04:20.600 I look upon, that I try and embody when I 0:04:20.640 --> 0:04:24.479 am in this position now, I don't allow myself, I 0:04:24.480 --> 0:04:27.159 would like to say, to get into this position very often. 0:04:27.640 --> 0:04:30.680 I'll make sure that I rested the weekends and I'll recoup. 0:04:31.000 --> 0:04:33.279 I make sure that I get some extra early sleep 0:04:33.320 --> 0:04:36.840 the night before. So this is a rare occurrence for me, 0:04:37.480 --> 0:04:41.520 but nevertheless, I have a plan for when this happens. 0:04:41.520 --> 0:04:44.400 I've been working every weekend for the past month, and 0:04:44.480 --> 0:04:48.040 so I've been a little out of sync with my schedule, 0:04:48.640 --> 0:04:52.040 and therefore I have to have a plan now. The 0:04:52.120 --> 0:04:56.920 reasons that people say they are struggling with their energy 0:04:57.200 --> 0:05:01.560 is long work hours fifty three another thing, obviously during 0:05:01.600 --> 0:05:05.200 the lockdown, we're staying indoors, too much screen time is 0:05:05.200 --> 0:05:08.719 tiring for people, and a lack of regular routine. These 0:05:08.760 --> 0:05:13.600 were the leading causes for prolonged feelings of exhaustion. So 0:05:13.680 --> 0:05:15.919 today I'm going to share with you the habits and 0:05:16.040 --> 0:05:20.839 practices I use to help me when I need to 0:05:20.880 --> 0:05:27.160 get work done, even when I'm tired or exhausted. The 0:05:27.240 --> 0:05:32.719 first thing that I do is that I'm genuinely clear 0:05:33.600 --> 0:05:38.839 about how much energy this is truly going to require. 0:05:39.880 --> 0:05:43.679 I ask myself how much energy is this truly going 0:05:44.000 --> 0:05:49.360 to require? Because when I'm tired, often we're not able 0:05:49.480 --> 0:05:54.599 to properly associate time and space. How many of you, 0:05:54.640 --> 0:05:58.960 when you're tired, feel you make bad decisions? Right when 0:05:59.000 --> 0:06:03.440 we feel fatigued, when we feel exhaustion, we make poor decisions. 0:06:03.440 --> 0:06:06.560 How do we make better decisions by actually trying to 0:06:06.600 --> 0:06:10.640 get accurate by thinking about how much energy this task 0:06:10.839 --> 0:06:14.320 that we need to accomplish is genuinely going to require, 0:06:15.080 --> 0:06:17.160 and we have to base it on how much energy 0:06:17.320 --> 0:06:20.680 it's taken in the past, if we've done the task before, 0:06:21.400 --> 0:06:24.960 and when we're honest about the energy, we can then 0:06:25.040 --> 0:06:27.719 check in with ourselves and ask ourselves, can I rise 0:06:27.800 --> 0:06:30.520 to that energy level? Can I bring it to that 0:06:30.680 --> 0:06:33.919 energy level? And the question even more succinctly is what 0:06:34.080 --> 0:06:37.480 is the minimum energy required to do this? Often when 0:06:37.480 --> 0:06:40.560 we're tired, we're thinking this thing's going to take maximum energy, 0:06:40.640 --> 0:06:43.400 but it's not what is the minimum energy that this 0:06:43.520 --> 0:06:46.640 thing is going to require from us to complete? Because 0:06:46.720 --> 0:06:50.680 can we rise to that minimum energy is really the 0:06:50.760 --> 0:06:53.880 question that you have to ask, Now, what do you 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:58.080 do with that? Chances are you too tired, so you're thinking, oh, well, 0:06:58.360 --> 0:07:02.360 you know, I'm probably not gonna give the right answer, 0:07:02.600 --> 0:07:06.160 and I'm probably not going to make the right decision. 