One operating variable for success: freedom

In the past week I was in a unique situation: work has slowed down due to the holidays and I had a choice to make: push through or relax into what is.

I chose the latter. I started dedicating more time to passion projects and planning the new year. As a seeker of enlightenment I upped my meditation practice from twice to three times a day, mirroring the monastic tradition. I took short naps in the afternoon if my body required it and broke my exercise routine into smaller pieces and spread them throughout the day.

What I discovered is that my body started to feel sleepy naturally two hours after sundown and this morning I woke up at 4am ready to take on the day. This was a first.

It took only one week of freedom to be able to implement every tip of wellness advice I read for years. No instruction, motivation, or additional spending required.

Turns out it’s not the techniques or their intensity which is important, it’s the timing. Before my exercise and meditation routines were pleasant but routine. I had to make sure to do them in the morning before other tasks got in the way. Every day I dreaded the afternoon slump and evenings were filled with confused energy: either exhaustion or being overstimulated. This was a result of a blocked out schedule, pressure to do things without examining why they should be done. No matter how hard I worked on improving processes, the system itself was broken.

From just one week I saw the incredible benefits of a sustainable approach and I continue working on designing systems to make this state not just a holiday occurrence but a way of life. 

Image credit: David Zawila