Do you check your phone or iPad or other devices as soon as you wake up? A recent Inc. article reported that 80% of people 18-44 years old are using a device within 15 minutes of waking up.
When we sleep, the brain shuts off the busyness of the cognitive mind and slows down. It initially enters a slow brain wave realm occupied with physical rest and relaxation. As the sleep continues, the brain cycles through processing and storing memories, subconscious thoughts, and emotions to deep rest then back again—sometimes 3, 4, 5, or more times/night.
When we wake up, our brains emerge from that subconscious process.
Josh Waitzkin (tai chi champion and world chess prodigy) shared his secret to tap into the riches of subconscious processing and harnessing the power of his mind in a recent interview with podcaster Tim Ferriss (author of The 4-hour Work Week and Tools of Titans). Waitzkin called his morning habit “thought-dumping” or OUTPUT.
Ferriss says: “If you win the morning, you win the day.” Check out his short video with a solid list of tips for improving your morning routine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHAyE0UC5I4
Instead of soaking in content from the phone, screen, television, or other devices, I like the idea: creating a morning routine that captures intentions for the day, activates mind and body, and sets up the day in a calm, focused manner.
How will you wake up tomorrow?