0:07:06.520 --> 0:07:09.080 One of my favorite things is this time is to 0:07:09.120 --> 0:07:12.160 go and grab a couple of dates. What I love 0:07:12.200 --> 0:07:14.600 about grabbing a couple of dates is that dates are 0:07:14.680 --> 0:07:17.480 high in natural sugars. So if you need a quick 0:07:17.520 --> 0:07:20.280 burst of energy, instead of going for a second cup 0:07:20.320 --> 0:07:24.040 of coffee, go for a handful of dates. And if 0:07:24.080 --> 0:07:26.440 you don't like them playing, you can actually make some 0:07:26.640 --> 0:07:29.640 energy balls or put them into oatmeal bars. The thing 0:07:29.640 --> 0:07:33.200 about dates is that they have an excellent nutrition profile, 0:07:33.240 --> 0:07:36.960 says Healthline. Since they're dried, their calorie content is higher 0:07:36.960 --> 0:07:39.920 than most fresh fruit. The calorie content of dates is 0:07:39.960 --> 0:07:43.360 similar to that of other dried fruits such as raisins 0:07:43.440 --> 0:07:47.679 and figs, and they're high in fiber, with almost seven 0:07:47.760 --> 0:07:50.600 grams of fiber in a three point five out serving. 0:07:51.000 --> 0:07:53.280 Including dates in your diet is a great way to 0:07:53.320 --> 0:07:58.360 increase your fiber intake. So for me, grabbing those dates 0:07:58.400 --> 0:08:01.960 before I make a decision to assess the amount of 0:08:02.080 --> 0:08:06.239 energy I have is a fantastic way to know how 0:08:06.280 --> 0:08:09.200 I'm going to feel when I take on this next 0:08:09.240 --> 0:08:12.080 task that I have in front of me. The reason 0:08:12.080 --> 0:08:14.920 why this is fascinating is that they found this research 0:08:15.160 --> 0:08:18.720 in a study of judges in a courtroom. They found 0:08:18.720 --> 0:08:24.520 that judges gave more lenient sentences after lunch than they 0:08:24.560 --> 0:08:29.880 did just before lunch. When judges gave sentences just before lunch, 0:08:30.080 --> 0:08:34.880 those people received the harshest sentences because judges were likely hungry, 0:08:35.360 --> 0:08:39.160 thirsty and waiting to eat. They had lost their energy, 0:08:39.200 --> 0:08:41.800 they were feeling a sense of fatigue, so they made 0:08:42.000 --> 0:08:45.200 poorer decisions now when they were able to go and 0:08:45.240 --> 0:08:47.320 get lunch in them. When they came back, now that 0:08:47.360 --> 0:08:51.079 they were feeling fresh and alert, this sentences changed. Now 0:08:51.120 --> 0:08:53.920 that's obviously worrying to hear in a courtroom, but the 0:08:54.000 --> 0:08:57.679 same thing applies to us. If we're doing decision based activities, 0:08:57.880 --> 0:08:59.920 we need to make sure we've eaten, We need to 0:09:00.120 --> 0:09:02.240 make sure we have some energy. If we're trying to 0:09:02.240 --> 0:09:05.240 do discipline based activities. We need to be careful about 0:09:05.240 --> 0:09:09.800 knowing how much energy we need so that we don't overexert. Now, 0:09:10.040 --> 0:09:11.960 another thing I'm going to say is how do you 0:09:12.000 --> 0:09:16.120 get work done when you're tired or exhausted? Is that 0:09:16.160 --> 0:09:20.880 you perform easier or harder tasks. Now, this is something 0:09:20.920 --> 0:09:23.880 I want you to think about, reflect on, and understand 0:09:23.880 --> 0:09:27.520 about yourself. Some of us get energy from doing harder 0:09:27.559 --> 0:09:31.000 tasks first, and some of us get energy from doing 0:09:31.160 --> 0:09:36.559 easier tasks first. We all feel different ways of momentum, 0:09:36.840 --> 0:09:40.080 and you only know this by observing yourself. I use 0:09:40.160 --> 0:09:42.240 someone who feels like, yes, I've got the first task 0:09:42.280 --> 0:09:44.240 of the day done. It was easy, it was simple. 