The Mind

My mental health. My ability to think clearly, work productively and feel positive about everyday life. My feelings, stress and mood. My overall energy level. My sleeping patterns and quality.

Status

My primary focus for 2018 was to reduce stress, as I felt it was the primary obstacle to happy brain function. I quickly discovered that a good night’s sleep was a key contributor to stress reduction, and made it a focus for the year too.

The Good Stuff

Sleep

• Waking up naturally, with no alarm
• Sleeping alone significantly improves sleep quality — I just don’t get how couples can sleep together in the long run!
• Resolving skin issues that would wake me up at night

General stress

• “Outsourcing” stressful issues to digital apps and / or services, e.g. using Noom to inform diet (having a personal coach / nutrition advisor is really helpful) or Planto for keeping track of budgets
• Writing: putting down thoughts in a structured diary before bed – prevents ruminating. Also, stream-of-consciousness writing in notebook.

Analysis

Mistakes & Plan Changes

• Overdid the calendar. I planned too many things back to back that created more stress than the intended benefit of the activity, especially true for things that couldn’t be cancelled easily (e.g. fitness classes). I’ve rearranged the calendar to have general blocks that can be moved around based on my mood.

Insights

• Have been pondering whether routines can to be better customized according to something like the four tendencies. I definitely feel the rebel in me once I’ve put down a set routine — something that gives structure but allows flexibility (the dream!) seems to be critical to sustainability.

Pains

• All the body-related stressors
• Despite sleeping 8–10 hours every day, I still often feel tired when I wake up
• Anxieties around sleeping too much and wasting time
• Started biting my nails

What I’m excited about for 2019

1. Being sharp but calm

• Morning energy — feeling rested and ready for the day
• Evening wind-down — restful sleep
• General positivity and sense of purpose
• Feeling at ease — no FOMO or major anxieties and self doubt
• No nervous habits like nail biting
• Being able to think clearly and objectively
  Sometimes feeling calm is better than feeling excited, as I’m less likely to make rash or overly optimistic decisions