List #24: 30 Health, Productivity, Creativity and Happiness Optimisation Experiments I’ve Explored And The Life Hacks that Resulted From Them

30 Lists of 30 to Celebrate my 30th Birthday

18 min readAug 25, 2021

The What & Why Behind This Project:

This year I turn 30. And my gosh, I have been thinking about it a lot. I don’t know if it’s the pandemic, or the fact that this milestone is loaded with many societal expectations, but my mind has inundated me with reflections and memories from the past, with questions arising about my life choices and lesson learnt, about my expectations of being a human and about my desires for the future. And this combined with pandemic reflections has meant there has been a lot on my mind….🤔

I started writing a series of questions and lists of all the elements I wanted to capture and articulate. There were a lot, unsurprisingly; 30 years is a long time really! So I gave up on the 1 list idea that I normally write (30 reflections/lessons turning 30) and decided to write 30 lists.

30 Lists of 30, for my 30th Birthday.

Who are these lists for, you might wonder? I started writing reflections many years ago to get to know myself better. And when I shared these raw and real accounts with friends I discovered that what I wrote about my individual journey, touched upon something universally human. Beyond the masks and labels we wear is a messy, beautifully complex life, with highs and lows. And more similar to others than we might think.

So I share them in the hope that you too might feel something — intrigue, joy, resonance or maybe even difference — as you reflect on what it means to be a human. I recognise that my experiences are my own, that some come from a place of privilege and that they may not all be relatable or interesting to you. I know I can’t please everyone, so take what you can…(and let me know what lands!).

So, Back to Lists…

The Why Behind List #24: Health, Productivity, Creativity and Happiness Optimisation Experiments I’ve Explored And The Life Hacks that Resulted From Them

I’ve become a bit obsessed over the years with optimisation — I want to get the most out my day, my week and my life. Through a process of experimentation, I’ve discovered that positive energy, health, creativity, productivity, luck outcomes (e.g.) can be engineered. Here are some of my experiments and what life hacks I now incorporate into my everyday life.

List #24: Health, Productivity, Creativity and Happiness Optimisation Experiments I’ve Explored And The Life Hacks that Resulted From Them