0:09:44.280 --> 0:09:47.199 I'm done. Now I feel confident to move on. Or 0:09:47.240 --> 0:09:50.120 you say to yourself, you know what, if I accomplish this, 0:09:50.360 --> 0:09:53.120 I can do anything right. So you're going to start 0:09:53.160 --> 0:09:56.079 with the hardest. Neither is right or wrong. There used 0:09:56.080 --> 0:09:58.000 to be a time when I thought either raw, But 0:09:58.080 --> 0:10:02.160 I've started to realize that everyone's mind works so differently 0:10:02.480 --> 0:10:05.120 that it's so important for us to be aware. So 0:10:05.200 --> 0:10:07.880 I find that I like to start my day doing 0:10:07.960 --> 0:10:10.360 something difficult. It may be a cold shower. It may 0:10:10.360 --> 0:10:14.360 be a cold plunge, something that makes me feel like 0:10:14.400 --> 0:10:17.160 I can accomplish the rest of the day. I did 0:10:17.200 --> 0:10:20.559 say that you could start with easy or harder first, 0:10:20.640 --> 0:10:23.600 because we are all different, but studies do show that 0:10:23.679 --> 0:10:27.200 doing the easy thing first can be less productive. The 0:10:27.320 --> 0:10:31.280 idea is reinforced by behavioral research that shows that starting 0:10:31.280 --> 0:10:36.440 with easier tasks first is not helpful overall. Studies say 0:10:36.520 --> 0:10:39.040 that the data shows this is the case, even though 0:10:39.080 --> 0:10:41.160 it can initially feel good to take the path of 0:10:41.280 --> 0:10:44.200 least resistance in an attempt to get the ball rolling. 0:10:44.640 --> 0:10:47.480 The human brain is wide to feel positive about short 0:10:47.559 --> 0:10:51.080 term rewards, so we're more inclined to take actions that 0:10:51.240 --> 0:10:56.480 result in gaining those short term rewards, and hardest tasks 0:10:56.840 --> 0:11:00.600 require you to be more patient, to be more resilient. 0:11:01.200 --> 0:11:05.479 The stress of putting off a difficult task negatively affects 0:11:05.520 --> 0:11:09.800 productivity towards all other tasks performed. So because you keep 0:11:09.840 --> 0:11:12.400 putting off that hard task and you keep trying to 0:11:12.440 --> 0:11:16.000 get these quick wins, these quick dopamine hits, you can 0:11:16.040 --> 0:11:20.480 often set yourself up for just stress and pressure of 0:11:20.520 --> 0:11:24.360 putting something off again and again and again. The other 0:11:24.400 --> 0:11:26.520 thing we have to realize is that studies show that 0:11:26.600 --> 0:11:29.840 after a fifty hour work week. Scientists have found that 0:11:29.880 --> 0:11:33.000 the work output of an employee workforce drops off a 0:11:33.040 --> 0:11:36.440 cliff once the number of hours passes fifty five hours, 0:11:36.800 --> 0:11:40.480 work output is almost nil due to exhaustion. So we 0:11:40.559 --> 0:11:42.559 really have to take a look at our whole week 0:11:42.920 --> 0:11:47.559 and ask ourselves, are we really pushing too far too often? 0:11:48.080 --> 0:11:49.960 The study is going to say that the impact of 0:11:50.000 --> 0:11:52.880 this decline in being effective is that people who work 0:11:53.000 --> 0:11:56.320 seventy hours a week are achieving next to nothing in 0:11:56.360 --> 0:12:01.040 the extra fifteen hours they choose to work. Now, I 0:12:01.120 --> 0:12:04.319 can relate, and I would debate that also, I feel 0:12:04.320 --> 0:12:07.760 like I can be effective and productive. Actually, let me 0:12:07.760 --> 0:12:11.400 explain that sometimes you can be productive, but it doesn't 0:12:11.480 --> 0:12:14.640 mean that you're effective. Productive means you get a lot 0:12:14.679 --> 0:12:19.840 of things done. Effective means you get big, important things done. 0:12:20.040 --> 0:12:22.720 And I find that when I'm exhausted and I'm tired, 0:12:23.040 --> 0:12:26.600 I struggle to do those effective things, even if I'm 0:12:26.600 --> 0:12:29.400 able to do a lot of things and check them off. 0:12:30.080 --> 0:12:32.840 We've been getting so many amazing reviews for The Daily Jay, 0:12:33.120 --> 0:12:36.240 my new daily guided meditation series on the car map. 0:12:36.600 --> 0:12:38.160 You might have heard a couple of snippets on the 0:12:38.200 --> 0:12:40.360 podcast for a few weeks, so in case you haven't 0:12:40.360 --> 0:12:42.280 had the chance to check it out, I just wanted 0:12:42.320 --> 0:12:45.559 to share this review from Caitlin, an elementary school teacher 0:12:45.600 --> 0:12:48.280 from New Jersey. He's what