I have rather elaborated systems for key areas in my life. Over the course of a year, the systems would be improved to achieve better results. Here are some of my top optimisations in 2021.
Sleep Better
- Hardware: Weighted blanket that eases stress & simulates benefits of deep pressure therapy. High quality bedsheets, quilt & mattress topper to increase overall comfort of bed space.
- Software: Sleep Cycle app, an alarm app that wakes me up in my lightest sleep phase to reduce morning grumpiness.
- Rituals: No phone in bedroom (I use an iPod Touch with Sleep Cycle). Total silence with no distractions for 3-5 minutes before getting into bed to clear mental RAM. A few pages of a nice fiction book on Kindle before dozing off.
Live Better
- 60% Plant-based diet: Days that I'm not dining out with friends, I will usually just have a big bowl of salad with lots of greens, nuts & fruits. Switched dairy milk to plant-based milk at home (Farmerly's oat milk is great) . 60% because I still like my meat, cheese and that occasional after-lunch Flat White.
- Strong Sundays: No matter how great or bad the week is, I know I get to reset it on Sunday & gear up for the week ahead. I will hike in the morning, shower up then go for a deep-tissue massage. In the afternoon, I'll go to my favorite cafe, catch up on some work, then reflect upon the last week & plan/map out the next week. A strong Sunday preps for a strong week ahead.
- Side Quests/Mini adventures: I will usually schedule in 1 big one and 2 small ones every month. These are non-work related projects led by my curiosity. The goal is to experience new things periodically. Some can be done in a few hours, while others require long-term commitment. Some of my favorite ones in the past year include: got my super bike license, made a wooden stool from scratch, learnt to bake/cook at ABC Cooking Studio, got a PADI scuba diving license, started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, got a few photography lessons from a pro.
Work Better
- Misogi: Some years go by and you can't remember a thing. While the best ones are usually remembered by one or a very few year-defining events (called a 'Misogi'). In 2019, I went on a nomadic sabbatical & stayed in a new city every month. In 2020, I shipped a web app. In 2021, I moved to Kuala Lumpur & set up a new base. Set or capture a Misogi for the year to make it fun & exciting! (h/t Jesse Itzler)
- Socials Ban: I only check social media/youtube after 6pm. I realised that social media makes my brain "mushy" a long time ago. I would often go on a mindless loop checking fb/ig/yt/reddit, making me easily distracted. I went the cold turkey way by cutting out social media consumption for 6 months in 2021. It was peaceful times, but I missed out on some news/updates. Checking after 6pm is more balanced and great for mental focus.
- Rewrite personal plan: I do it every 3 months to gain clarity. I will rewrite from scratch the things I want to do, the goals I want to achieve etc. This ensures that the things I take on are truly things I want to do and are important to me. It also creates the space for me to move on from things that aren't working.
Hope you get some useful insights. Have a great 2022 ahead!