Changing my diet to keto paleo (high fat, no carbs, sugar, gluten or dairy)—In 2019 the consultant I was seeing for fatigue put me on a highly restricted diet to see how it would affect my energy slumps. It was a pretty bit change! I removed everything ‘not okay’ from my flat or moving ‘cheat’ food to a unused cupboard), starting finding new recipes or learnt how to alter old ones, and made extra space in my day to cook ‘real’ food which I ate at home, and took for days out. The transition was a nightmare time-wise and I experienced the sickness of ‘keto flu’ but the results started to show themselves within a week. My energy in the morning was much more consistent (as I was eating few high GI foods), I had less sugar cravings, my taste buds changed (I started to crave nuts and coconutty things which I previously disliked) and my skin cleared up enormously, which was a huge boost for my self esteem! It made me realise how sugar was having a massive negative effect on me, how much I didn’t actually need it (and could savour the moments when I did have it), how carbs at lunchtime are what lead to the afternoon slump, and how I needed to be intentional about what I ate because it was having a huge effect on my body. And it was fun tracking my blood a few times of day to see how strongly I was going into ketosis, when and how what I ate etc affected this! I’ve kept the diet going since 2019 but am less strict on weekends, when eating out and holidays as it is a nightmare for others to cook with so many limitations. However, the skin thing especially is an incredible strong driver for me to stay on it. The only current challenge is that many of the dishes involve meat and fish (as a source of protein and fats) and I would like to cut down for environmental reasons.
Intermittent fasting (IF)— cutting breakfast. Staying at home during COVID meant eating lots and not enough high quality exercise so I started to gain weight, which I really disliked. So I decided to cut down my eating window to 12.30/1pm-8pm, which might reduce my calorie intake, help me shift into ketosis faster and give me more focus in the morning. I still drank coffee in the morning though so my body had something. It took me a while to get used to waiting to eat, and there were some moody days but I steadily moved the timings forward for lunch and realised I didn’t actually need to eat to get energy. Most days I do IF but if I am super hungry I listen to my body and have something small but high in protein and fats (e.g. eggs or non-dairy yoghurt)
Mineral & vitamin supplements — After getting my bloods tested with Thriva in 2019, I realised that I was actually deficient in a host of areas (e.g. B12, iron), even though I had a good diet. My consultant gave me a long list of supplements to take (at one time, 20 a day!) that helped increase my levels over the following few months (we tracked them which I highly recommend doing). I noticed I picked up a lot less colds/viruses (providing I slept well too), and generally had a bit more energy. Nowadays I take a smaller number every day: vitamin C & magnesium, B complex, multivitamin, Vitamin D, Omega 3, zinc, iron. Athletic Greens (which I used in 2018) do a powder which includes these elements and more — I recommend them (even though it is expensive)
Mitochondria-Building Energy Supplements — this year I let myself explore something called Energenesis. A powder that combines 50–100 elements that have been shown to contribute to increasing the quantity and quality of your mitochondria, which are our energy powerhouses. My energy this year was good but not incredible and I noticed how much a workout session would flatten me for the day. After 2 weeks of taking it almost daily, I discovered that my baseline energy was so much better — I could cope with longer working days, hard workouts and even my ‘no coffee Sundays’. My wellbeing, mood, creativity and productivity was better. Also, 2 friends tested it with me (one of them with fatigue) and it had a really positive impact on them too. We have all ordered more!
Half days’ work - during Covid I had less work opportunities so decided to see what would happen to my productivity and my joy in life if I could my ‘work’ time down to around 4–5 hours a days, mostly in the morning, leaving the afternoons (when I am less focused) for exercise & walks, calls, reading, learning and more. Giving myself permission to not work was very motivating as I got more done in the morning, enjoyed the time off without guilt, and generally looked forward to the next day of work. I also didn’t crash on Friday or crave the weekend because I had some joyful time each day. I genuinely believe that the 9–5 is not sustainable and doesn’t leave enough space in our life for all the other important elements — our relationships, family, health, creativity and learning.
Scheduling something fun every day — Related to #5, I realised that I have so much more motivation to work, and more inspiration if I ensure I am ‘topped up’. So started scheduling in a coffee with friends, galleries or walks in the weekdays, and not just the evenings. It motivated me to focus more when I was working, and I noticed my creativity and wellbeing increased as I was being exposed to lots of new ideas, and connection.