she had to say. I 0:12:48.400 --> 0:12:50.960 have over nine years of experience in the American public 0:12:51.000 --> 0:12:55.160 school education system, including teaching throughout the pandemic. Over the 0:12:55.200 --> 0:12:58.040 past two years, I've seen extreme cases of anxiety in 0:12:58.120 --> 0:13:01.200 my students like never before. Many of these children have 0:13:01.320 --> 0:13:04.840 never experienced these feelings before, and most are not even 0:13:04.920 --> 0:13:07.640 sure of what they are feeling. My school district has 0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:11.000 spent a great deal of time focusing on social emotional 0:13:11.080 --> 0:13:14.440 learning SEL through this school year. We try to teach 0:13:14.480 --> 0:13:17.480 coping skills and focus on teaching kids how to deal 0:13:17.520 --> 0:13:20.400 with their feelings and become the best version of themselves. 0:13:20.520 --> 0:13:23.600 As someone who has also been experiencing the many anxieties 0:13:23.640 --> 0:13:26.439 of the world today, I have recently downloaded the car 0:13:26.480 --> 0:13:28.720 mapp thanks to my mom. My mom and I are 0:13:28.760 --> 0:13:30.800 big fans of yours, and once she heard that you 0:13:30.840 --> 0:13:33.520 will have seven minutes of daily Jay each day, she 0:13:33.640 --> 0:13:37.080 encouraged me in doing this. Your meaningful ideas and meditation 0:13:37.480 --> 0:13:40.760 have quickly become part of my daily routine, so much 0:13:40.840 --> 0:13:44.160 that I've begun incorporating some of them into my sel 0:13:44.240 --> 0:13:47.520 morning meetings with my third graders. If you've ever wanted 0:13:47.559 --> 0:13:49.959 to meditate with me, join me on the car map 0:13:50.000 --> 0:13:53.600 for the Daily Jay, a daily guided meditation where I'll 0:13:53.600 --> 0:13:57.480 help you find calm in the chaos, plant beautiful intentions 0:13:57.520 --> 0:14:00.840 for a happy, abundant life and simple steps for positive 0:14:00.880 --> 0:14:04.040 actions to get you closer to the life of your dreams. 0:14:04.520 --> 0:14:06.920 Meditate with me by going to calm dot com forward 0:14:06.960 --> 0:14:10.040 slash Jay to get forty percent off a Calm Premium 0:14:10.080 --> 0:14:13.120 membership that's only forty two dollars for the whole year 0:14:13.480 --> 0:14:17.960 for a daily guided meditation experience the Daily JA only 0:14:18.120 --> 0:14:22.320 on Calm Now. One of my other habits that I 0:14:22.360 --> 0:14:24.800 love to do when I'm trying to get work done 0:14:24.800 --> 0:14:27.680 when I'm feeling tired is get a shower. I remember 0:14:27.720 --> 0:14:30.960 turning up to an event and I'd been asked to 0:14:31.000 --> 0:14:35.360 go on stage at nine thirty pm. That is my bedtime. 0:14:35.880 --> 0:14:39.360 Can you imagine I get to an event, there's thousands 0:14:39.400 --> 0:14:41.120 of people in the audience, I'm asked to go on 0:14:41.200 --> 0:14:43.520 stage in nine thirty PM and in my head, I'm 0:14:43.520 --> 0:14:46.160 thinking it's going to be my bedtime. How do I 0:14:46.280 --> 0:14:50.400 wake up? And sometimes I'm jetlagged two the other way 0:14:50.680 --> 0:14:53.480 where I'm really tired at that time. One of my 0:14:53.520 --> 0:14:56.760 favorite tips so this time is to take a shower. 0:14:57.520 --> 0:15:00.200 I know it sounds obvious, but a cold showers. Wow. 0:15:00.840 --> 0:15:04.200 Taking a shower can refresh you in the best way. 0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:07.240 So the studies say that, aside from boosting your mood, 0:15:07.920 --> 0:15:12.360 research suggests that bathing can reduce inflammation, help you sleep better, 0:15:12.760 --> 0:15:17.520 soothe muscle problems, and help with depression. There's a reason 0:15:17.600 --> 0:15:19.560 that a cult shower wakes you up in the morning, 0:15:19.560 --> 0:15:23.720 studies say, as the lower temperature increases