10 Habits to Avoid for an Optimized Life

While this may come off a bit preachy, understand that no one is perfect and these points are aspirational in nature. Be sure to maintain patience and pace yourself as you begin to jettison these vices for healthier habits. Additionally, this article only acts as a introductory list of short explanations which outline the core obstacles of productivity and health. Stay tuned for subsequent in-depth articles on individual habits.

Alcohol

…And any other recreational drugs. Sure they’re fun, but these are dangerous in excess. Personal aspirations are often hijacked by short term pleasantries such as alcohol and drugs. A healthy mind is a clean mind.

Caffeine Close to Bedtime

Protect quality sleep at all costs. As mentioned in other articles, coffee has a half life of 4-6 hours so your body is trying to metabolize that evening caffeinated beverage the entire night - this has negative impacts on your most restful (REM) sleep.

Excessive Social Media

Much like any form of media, social media should have designated hours of usage. Per recent studies, we now understand social media in high volumes may cause depression, anxiety, low self esteem, etc. Moreover, these apps are delibertely designed to create habit forming (addictive) usage patterns.

Excess Shopping

Anyone watching Marie Kondo will quickly realize “retail therapy” is often a legitimate addiction that needs to be addressed. Similar to social media, junk foods, and alcohol, shopping releases a dopamine hit causing our brain to become excited in anticipation of purchasing a new item. This, in part, contributes to buyers remorse as well.

Needless Snacking

A good place to start would be entry level intermittent fasting: no eating before 10pm or after 8pm. Meals within this time period should be deliberate and well thought out for optimal nutrition. Stick to whole foods. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, don’t eat it.

Junk Food (Non-Whole Foods)

Building on the previous point, your body is a high precision instrument of success - act accordingly. You would never put diesel in a Maserati. Eliminating junk food is probably the greatest lifestyle change one can make.

Excess Video Games and Television

Be deliberate with your consumption of media. Gaming and television should be restricted to predetermined hours on the weekend.

Negative People and Drama

In the matter of toxic relationships, cut them immediately. Do not fall into the sunk cost fallacy and believe you’ve already invested too much into a relationship to back out.

Multitasking

It is important to attain a flow and focus on one project at a time. Flow state is one of the most productive, enjoyable, and creative activities.

Isolation

Be sure to interact with those you care about most. This will boost morale and act as a reminder that you are part of a larger community. Additionally, talking about your short and long terms goals and even maintaining an accountability buddy can be fantastic for sustainable changes.

Final thoughts

These tips do not need to be installed all at once; take time for incremental changes and learn more about yourself each day along the journey.