Walking my imaginary dog — This year I realised I needed to find a way to create a longer ‘commute’ between my bed and desk, as the lack of spaciousness meant I felt in work mode as soon as I woke up and I resented not having time to myself. So every day straight after my morning routine I leave the house and head to the local park for 15–30 mins. Regardless of my stress levels, the trees and natural scenery would always calm and centre me, make me feel grateful, and walking helped me process my feelings and thoughts. I would stop by the lake for 10–15 mins too to write and reflect, which leads to…
Morning pages — Julia Cameron and the Artist’s Way (an incredible book I have followed twice) led me to Morning Pages — 3 pages of handwritten stream of consciousness writing in the morning. I’ve had periods in my last 5 years where I have done this religiously and others when I didn’t do it at all but right now I’m back in the habit and love it. It helps me externalise my thoughts and feelings so I can discover what is on my mind and then get on with my day, and more.
Breathwork & cold showers (Wim Hof style) — I started this during COVID as a way to bring down my stress levels in the morning, and to see if it improved my focus. I also did a workshop where we went even deeper and I could see how you can completely shift your nervous systems (into a state of calm and focus) after just 3 rounds of 30 breaths. I’ve kept up with this practice every day, although only spend 5–10 mins, and the cold shower is at the end of my hot shower (I love the warmth too much!). I find both elements shift me into focus, calm and hopefully in the long-run are helping my health.
Living at home over pandemic — Not exactly an optimization experiment but a fascinating experience in co-living! I expected us to argue a lot more and me to need more stimulation. However, with the right space and boundaries, and the inclusion of rituals each day (like cooking and eating together) it was actually incredible rewarding. We laughed a lot (often at each other, I got to experience my siblings on a day to day level again, and felt we have more time to make moments together, and not just ‘catch-up’.
Phone off until 9am — Often the first thing we do when waking up is to check our phone. I used to do this and it caused me more stress than good as I felt I needed to respond to everything immediately, even when I had just woken up. It also prevented me from exploring my post dream waking up experience, and what thoughts or feelings were there, because I was focused on the messages. So I made a rule that I can’t check my phone until the whole morning routine is done, and roughly when I make my morning coffee and feel set-up for the day. I can’t tell you how much more I enjoy the mornings now I have time for myself before tech.
All notifications off—The best experiment I ever tried many years ago. Although exciting to get notifications, it was super distracting and meant I lost my focus and increased my stress. Now I check apps consciously and have realised that basically no one needs a reply immediately. If they do, they can call me.
An empty iphone screen — I developed a subconscious urge to click on the apps on my home screen. So I decided to hide the social media etc ones (so you have to type these to find them — one extra step) and clear the whole front screen so all you can see is a picture of a tree I like, and a button to my music, notes or camera. Much more pleasant to look at and it stops me endlessly looking!
Quitting coffee — I’ve done this experiment multiple times and although I’ve felt like death for a few days (sleepy, moody, not focused), I’ve felt significantly more energised, alert, with deeper sleep and more consistent energy levels about a week after. Interestingly enough, I only have 1 cup of coffee in the morning but this is clearly enough for my body to get hooked on the substance. I see these caffeine breaks as a hard reset and an essential practice to do 1–3 times a year. I also do this weekly — every Sunday — to reset my body. On the day it means I do little, aren’t good at making decisions or hanging out with people, but without this day I don’t feel energised, alert and motivated to be my best on Monday. I’m learning that you can’t expect to be high energy all the time.
Reading multiple books at once — there is a belief I’ve internalised about focusing on one book at a time, and until the end. This philosophy meant I stopped reading when I was bored of something and then felt too guilty to pick something else up. Nowadays, I give myself permission to read 2–5 books at a time (often very different topics), and not to read the whole book if I don’t want to. Sometimes you get the gist of non-fiction books in about a 1/3 of the book. This means I get through way more books and there is much less resistance to reading generally as there is no fixed commitment.
Deep thinking and no meetings on Tuesdays — I started this practice many years ago as a way to give my diary some spaciousness (so I could breathe!) and myself a day with a slower pace. Super useful for writing, when you can get into a flow and end up going for hours, or severely misjudge how much time something takes. This day gave me the flexibility I needed to spend it writing or thinking in a cafe, to take myself out for a walk or gallery if I needed for inspiration. Even having something scheduled for the end of the day made me feel like I had to keep checking the time, which meant I couldn’t get into flow. To this day, except on rare occasions, I never schedule anything on Tuesdays.
