Mood Follows Action
"Your problems adjust to their true level of importance after a hard workout and a good night of sleep.” James Clear
While I may swap around “hard workout” and “good night of sleep” so I start the day refreshed, I am in 100% agreement with Clear that exercise is the unlock. When I get the right amount of sleep for me (7-8 hours) and then go to the gym for 5x5 or hop on my bike, the rest of my day is better. Better focus and better energy, and I’m setting my day up to be more productive. I also know I’m setting a positive example for my family, especially the boys, who I hope will see my own drive for health/energy and (eventually) model it.
But what about the days when you don’t want to? When you’re tired, or stressed, or overtrained, or overworked? When you want to hit snooze, or wait until later on, or just make a cup of coffee and see what happens? I can only write about these things because they’re the questions I ask myself weekly, if not daily. I almost slipped up this morning, but only because of some grace from my wife did I jump on the bike and ride my way into the day.
“Mood Follows Action” - Rich Roll
Rich Roll’s quote above is discussed in more detail in the Tim Ferris interview clip below, but for me, it is the truth I keep reminding myself of.
On the amazing days, making sure to take note of what got me there, and on the tough days realizing that I had an opportunity earlier on to change the direction of the day, but chose not to.
Have a Plan
I’m at my best when I have a plan. This goes for exercise just as much as it does for anything else that’s important - work, family, community involvement, etc.
With exercise, my best days are Monday and Thursday, because those are Stronglifts 5x5 days where I know EXACTLY what I’m supposed to do. I go to the gym, change my shoes, get warmed up, and then the app takes it from there. I feel amazing afterwards. Dopamine and serotonin and peak levels!
But what about the other days? I’m realizing that having the power to choose from so many options (run, ride, yoga, etc.) makes it really hard to make a choice at all. What is normally a quick wakeup after the alarm at 5:30 and out the door in 20 minutes on Mon/Thurs, turns into a 6:00 or 6:30 wakeup, 30-60 min of consideration, and (if I actually do exercise) an average-at-best workout combined with a later start and some regret that I didn’t have my shit together to start my day off better.
What am I trying to do to combat it? Having a plan for the week.
Structuring the rest of the week’s exercise to compliment those two great gym days. It’s currently on a Note in my phone - just in case I forget. Tomorrow? HIT at the gym b/c it’s still cold and I’m not riding outside yet in the early morning (soon!). And the great thing is that it’s your plan and you can change it as needed - for me this may look a little different when I can get outside and ride 2-3 days a week, but I’ll still have a plan.
Pre-Plan Routine
James Clear talks a lot about stacking habits and pre-plan routines. What can you do, or stack together with the thing you want to make a habit, to increase the likelihood that the habit sticks? What does that look like in my week?
Look at the workout schedule the night before to get my head around what I’m going to get out of bed for in the AM.
Get my gear ready before bed, whether that’s packing my gym bag, filling my water bottles, or airing my tires and pointing my bike towards the door. Reduce the friction and the decisions standing between you and the action that will improve your mood.
As I lay down, after setting my alarm, I remind myself what it is that I’m getting up early for, and I visualize how much I love that activity and that feeling of being in it so that when the alarm goes off I know why.
Find Accountability
Kelly is my accountability (and I’m hers). We know how true “mood follows action” is for each other and how important it is with four kids and a busy schedule that we’re on our A games, and that we don’t let each other slip. She will push me out of bed when I’m dragging, and she’ll often say, “just go, you know you’ll feel better because of it.”
I would have most likely missed more than a few good mornings (and days) this month alone, had it not been for her.
Thanks for reading,
Paul
Plan. Progress. Grace. Move Forward.
Go Kelly!