If you’re here, you’re probably a high achiever. But just because you’re reaching for the stars doesn’t mean you’ve figured out how to reach the stars. There’s always more we can do to optimize our performance - not because we’re aiming for perfection, but because we’re aiming to be our best selves. Setting lofty goals for ourselves is an amazing thing to do, so let’s arm ourselves with the knowledge, tools, and practices that will empower us to reach those WOW goals! Below are 10 ways we can all strive to achieve optimal performance.
Hydrate with mineral water. Our brains are 80% water. Even mild dehydration can cause neurological issues, fatigue, brain fog, and other unpleasant symptoms that are not good for performance! Minerals play an important role in hydrating the brain and body, so drinking fresh spring water or adding minerals (via Himalayan sea salt or trace mineral drops, like Sakara’s Beauty Drops) is one of the best ways to boost your hydration levels and, as a result, boost your performance!
Nourish your body and brain with real food. Nutrition plays a critical role in cognitive performance. While there’s no one-size-fits-all diet, it’s important to prioritize eating real food (AKA food that your grandparents would recognize as food). Food needs will differ from human-to-human, and day-to-day depending on an individual’s activity level. A good rule of thumb is to focus on eating whole vegetables, high quality protein, healthy fats, whole fruits, and starches. Bonus food points for optimal cognition come from keeping your blood sugar stable. Two tricks for maintaining happy blood sugar levels are to (1) eat your food in this order: veggies —> protein and fats —> starches and sugars; and (2) walk after eating.
Sleep. That whole “I’ll sleep when I’m dead thing” is old news for those of us trying to kick a$$. Sleep is one of - if not THE - most critical factors that impacts performance. Sleep supports all aspects of cognition - learning, memory, problem-solving, creativity, emotional processing, judgment, etc. Getting quality sleep isn’t as easy as one would like, though, so it’s important to prioritize learning what YOU need to achieve quality, restorative sleep - and to get help achieving that sleep if that’s a struggle area for you. Stay tuned for sleep tips from The Wellness Esquire’s founder, Ariella, who went from insomniac to well-rested sleeping Queen.
Move. Sedentary lifestyles are linked to lower levels of cognitive function. Moving our bodies, on the other hand, are positively linked to increased cognitive function. The idea of “exercise” can be intimidating for many people, and it’s important to understand that the positive effects on cognition come from just MOVING your body! It doesn’t need to be fancy! Walk around the block, take the stairs instead of the elevator, dance in the kitchen, do some squats, bounce on a mini trampoline, try out the SwitchedOn app, play with Blazepods, stream yoga or Pilates on YouTube, lean against your desk and do some push-ups, do some isometrics with my favorite strap, explore balancing on a balance disk or balance board!
Get bored. Creative thinking is necessary for quality work in any and every industry. Creativity is what leads to solutions to complex challenges, and it’s one of the factors that allows us to perform at high levels. Creativity is compromised when we’re GO-GO-GO. When our brains are relaxed and unfocused, our creativity sparks. So put the screens away and let your brain wander!
Learn to focus on cue. Being able to get your brain into an “alert” state on cue allows you to perform optimally under any circumstances. A few tips: (1) focus your eyes on a spot on the wall or an object in front of you and keep focus for 30-60 seconds; (2) dance; (3) do some complex coordination movements (check out the SwitchedOn app and Blazepods); (4) do energizing breathing techniques (e.g., inhale and exhale through your nose, with longer inhales than exhales).
Harness your nervous system. The sympathetic (fight-flight-freeze) nervous system and the parasympathetic (rest-digest-recover) nervous system play an enormous role in how we react to situations, how calm or panicked we feel, how well we sleep, how well we’re able to focus and recall information, and so much more. Both systems are important and it’s normal to fluctuate between the two, depending on our circumstances. Many of us can get stuck in sympathetic, which can cause or exacerbate physical, mental, and/or emotional health challenges. When we are able to shift from one state to the other, however, we’re healthier overall and better able to perform. There are loads of ways to begin taking charge of your nervous system including: morning sunlight exposure, sleep, breathwork, movement, nature, hypnosis (medical, not stage), neuro performance training, neurofeedback.
Strengthen your mindset. Mindsets are powerful, and have a tremendous impact on performance. Mindsets create our realities, and shape our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. People with growth mindsets, for example, tend to learn and grow from failure and perform better as a result. Similarly, people with optimistic mindsets tend to be more resilient and handle stress better - and, therefore, perform better - than those with pessimistic mindsets. Mindsets aren’t built into our DNA; we can change them. We can always work to develop or boost a growth or optimistic mindset. A few practices to consider to strengthen your mindset are: catch your negative self-talk and turn it into positive self-talk, practice self-compassion, root for yourself like you’d root for your friends, avoid comparing yourself to others, and remind yourself that mistakes actually help us learn.
Learn how to unplug - and do it. A lot of us struggle to stop thinking about our to-do lists, all the balls in the air, and the fires we need to put out, but leaving all of that “at the door” and learning to quiet our minds and disconnect from our activities benefits us tremendously. Unplugging fully - not in a working while watching a movie type of way - is hugely important for rejuvenating our brains. And a rejuvenated brain performs well! For some, learning how to unplug may be quite a challenge and may require baby steps - maybe it’s deciding not to look at work email after 7pm, maybe it’s turning notifications off of phones and/or computers, and maybe it’s going a whole weekend without checking email!
Get to know yourself. Identifying your priorities, values, goals, likes, dislikes, passions, red flags, superpowers, shortcomings, and understanding what motivates you, what repels you, what allows you to thrive, how you learn, what kind of environment allows you to work best, how you need to eat and sleep to feel your best, etc. will guide you on your life and career journeys. Knowing yourself deeply will allow you to make the best decisions for yourself, set and maintain critical boundaries, and find the people and work that motivates you to achieve your goals and show up as your best self.