009 - I started paying more attention to rest, small actions and focus time for maximum productivity

A lot of people I talk to, or see on the internet, refer to their procrastination as "not working," which in their minds is unproductive.

I disagree with them, and science backs me up. Studies suggest that humans can deeply focus for only 4-5 hours a day before cognitive performance begins to decline—that is, if you're resting enough.

Being productive means being both efficient and effective, not slaving away at what you call work. You know those hours when your mouse is traveling across the screen, but you're actually doing nothing productive?

You could sit for hours in front of a computer and accomplish nothing.

You could sit for hours trying to solve a problem and still achieve nothing.

Regular rest periods during your workday also allow for reflection—those "aha" moments—which give us insights, solutions, and help us make better decisions.

Not the hammering away on the desk. I have a feeling you already knew that, though.

Routine creates habits, habits shape mood, and mood forms your personality. Routines and rituals build the feeling of your day.

Behind procrastination, there's often a habitual pattern that stems from emotions like anxiety or overthinking.

In other words, a lack of routine. Especially one that includes self-care rituals, which can raise your perception of self-worth.

I know not everyone has the luxury, but whether it's 5 minutes in the morning or 1 hour and 30 minutes, a routine creates a sense of predictability and control.

You might think it's unproductive to spend 3 hours in the morning cooking breakfast, reading, doing yoga, working out, putting on makeup, or fixing your hair—even if it results in 4-5 hours of focused, efficient, and effective work.

Instead, many entrepreneurs and solopreneurs (yes, I am talking to my audience here) choose to mingle those 3 hours with their workday, filling the time with mindless scrolling or other activities that don't build the mood or mindset of the person they want to be. And I'm being generous with 3 hours—some people spend much more time doing this.

The fact is, small actions compound into big feelings throughout your day. Creating rituals that build focus in the morning will make a difference in your output, whether you believe it or not.

Endorphin-based habits will reduce the chances of burnout.

You might think it's small and inconsequential to make your bed—dust mites aside, just go wash your face, do some skincare, and come back. But when making your bed after your skincare routine represents the only part of your day that was successful, and you can recognize it, you'll start building a ritual around that.

No one achieves anything good with a bad mindset or a lack of positive outlook. A scroll might seem innocent, but it bleeds dopamine, contributing to that sense of loss and dread. Counter it with endorphin-boosting activities, reduce dopamine and cortisol, and watch the changes unfold.

“Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.” — The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down by Haemin Sunim.

Seemingly small actions, like caring for yourself and your environment, compound into feelings of self-worth, which ultimately shape your personality and future.

When I realized this, I became more intentional with my morning routines.

This isn’t to say I have the perfect routine or some magical formula for you—because I don’t, and I don't believe in magical formulas.

What I do have are a few words of encouragement and a reminder that you can experiment with this as well.

First, life moves in phases. Sometimes you’ll focus more on health, sometimes on work, and sometimes on family.

Your habits will reflect these phases—but some habits shouldn't waver. I’ll be writing about "Cave Mode" soon, but for now, check out my Instagram post to understand the basics.

Cave Mode is just a system to help you deal with Systemphoria—that urge to organize chaos, and the blissful feeling of doing so—by turning it into habits, routines, and goals that will transform you.

Now, I want you to write down this simple checklist and work through it:

1. A simple, 2- or 3-step skincare routine for morning and night (consult a dermatologist).

2. A basic hair care routine.

3. A meal plan (see a nutritionist).

4. A workout plan.

5. Figure out the best time for you to go to bed to get a full night’s sleep.

6. Read books that improve your mindset—on psychology, philosophy, and human behavior.

Then expand this list into other areas and build small rituals around it.

If you struggle with keeping a skincare routine or just forget about it, prepare your products the night before, and promise yourself you’ll only have breakfast once it's done.

And yes, you will talk yourself out of things. Today, I didn’t sleep well because my stomach was bothering me, and I kept convincing myself not to work out.

But I still went—maybe I didn’t give 100%, but I gave 60%, and I gave that 60% my all because once I was there, I figured, why not?

The first obstacle is always your thoughts, and controlling them is the hardest part. I can’t tell you how to do it; you'll need to develop awareness and resolve yourself.

That’s why habit-chaining is so popular. If you don’t like reading, pair it with eating—you do love eating, don’t you? Before long, you’ll love reading too.

You don’t need to work out for 2 hours. Start with 30 minutes, realize it’s not so bad, and soon you’ll be doing 60 minutes. I recommend weightlifting. Any other sport is a bonus, but weightlifting is health. If you hate working out, try creating a playlist of music you love or go with a friend who also wants to get healthier.

These are just examples to help you understand the idea. Simple actions, like setting out your workout clothes the night before, will compound over time.

Track everything. When it's all in front of you—because you wrote it down and put it together—you’ll convince yourself that it works.

If you approach every action with a negative mindset, everything will always feel boring, miserable, and annoying. Boredom is a choice. It’s choosing not to infuse what you love into the things you find difficult—or simply refusing to let the thought go.

There’s no glamour in boredom, stress, or an unhealthy body. There's no glamour in overworking, sleep deprivation, or constant complaints.

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