How changing our habits at home impact our work
April 18, 2018
By Brian Maynor
Our lives are centered around our habits.
We have good and bad habits at home, work, and in other areas of our lives, but few of us stop and examine how they impact each other.
Just like Derek Sivers said, “How we do anything is how we do everything,” so it’s impossible to practice bad habits half the day at home and expect to only practice good ones at work. Consistency is key.
Knowing how we deal with our home habits plays a role in how we deal with our professional ones, here are a few of the most common bad habits most of us have at home and what to do about them:
1. Hitting the snooze button. Those extra minutes may seem like a godsend in the morning, but the reality is they are probably making us groggier. Our sleep cycles run in 60-90 minute spans, and when we hit the snooze button we are waking up in the middle of a cycle.
In addition to that, by hitting the snooze button we start our day reactively instead of proactively, and more likely to feel rushed, stressed and unfocused at the office. Instead of trying to get a few more minutes in the morning, try going to bed earlier and getting up when the alarm first goes off. It’s time to take back control of our mornings.
2. Binge watching TV. It doesn’t matter if we watch 5 hours a day, or 30 hours in two days; spending time in front of the TV is not adding anything to our lives. Since most of us use TV as an escape from the day, a natural replacement for this bad habit is reading. Instead of cutting out all TV, we should just be more mindful of the time we spend zoning out and start with 30-60 minutes of that time reading instead.
The idea is to spend time stimulating our brains, so that we carry that creativity and inspiration forward into our work.
3. Too much eating out/take out. Waistlines aside, eating out too much impacts our cognitive abilities because most of the food available is lacking in necessary nutrients that our brains need to function normally. It’s no surprise that people who eat healthier foods tend to be more energetic and focused throughout the day, but avoiding eating out also saves a lot of money.
Cooking a meal from scratch is probably the last thing we may want to do after a long day, but luckily there are other options. Meal prepping is a huge trend among busy professionals because they can plan the entire week and do most of the cooking on Saturday or Sunday.
4. Skipping the gym. Just like with the food we eat, exercise helps us reduce stress, maintain healthy bodies and a host of other healthy lifestyle choices, but it’s also one of the easiest things to skip.
Many of us try to work the gym into our days, whether it’s at lunch or after work, only to have the day get away from us or other commitments pop up that leave us skipping our workout. The best way to nip this in the bud is to work out first thing in the morning. Just like not hitting the snooze, starting the day off by going to the gym helps us feel better about ourselves and start the day proactively.
5. Break by habits by replacing them, not quitting them. Quitting bad habits is hard, especially when we try to do it cold turkey. This typically works for a few days, but sooner or later we fall back into our old habits, because we have a void where that bad habit was before. Instead of just quitting a bad habit, we should try replacing them with a good habit.
Changing these four habits at home will have a huge impact on not only our habits at work, they will also have us feeling more satisfied, committed and in-charge.
I am always curious to hear from you. Send your questions, comments and pet peeves to [email protected].
About Brian Maynor
Brian Maynor has built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding his eponymous company, BRIAN MAYNOR and his FIND, FLATTER & FLAUNT line of image consulting services. A professional with a fresh, upbeat and down-to-earth personality and boundless creative energy, he works frequently with with local celebrities; Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations; modeling agencies; fashion designers; production companies; record labels; media and individuals. A regular contributor to various fashion blogs and online communities, Brian Maynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in the region, utilizing his education and training as a broadcast journalist to serve as a style lecturer, emcee, and commentator for over a decade. He has appeared at fashion shows, expos, and charity fundraisers, as well as events with big brands like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico’s and Macy’s. His approach is innovative, creative and fashion-forward, balancing fresh, modern styles with classic pieces to keep one’s look grounded. To learn more, visit http://www.brianmaynor.com.