oxygen intake and 0:15:23.920 --> 0:15:28.840 heart rate to release blood through the body. So taking 0:15:28.840 --> 0:15:33.280 a shower can be a huge wind towards working even 0:15:33.320 --> 0:15:37.080 when you're feeling tired. Now there's also a habit element here. 0:15:37.240 --> 0:15:39.440 You're used to taking a shower at the start of 0:15:39.480 --> 0:15:42.760 the day, and now you're able to perform. When you 0:15:42.840 --> 0:15:45.520 take a shower, it's almost like a mental note or 0:15:45.560 --> 0:15:49.360 a mental rewiring to say, let's start again, Let's start 0:15:49.440 --> 0:15:52.360 the day again. This has been a huge tip and 0:15:52.400 --> 0:15:55.640 trick for me that has helped me when I'm really, really, 0:15:55.680 --> 0:15:58.520 truly feeling exhausted. Now, the next tip that I want 0:15:58.520 --> 0:16:01.320 to share with you is the music that you listen to. 0:16:01.480 --> 0:16:04.600 I remember learning about something called the Mozart effect, which 0:16:04.640 --> 0:16:08.120 is listening to classical music, and it's incredible. You think 0:16:08.120 --> 0:16:09.920 this would put you to sleep, but actually it can 0:16:09.960 --> 0:16:12.600 help you be more productive because it can help you 0:16:12.680 --> 0:16:17.360 become more focused. And one of the biggest reasons is 0:16:17.360 --> 0:16:20.040 because classical music doesn't have lyrics, which means you can't 0:16:20.080 --> 0:16:23.240 sing along, you can't get distracted. You can actually just 0:16:23.440 --> 0:16:28.440 move at the pace of the music. Nature sounds, again 0:16:28.520 --> 0:16:31.520 have been sown to remove distraction. When you listen to 0:16:31.600 --> 0:16:35.160 nature sounds, you still feel like you're attentive, but you 0:16:35.200 --> 0:16:39.640 still feel like you can focus. Often we don't realize 0:16:39.640 --> 0:16:43.760 that you can build your own distraction right. Music is 0:16:43.800 --> 0:16:46.040 like building your own distraction. Your mind is enough to 0:16:46.040 --> 0:16:50.840 be entertained by, but you actually are able to focus. Now. 0:16:50.880 --> 0:16:53.640 Some reasons suggest that it's not the type of music 0:16:53.800 --> 0:16:58.600 that it's important, but it's actually music between fifty and 0:16:58.800 --> 0:17:03.840 eighty beats per minute. Doctor Emma Gray, a cognitive behavioral therapist, 0:17:04.119 --> 0:17:07.920 worked with Spotify to research the benefits of certain types 0:17:07.960 --> 0:17:10.959 of music. She found that listening to music set in 0:17:11.000 --> 0:17:14.680 the fifty to eighty beat range puts the brain into 0:17:14.800 --> 0:17:19.639 an alpha state. Now there's an interesting one that's next, 0:17:19.840 --> 0:17:23.439 and it's exercise. I missed the first day of the 0:17:23.480 --> 0:17:26.240 week this week for exercise because I was too tired. 0:17:26.920 --> 0:17:30.520 Rarely do I allow myself to do that, and I 0:17:30.560 --> 0:17:32.360 was so happy when I got back to it. Now, 0:17:32.400 --> 0:17:34.800 how did you make that decision? Everyone's thinking, Jay, how 0:17:34.800 --> 0:17:36.960 did you decide to either go to the gym or 0:17:36.960 --> 0:17:40.720 not go to the gym? And here's how I'm going 0:17:40.760 --> 0:17:45.080 to tell you. I made the decision. If I'm feeling unwell, 0:17:45.560 --> 0:17:50.600 when I'm exhausted or tired, I will choose to do 0:17:51.040 --> 0:17:54.680 low intensity workouts. I'll choose to do workouts that are 0:17:54.760 --> 0:18:00.439 not stressful on my nervous system. If I'm just feeling lazy, 0:18:01.000 --> 0:18:04.640 and then I'll force myself to go and continue on. Now, 0:18:04.640 --> 0:18:07.800 how do you know if you're feeling tired, exhausted, or lazy? 0:18:07.880 --> 0:18:09.879 How do you truly know that. I've been trying to 0:18:09.880 --> 0:18:14.280 ask myself this question. I know that I'm lazy when 0:18:14.480 --> 