Exercises, meditation, checking emails. All before 05:00. Many of these morning routines of successful executives are found on the networks. But what really helps start the workday in the best possible way? Does it have such an impact how we start the day in the morning?
“A good start to the working day increases the probability that the whole day will go wellsays Hannah Schade of the Leibnitz Institute for Labor Research at the Technical University of Dortmund in Germany. But how is it achieved?
Here are some tips from sleep research and work.
What role does sleep play?
“Sleep is the most important regeneration and repair program that human beings have”, Hans-Günter Weess, of the German Society for Sleep Research (DGSM). That is why getting enough sleep is essential, according to the expert. “The genetic need for sleep is between six and eight hours of sleep in most people”Weess says.
What can I do to get enough sleep?
According to Weess, people with normal or late sleep patterns should no longer do anything that wakes them up about an hour before their intended bedtime, that is, do not work, do not play sports, do not eat and do not expose yourself to very strong lighting. “Thus, it is more likely that we will be sleepy on time, so that in the morning we can start our activity well”, he points out.
Those who cannot sleep at night because they start thinking about things, can get ahead: “One can get those thoughts out of oneself, for example, by keeping a journal and writing them down there at night, before going to bed.”, says the researcher. It can also help to wind down by writing a list of things to do the next day.
How should I wake up?
Weess He advises against light alarm clocks or those that are governed by sleep phases. “The best thing is to set the alarm clock as late as possible and, once it rings, get out of bed immediately,” recommends the sleep researcher. Waking up several times every few minutes is strongly discouraged, because that extra time to snooze is no longer refreshing.
How much time do I need between getting up and starting work?
According to Weess, people vary in the amount of time they need to get going in the morning. “Up to three-quarters of an hour is normal,” she says. Doesn’t seem reasonable to jump out of bed straight into home office.
The researcher of the work Schade indicates that one should be really awake when he starts working: “There should already be enough cortisol, a hormone that is released when you wake up, for example, when you shower, brush your teeth or move.”
According to Weess, conscious exposure to bright light also helps to wake up.
What activities should be done in the morning?
Basically, Schade recommends everyone move around a bit before work. “It doesn’t have to be sport. It can also be walking to work, at least a stretch, or commuting by bicycle. Through movement, the brain receives oxygen”, says the scientist.
Everything else, according to her, is individual. Some do good with social contact in the morning. Others need to go for a run. If you know what works for you, you should make it a routine.
Should I have breakfast to start the day off right?
“The body and the spirit need energy to be able to work,” says Schade. That is why it is absolutely sensible to eat something in the morning. But the most important thing is to drink something in the morning.
Coffee, however, should not be the first drink. On the one hand, caffeine limits the absorption of certain breakfast nutrients. On the other hand, it contains its own production of the hormone cortisol and the body unlearns to wake up well on its own. It is better to have the first coffee when one arrived at the officeadvises Schade.
How should I spend my commute time to the office?
In principle, according to Schade, you have to organize yourself with enough time, because the journey to the office by car or public transport can already be stressful. “I would advise against thinking about work problems along the way, because in fact at that moment I still can’t fully face them”, points out the researcher.
He proposes that one listen to an audiobook instead. “It is also worth taking care of social issues on the way to work. For example, agreeing what is going to happen at night or responding to messagess”. Thus, private life can later take a backseat while working.
What tasks should you do first at work?
That, according to Schade, depends on each person. Some people prefer to do the most unpleasant tasks first, to get them out of the way. Others prefer to do something simpler, that very quickly allows them to feel that they have already achieved something.
Source: Eluniverso
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
