Q: “What daily habit has made your life simpler?”
A: Not just one, but a few habits that made my life simpler:
1) I drink 24 oz (~0.71 liters) of water immediately after I get out of bed. It instantly turns on my brain and rejuvenates every cell of my body. It also makes me go to the bathroom and cleans me out. I like to be emptied out completely and be light on my feet when starting my day.
2) Shortly afterward, I drink another 16 oz (~0.5 liters) of my homemade ginger/lemon tea made with hot water, raw organic ginger peeled with a potato peeler and shredded with a cheese shredder, and 1/2 fresh lemon also shredded with a cheese shredder. I add some ground cinnamon powder and sometimes a little honey.
I do pee like an elephant during the first couple of hours of the day. But that’s ok because I work from my home most mornings.
I believe the water and tea are the main reasons why I have not gotten sick in many years. Better health means a simpler more productive life.
3) I do as little driving in traffic as possible. I designed my life that I work mostly from home instead of going to the office. That way I can eat and exercise during my work day as it fits best with my daily workflow. If I do have to drive somewhere, I batch my errands and select off-peak traffic hours.
When I do need to drive I utilize the dead time by listening to podcasts for an education on wheels. My favorite podcasts are the James Altucher Show, Tim Ferris Show, Science Of Success, Kwick Brain, Impact Theory, The Investor’s Podcast, and Peter Attia Drive.
4) I have a simple workout routine of a few exercises that I mix up. Exercise routine includes variations of push-ups, planks, squats, pull-ups, burpees. These exercises, for the most part, take only a few minutes and I do these at home, or almost anywhere without needing to go to the gym.
That way I get an effective workout with a minimum threshold required to get started while saving time and travel.
5) Almost all my bills are on ‘autopay.’ At one time I had 35 mortgages. I decided I don’t want to write checks anymore if I can avoid it, and I don’t want to lick stamps and envelops. For the few bills that cannot be set up on auto-pay, I schedule reminders in my calendar to pay online.
All my banking is online and I hardly visit a bank anymore. I hardly ever use cash and I never carry more than $10 in my pocket. By automating the bill payments I never ever have late payments. No late fees means fewer headaches and a simpler life.
6) I pay my credit card bill in full every month. I never ever pay credit card interest.
7) I cut TV entirely. I categorize my time as either ‘productive time’ or ‘dead time.’ I try to minimize dead time as much as possible.
8) I use a micro-blender to get my recommended dose of leafy green vegetables. Otherwise, it would take forever to chew all the kale I have been blending.
9) I have 20 identical matching pairs of black socks. I never have to match socks after washing, because all of them match. It saves time and simplifies my life.
10) I never tie shoe strings anymore. All my non-slip-on shoes have elastic no-tie lock shoelaces. Saves time and simplifies my life.
10) I use the “MrNumber” app on my phone. It automatically blocks many scam phone calls and solicitations, simplifying my life.
11) I turn down almost all lunch or coffee meetings, and most meetings in general, unless I have been sufficiently convinced of any substantial specific meeting benefit and that the meeting is not dead time.
12) I drive a 10-year old car that I bought cheaply with cash, and it will last me until it completely falls apart, just as every car before that has lasted me about 18 to 20 years on average.
A car to me is not a status symbol. It is a transportation tool to get me from point A to B. I refuse to overpay and finance a depreciating asset. It keeps my finances in check and simplifies my life.
13) I started reading books on Blinkist. I have a curious mind and like to read many nonfiction Kindle books. I finish about 1 full length book every 1-3 weeks, but my wishlist of additional books to read has been growing longer and longer. I recently signed up for a Blinkist premium membership and now I finish about 1-3 Blinkist books a day. That is beside the current full-length book I’m reading.
I still prefer to read some books in the full-length version. I can filter through the book’s main themes on Blinkist and decide if it is still worth reading the full version. I use a blue filter that shows reddish writing on a black background when reading Kindle books on my tablet after 8 pm.
14) I make sure I keep my regular sleep pattern, 10:30 pm to 6:30 am. My mind and body function best to keep a simple and steady sleeping and waking hour routine.
15) I plan my next day in the evening before I go to bed. Every appointment and task gets written in my calendar or added to my task list for the next day. I want to clear my mind for the evening before bedtime and I don’t want to stress about what I might have to remember for the next day. I rather read a good book with an interesting topic before bedtime.
16) I don’t smoke and I don’t drink alcohol. I have seen too many that are in denial about substance abuse and the negative effects on productivity and long-term health. I’m not a doctor, but I have seen relationships and dreams shattered, not to mention unnecessary traffic fatalities due to a lack of proper judgment. Why would I want to poison myself?
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