0:18:18.360 I'm thinking about how I feel right now, not how 0:18:18.400 --> 0:18:20.520 I'm going to feel after I go to the gym, 0:18:20.800 --> 0:18:22.880 and I'd say more often than not, I know I'm 0:18:22.880 --> 0:18:25.240 going to feel great after the gym. Now, the difference 0:18:25.240 --> 0:18:29.359 between tiredness and exhaustion is that you're feeling in your body, 0:18:30.000 --> 0:18:33.320 not just your mind. So how is your body feeling 0:18:33.640 --> 0:18:36.200 is how is your mind and head feeling? Are your 0:18:36.560 --> 0:18:40.760 muscles aching? Is your body feeling heavy or tense? Now 0:18:40.800 --> 0:18:42.440 that does mean you shouldn't go to the gym. I'm 0:18:42.440 --> 0:18:44.040 just saying that when you're on that verge of being 0:18:44.080 --> 0:18:47.480 truly exhausted, it is important to give yourself good sleep. 0:18:47.840 --> 0:18:51.080 But the key to that is sleeping earlier. Right, the 0:18:51.200 --> 0:18:55.440 human growth hormone also known as HGH is more active 0:18:55.440 --> 0:18:59.360 in the early hours of sleep and ideally before midnight, 0:18:59.600 --> 0:19:02.080 so that earlier you can get to sleep tonight, the 0:19:02.080 --> 0:19:05.840 better you're going to feel. The next tip is something 0:19:05.880 --> 0:19:09.320 that's become trendy recently, which is using standing desks. But 0:19:09.400 --> 0:19:12.760 the idea to stand and John Paulson talks about a 0:19:12.800 --> 0:19:17.000 twenty eleven study by the CDC that noted a fifty 0:19:17.040 --> 0:19:22.000 four percent decrease in musclo skeletal pain among workers who 0:19:22.080 --> 0:19:25.800 alternated from sitting to standing throughout the day, and John 0:19:25.800 --> 0:19:29.040 Paulson also talked about another study in twenty fourteen by 0:19:29.040 --> 0:19:33.160 the University of Cincinnati that reported significant decreases in shoulder 0:19:33.200 --> 0:19:37.840 and back pain when participants varied their postures. He went 0:19:37.920 --> 0:19:40.000 on to say that when we sit for too long, 0:19:40.160 --> 0:19:44.000 everything in our bodies slows down. John Paulson said it's 0:19:44.000 --> 0:19:47.280 harder to clear fats from blood, to process insulin to 0:19:47.359 --> 0:19:51.840 keep muscles active and spines flexible, leading to soreness and 0:19:51.960 --> 0:19:55.240 possible organ damage. He went on to say that even 0:19:55.280 --> 0:19:58.439 our mental functions slow because we're not moving enough to 0:19:58.600 --> 0:20:02.840 pump much blood to the brain. So even while I'm 0:20:02.840 --> 0:20:06.919 doing this podcast right now, I'm stretching upwards, I'm raising 0:20:06.960 --> 0:20:09.960 my hands above my head and pushing my hands behind me. 0:20:10.400 --> 0:20:14.640 I'm rolling my shoulders. The idea of moving when we're 0:20:14.680 --> 0:20:19.560 tired is counterintuitive, but it can be so powerful to 0:20:19.760 --> 0:20:23.040 grasp the energy to increase more energy in the body 0:20:23.280 --> 0:20:26.479 when you are feeling tired. The next tip is something 0:20:26.560 --> 0:20:29.480 I'm going to share that I'm experimenting with right now. 0:20:29.520 --> 0:20:31.440 It's something I've never done in my life, but I'm 0:20:31.440 --> 0:20:33.840 starting to realize that it may be something to play 0:20:33.840 --> 0:20:37.440 around with. It's the idea of napping. So studies show 0:20:37.440 --> 0:20:39.919 that naps lasting ten to twenty minutes are considered the 0:20:39.960 --> 0:20:42.960 ideal length. They're sometimes referred to as power naps because 0:20:42.960 --> 0:20:46.199 they provide recovery benefits without leaving the nap of feeling 0:20:46.240 --> 0:20:50.399 sleepy afterward. Now, some of the benefits of napping, study 0:20:50.480 --> 0:20:56.240 show include reducing sleepiness, improving learning, aiding memory formation, and 0:20:56.359 --> 0:21:02.720 regulating emotions. Again, that