Cheat days 20% of the time. This is more of a meta-principle but the idea is to follow the rules/principles 80% of the time only and allow yourself one day off a week. The idea is that my self-restraint and will power will eventually give in, especially when I am having a bad day or I’ve been pushing myself too hard, so I might as well give myself permission and schedule these cheat days. We can’t be perfect after all. I’ve noticed that having this in place means I sabotage myself generally less because I know when the end date for following the rule will be.
Experimenting with different types of exercise. As someone who has spent most of my life just running, but then not being able to run for a long period of time (due to operations and other dramas), I realised I needed to find something new to get fit with. I’ve tested everything from boxing & circuits to strength training, pilates, yoga, bikram yoga, cycling and swimming and realised I actually loved them all and they each worked a different part of my body. And I tested which days suited which exercises best (e.g. spinning wakes me up and creates a high on the Monday when I need it most, weights on Thursdays is almost at the end of the week so I can create space for the tight body). I do 3–4 classes a week, with 2 ish rest days in between and switch up the the types of yoga every fortnight which keeps it fresh!
Weekly reflection questions— one of my favourite rituals that I started many years ago as a set of daily questions (gratitude, challenges etc.). I got bored of that and wanted more time to reflect and more variety in the questions, so collated my own which I do every Saturday morning for 45 mins- 2 hrs. These questions made me feel so grateful, reflect on my learnings and what to change for next week and help me stay true to my values and goals.
Shipping something at 80% brilliance. This experiment has now become one of my principles. As someone who lived perfection, but was crippled by it, I’ve now realised that making myself ship something in the state it is in (near done) has felt incredibly liberating. And hardly ever do people realise it's not the version I wanted to deliver, because they have nothing to compare it to.
Changing my wardrobe to try on new identities — A mixture of attending Burning Man in 2019, Bold (Netflix) and a friend, helped me stretch my boundaries around what I wear. I realised that I was sticking to the same repeatable outfits, albeit with a different colour of trousers, but wasn’t allowing myself to wear my eclectic patterns, shapes and more. Dressing up and being more out there at BM made me realise how much I could embody a different side of my personality when I wore more ‘edgy’ or unusual clothing. So started experimenting with trying on and buying clothing that I wouldn’t normally wear — like tops that exposed my stomach, or certain patterns. I loved wearing these outfits, required amazing feedback, and felt like I could behave differently in them. Nowadays, I try and make it difficult for myself to choose the mundane (by putting all my clothes away and bringing the new stuff to he front of my wardrobe).
Weekly Dating Accountability Calls — This one was fun to experiment with over the pandemic. A friend who really wanted to get back into dating and I did weekly calls to stay accountable to replying to online dating messages, ensuring we were also initiating new opportunities and talking through our challenges. Although we don’t do them as frequently now, I learnt a lot — the act of having to share what you have or have not done creates accountability and reflection on your behaviour. I realised I was struggling to reply to messages as they didn’t feel exciting so I decided to start changing the dynamics with my questions and then scheduling a call sooner than normal to get to know them.
A daily habit of talking to strangers, meaningfully — Many years ago I realised I wanted to be better connected to everyone around me — to have the skill to approach anyone anywhere and strike up a conversation. I first started experimenting with ways to make my transactional conversations more interesting when I ordered a coffee, food, bought tickets, waiting in queues. This resulted in a tool I call ‘breaking the script’ which is essentially finding more interesting ways to break out of the standard boring, expected question and answer interactions we follow that treat us more like robots. When people ask me ‘how are you?’ I answer honestly and differently each time. Everyday I try and experiment with new ways of interacting— ensuring I interact with the strangers around me in some way, even if it's just a smile or a short statement. It makes me realise we are more similar and connected than we think and that we can belong anywhere.
Financial tracking — Determined to find out where all my money was going in my 20s, I started tracking my spendings on a spreadsheet each week, adding dates and categories. Before you can make behaviour change, it helps to have the true data first! What I discovered was some fairly consistent spending around regular expenses (food, travel etc) and some interesting one-off irregular purchases — some of which I don’t value like taxis and drinks out and some I do — like experiences or courses. To this day I fill out that spreadsheet as it forces me to have a consistent conversation with myself about money, and to realise how off our expectations we can be about our behaviours!
