Let's get into physical, let me hear your body talk (Olivia Newton-John)

Photo by Nature Zen on Unsplash

Time to return to Thomas Oppong's 100 Habits. Here are five more:

Invest at least 30 minutes every day doing a side hobby you find relaxing — you can schedule it in the evenings or early mornings. For me it's blogging. I aim to publish one post a day on my blogs, on a revolving basis. It helps me get some perspective and I love the discipline involved.

Start a pre-sleep ritual — remove all digital distractions and read a physical book instead. Reading a book before bed prepares your mind to wind down. I do this for ten to 15 minutes each night. Drives my wife nuts but I need it.

Systemise the same decisions you make every day: how you work, what to eat, what to wear, how to start your day, etc. It saves brain energy for high level or meaningful work. A systems-first mentality changes everything. I get that this is not for everyone, but I fully support this one - my clothes are ready the night before (shirt ironed), my morning work routine is all set to go (same commute, same timings, and so on).

Use at least 10% of your time (daily) to read. The return is exponential. Warren Buffet spends 80% of his day reading. Strong reading habit improves how you think, decide, work, invest or build a better life. I read every day - nowhere near 80% though, even on holidays. I'm lucky, I've always been a reader. I've tried digital a few years ago but I quickly went back to physical books.

Move your body every morning. Spend a few minutes of your morning to stretch. A good physical shape has a massive impact on your brain health, productivity and total wellbeing. My back has been sore for some time so I have 5 exercises I need to do each day to help improve it.