decision making is improved through napping, 0:21:03.040 --> 0:21:05.959 so the Sleep Foundation shared some really great tips on 0:21:06.000 --> 0:21:08.080 how to get an ideal nap. The first is to 0:21:08.119 --> 0:21:10.800 set an alarm. Studies show that the best nap length 0:21:11.000 --> 0:21:13.680 for most people is about ten to twenty minutes. This 0:21:13.720 --> 0:21:18.840 provides restorative sleep without drowsiness after waking up. The other 0:21:18.880 --> 0:21:22.320 thing is to nap early. Sleep Foundation says napping late 0:21:22.320 --> 0:21:24.600 in the day can affect your ability to fall asleep 0:21:24.600 --> 0:21:28.200 at bedtime. Try napping around halfway point between the time 0:21:28.240 --> 0:21:30.679 you wake up and the time you plan to go 0:21:30.760 --> 0:21:33.520 to bed. Usually you might think, well, that's a waste 0:21:33.560 --> 0:21:36.080 of time, like, oh my gosh, if I fall asleep 0:21:36.119 --> 0:21:38.040 and then what if I don't wake up again, that's 0:21:38.040 --> 0:21:41.240 gonna be hard right. But here's the thing. You've got 0:21:41.240 --> 0:21:44.560 to remind yourself that it's not just about being awake, 0:21:45.040 --> 0:21:48.120 it's not just about getting it done. It's again going 0:21:48.160 --> 0:21:50.399 back to the first thing I said, what energy do 0:21:50.440 --> 0:21:54.119 you need to make this decision or complete this task? 0:21:54.640 --> 0:21:57.800 If it is something that requires your best energy, that 0:21:57.880 --> 0:22:02.000 requires your focused approach, all going to be required to 0:22:02.000 --> 0:22:05.720 take that rest. Do not ignore this advice because it's 0:22:05.760 --> 0:22:07.560 so easy to think, well, I just need to get 0:22:07.600 --> 0:22:09.679 this done, Jay, I'm so busy, I just need to 0:22:09.720 --> 0:22:13.320 make this happen. Sometimes taking a break and a pause 0:22:13.520 --> 0:22:15.639 can be the best thing you can do. One of 0:22:15.680 --> 0:22:18.919 my favorite things is to create a five minute gap 0:22:19.160 --> 0:22:21.879 between each of my meetings. In that five minutes, So 0:22:21.880 --> 0:22:24.320 if my meeting finishes at ten thirty, the next one 0:22:24.359 --> 0:22:27.399 starts at ten thirty five. If my meeting finishes at eleven, 0:22:27.440 --> 0:22:30.080 the next one starts at eleven h five. Or make 0:22:30.080 --> 0:22:32.400 all your meetings fifty five minutes. I don't know who 0:22:32.440 --> 0:22:35.720 invented this idea that your meetings had to be an hour. 0:22:36.160 --> 0:22:39.000 They could be thirty minutes, they could be seventeen, they 0:22:39.000 --> 0:22:41.800 could be twenty five, they could be forty five. But 0:22:41.840 --> 0:22:44.600 we've become these people who set thirteen minute or sixty 0:22:44.680 --> 0:22:47.560 minute meetings. Make them fifty five minutes, make them twenty 0:22:47.560 --> 0:22:50.800 five minutes, and in that five minutes, do these five things. 0:22:51.560 --> 0:22:59.400 Stand up, walk, hydrate, look out into the distance, and stretch. Right, 0:22:59.440 --> 0:23:01.200 those are the five things you do in five minutes. 0:23:01.320 --> 0:23:03.440 Notice how pulling out your phone was not one of them. 0:23:03.720 --> 0:23:09.600 Stand up, walk about, hydrate, look at the distance, and stretch. 0:23:09.720 --> 0:23:13.000 These are five habits that you need to do in 0:23:13.160 --> 0:23:16.119 the five minutes between meetings so you don't carry the 0:23:16.160 --> 0:23:20.000 baggage of the last meeting into the next meeting. That's 0:23:20.000 --> 0:23:23.080 one of the most unhealthy things that removes our productivity, 0:23:23.080 --> 0:23:26.000 that makes us even more tired because it just keeps 0:23:26.119 --> 0:23:30.920 challenging our ability to think straight. And I'm going to 0:23:31.000 --> 0:23:35.440 share one final thing that I recommend we all do 0:23:35.640 --> 0:23:37.720