Zero Inbox & Chunking Activities like Emails — Emails, both wonderful (to keep in touch and connect) and the bane of our lives… I can’t stand feeling overwhelmed by the list of emails in my inbox that I need to reply to, or action or store away somewhere. So I started moving everything that came in to my email into a folder. If the reply takes less than a minute I reply then move the email to the right folder. If it takes longer, it goes to the ‘to reply’ folder and I star the most important ones. Each day I check this folder and physically write out on my to do lost which ones I need to reply to. Each week I try and empty or highly reduce the ‘to reply folder’. There is also a ‘to action’ folder. This productivity experiment is one of my favourites and has been essential for helping me prioritise the right things in life i.e. not email!
Taking real breaks in the daytime — I realised that back to back calls or tasks eventually leads to a feeling of exhaustion / energy depletion and cognitive overload after a couple of hours, so I started experimenting with taking real short breaks. I.e. getting up, maybe talking to a flatmate, making tea (the ritual forces you to concentrate on each part of the process which allows your brain to process in the background), making a proper lunch (salad from scratch), a short walk in the area/park. It is incredible how effective 5–20 mins can be at rebooting everything and also helping me come up with more ideas, sort through decisions, and re-motivate me. To date, I now allocate myself 30-45 mins off for lunch, 10 mins tea breaks, 1hr exercises classes + shower and travel time most days. These moments are essential for wellbeing, good productivity and idea processing.
Social accountability — You might have noticed how I committed to this project in public, and to my various social media and lists a couple of months beforehand. Many years ago I discovered the power of speaking aloud my ideas as they emerge, and with that a sense of commitment to make them a reality. This was particularly strong too in the Artist’s Way communities I have been part of — where we witnessed each other’s journeys. I find social support and accountability to be a hugely helpful factor in getting stuff done and so have experimented too with who I share my ideas with and where — from friends to family, strangers and online. As a side experiment, I’m also practicing being very open about my challenges and how I am feeling and thinking with everyone and noticing help much stronger serendipity finds me when I do this.
Jar of Awesome — The idea is simply — when people say nice things or cool stuff happens, write it down before you forget it and put it in the jar of awesome which should be someone you can see it. Such a cool experiment that I think I stole from Tim Ferris, it helped me to look for all the good things in life and to cherish them, and then provided me with a whole bunch of excellent ‘pick me ups’ when I’m having a down day. I found the jar recently and loved looking through awesome things from 3 years ago. I would like to restart this one.
Saying a lot of yes — accepting or suggesting calls with people I don’t know well. Even when life is busy, I still create space in life to meet and connect with new people, and with people who I don’t necessarily know where it might go. These seeds have been invaluable — over time many often develop into friendship and we find ourselves crossing over again for collaborations, skillshare, business or introducing them to someone else. The experimental mentality here is not knowing 100% what the purpose of something is but letting yourself find out.
Everything lives in my calendar in a block or if its small, on my to do list app. It is so easy to forget things or get overwhelmed not knowing when you can get a task done that needs 4 hours but you only have 1 left! I started experimenting with moving all big tasks straight into a time block in my calendar, which means I can’t commit to big tasks unless there is physically space, or something gets moved. It also means that all dreams and ideas become a reality straight away —as they move from the ‘bucket list’ headspace to actual plans in the world. Timeboxing has been great for managing expectations and making me prioritise the big meaty stuff too, which when listed as a 1 line item doesn’t come across as big! One note on this, allow for flexibility for the timings as most tasks always take longer (15–20%). My preference with this is to allocate a shorter time, so I focus and don’t waste time, but have some ‘free’ slots later in the week for when I need more time.

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Want To Read More Lists?

I’m publishing one list every day in August (and will add the hyperlinks below).

List #24: 30 Health, Productivity, Creativity and Happiness Optimisation Experiments I’ve Explored And The Life Hacks that Resulted From Them

30 Lists of 30 to Celebrate my 30th Birthday

The What & Why Behind This Project:

So, Back to Lists…

List #24: Health, Productivity, Creativity and Happiness Optimisation Experiments I’ve Explored And The Life Hacks that Resulted From Them

Written by Georgie Nightingall