“If you want to change your life, it needs a re-edit.”

– Psychiatrist and Harvard Medical School professor John Sharp for TEDx

Wellness Tip:

Hydrate (But, Really!)

Yep, you’ve heard the advice a million times. But do you really drink enough water? If not, here’s your reminder – along with two reasons and a handy formula. 

Aside from needing water to survive, hydration is super important for cognitive function. Your mental performance goes downhill fast when you’re even mildly dehydrated.

Hydration also affects your mood. Feeling grumpy or anxious? Drink up!

But how much? Try using the “Galpin equation”. Says Dr. Andrew Huberman, “Your body weight in pounds divided by 30 will give you the number of ounces of water you should drink about every 20 minutes, when exercising or doing mental work.”

Do you keep a reusable water bottle with you? If not, perhaps it’s time to invest in one!

Productivity Tip:

Rewrite Your Story

We all have stories we tell ourselves that have little to do with objective facts. Stories about what we can’t do, about what always happens to us. Stories that hold us back.

For example, maybe you’ve mentally edited together all the times you’ve failed to speak up at work. You ignore all the times you did speak up, and tell yourself you lack confidence.

Says psychiatrist and Harvard Medical School professor John Sharp, these stories become self-fulfilling prophecies.

To transform our lives, he says, we should start by rewriting these stories. That means identifying the fiction from the reality, having self-compassion, and focusing on strengths (one of the reasons Panda Planner has space for counting wins!).

Check out TED Ideas for detailed steps on how to rewrite your own story.

Routine Breakdown

Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, Physician, Author & Television Presenter

“My routine is constantly evolving and currently I like to spend about 30 mins on something I call the 3 M’s,” says Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, who recommends you try to cover all three in your morning routine. His 3 M’s are:

• Mindfulness. “This will give you an immediate short-term shot of calm. Think breathing, being in nature or meditation.”
• Movement. “You’ll want to prime your body physically.” Dr. Chatterjee suggests anything from skipping, to tai chi or yoga.
• Mindset. “Send your thoughts in a positive direction,” says Dr. Chatterjee. “Think gratitude, affirmations or loving kindness meditation.”

Why it works:

• By covering the “3 M’s” you’ll address both physical and mental health. And the best part is, within these three pillars, there are so many activities you can choose from to custom build the perfect routine for you. 

How many of the “3 M’s” do you include in your morning routine? What could you add or change to make your routine more complete? 

Check out this video for more of Dr. Chatterjee’s morning routine tips.