Tag: habits

Showing up daily – Seven insights from coding, writing, and jogging challenges

Over the years, I’ve engaged in many challenges to keep myself motivated, creative, and sharp. I have done:

• Coding for a year.
• Publishing articles daily on LinkedIn.
• Jogging for 100 days.
• Creating visuals for 30 days.

I’ve learned seven things from these experiences.

• Remove decision frictions.
• Invest in tools that help you achieve your goals.
• Momentum builds after the initial starting troubles.
• Timebox your work.
• Celebrate milestones.
• It spills into other areas of life
• Festina lente (make haste slowly)

The first thing is to remove decision frictions as much as you can. Automating many decisions lets you focus on what’s important and removes all the unnecessary decisions. When I did a 30-day visual challenge, I only used one font and two colors; while jogging, I ran the same route every day. Less decisions means, the more likely I was to finish the task.

Second, invest in tools that will help you succeed. Due to unreliable internet access in my area, I use Sketch instead of Figma or Canva. As I started keeping a daily log, I used an audio pen for transcription, Wordtune for editing drafts, and WordPress for blogging. You can keep momentum going if you have the right tools.

Speaking of momentum, it builds once you get over the initial hurdles. The first few days are hard and filled with doubt, but as time goes on, it gets easier. Even though the pain or uncertainty doesn’t disappear entirely, the process becomes more manageable with time.

Time boxing is key to maintaining momentum. With numerous responsibilities as a CTO and homeschooling my kids, time boxing helps me balance my workload. As an example, I run for an hour, limit my first draft to 300-500 words, and edit and publish within 20-30 minutes.

Celebrate your milestones if you want to keep going. My family and I eat out or buy something from my “wanting” list. Make your brain feel good about all the pain.

Office, hobbies, and personal aren’t isolated. Our actions in one area echo in others. I use all these lessons in my CTO job, podcasting, and homeschooling. Whenever I review a technical document, I timebox, I eliminate frivilous podcasting decisions, and I’m okay with paying for tools that help my boys.

I learned this concept from an Italian cathedral: “Festina Lente” in Latin means “hasten slowly,” and that applies to anything that impacts you, your family, society, and colleagues. The only way to speed up is to build a support system methodically and thoughtfully. You’ve got to shape your process, pick up your tools carefully, and know what you want. Once you’ve laid the foundation, you can go faster than others who haven’t.

I’ve honed my skills and sharpened my observations by taking on different daily challenges. This won’t be the end. In the coming years, I’ll take on even more challenges. Take up these kinds of daily or weekly challenges if you want to get skills for life and career.

December 21, 2023

1000 Alternate Lives

In one season of the hit TV series Friends—”one that could have been”, the characters fantasize about an alternative life that could have happened for them. I, too, often wonder “what if?” about endless possibilities.

What if I had started my company in Belgium? I might have married a Belgian girl and started a Belgian cricket team on my own!

What if I accepted that offer to move to the U.S. once I got back from Belgium?

Not just recent history.

I can travel further back in time, wondering what might have happened had I continued studying physics in college rather than engineering. Maybe I would have become an ISRO space scientist.

I could go even earlier.

I wonder what would have happened if my brother hadn’t passed away, or if our fates had been reversed? There’s nothing stopping me from venturing into an even more distant past—like if my father had fulfilled his ambition of becoming a Catholic priest before tuberculosis forced him to quit his seminary studies.

Physicist Stephen Hawking said, “The past, like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities.” We can lose ourselves in thousands of alternate pasts, but dwelling on them risks trapping us in our own prisons. Our imaginations can shackle us to the past or inspire gratitude for our present and hope for our future.

While some fantasies of alternate realities may be pleasant daydreams, I am genuinely grateful for where I am today. With a loving wife, two sons, a fulfilling job, and fun colleagues, I’m happy with my life. I’m in a good financial position, so I can be grateful instead of wallowing in regret.

Instead of imprisoning myself in a doom loop of depression and squandering present and future on “what ifs,” it is far better to be grateful for today and envision a brighter future and embrace the life we’ve been given.

December 19, 2023

Optimizing my day for a good night’s sleep

Sleep is both an indicator and a requirement for good health. A solid six to seven hours of sleep each day signifies a healthy individual, while also providing the focus needed for productivity and satisfaction. For the past six months, I’ve optimized my day to prioritize sleep. I’ve noticed improvements in my physical health, mental health, and relationships.

There’s more to getting a good night’s rest than just lying in bed.

Every morning I wake up between 5:30 and 6:00, a habit my dad has instilled in me since I was 10 years old. So I go to bed between 9:30 and 10:00.

I turn off all my devices half an hour before bedtime to ensure quality sleep. Lights from laptops and phones can make it hard to sleep.

Since an active digestive system can disrupt sleep, I eat dinner at least three hours before bed.

Drinking plenty of water is essential for overall health; however, I avoid consuming water within two hours of bedtime to prevent waking up during deep sleep.

I jog for an hour or workout for 30 minutes. I also keep my body moving all day. By tiring my body in a healthy way, I can fall asleep more easily and enjoy better quality rest.

I’ve succeeded in improving my sleep by staying active, eating right, staying hydrated, and limiting device use during appropriate times. I’ve been more productive and happy as a result.

Sleeping well isn’t just about going to bed and waking up. You can improve your sleep quality by tweaking different factors throughout the day.

These habits align with the circadian rhythm described in “Circadian Code.” Our bodies follow the sun’s rise and set. We can significantly improve our quality of life and well-being by adjusting our food intake, water consumption, sleep, and activities with this rhythm.

December 18, 2023

Morning routines build momentum

Over the years, I have cultivated a daily routine, particularly for the first few hours of my day. This routine allows me to accomplish key tasks, building satisfaction and momentum for a productive day. Here’s how it goes:

Every day, I wake up around 5:30 am, a habit ingrained by my father since I was 10 years old. Regardless of the weather or type of day, I maintain this wake-up time. Then, I have a bowel movement – another healthy habit encouraged by my father. Afterward, I brush my teeth and weigh myself.

Next, I drink three glasses of water, adding a pinch of salt to the first glass and warming it if possible.

Then, I devote 15 to 20 minutes to prayer. My prayer schedule is also routinized:

  • Mondays for college mates;
  • Tuesdays for church members;
  • Wednesdays for family;
  • Thursdays for myself and work;
  • Fridays for the country and its leaders;
  • Saturdays for friends; and
  • Sundays for church services.

After praying, I put on my workout clothes and either jog or exercise at home. I jog for an hour three days a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays), often joined by my eldest son as we cover six kilometers. On other days, I work out at home for about 30 minutes.

Following my workout or jog, I shower and prepare for breakfast. During this meal, my sons and I discuss homeschooling progress and their learning experiences. Afterward, my wife and I hold hands in prayer before diving into the day’s tasks.

As you can see, this morning routine sets me up for a successful and fulfilling day. Within the first three hours, I’ve taken care of my health, nurtured my spirituality, prayed for others, groomed myself, and spent quality time with my children. This robust start helps me feel energized and motivated to excel throughout the day.

By establishing a daily routine, you eliminate the need to constantly decide what to do next or negotiate with yourself. Negotiation can be difficult, especially when it’s an internal battle. A well-structured routine allows you to smoothly transition from one task to another, building momentum as you progress through the day. This momentum enables you to tackle challenges and navigate uncertainties with confidence, knowing that you have already accomplished so much.

If you haven’t yet established a routine, I highly recommend giving it a try. Start with small steps and gradually build upon your successes.

December 12, 2023