Our priority at Cacti is to help you do more in less time, we’re firm believers in “less is more”. So, when biohacking started becoming a topic of conversation, we were all over it. Here are our takeaways and tips on the concept:
WHAT IS BIOHACKING?
The formal definition is the practice of optimizing your health and productivity through a combination of diet, exercise, sleep, and other lifestyle changes. When done right, biohacking can help you reach new levels of productivity and achievement in life (who doesn’t want that?). There are countless ways to improve your health, productivity, and general well-being so we decided to condense our top 7 tips for biohacking your days like a pro:
THE MORNING CHECKLIST
Set Your Alarm: This may seem like an obvious step, but it’s important to set yourself up for success by getting up when your alarm goes off and not lying in bed half-asleep until it stops ringing. You should also make sure that you aren’t oversleeping so much that you miss important tasks or appointments in the morning (especially if those tasks are related to self-improvement).
Schedule Some “Me Time”: Instead of rushing into other activities (like eating breakfast) as soon as possible after waking up, take some time just for yourself first thing in the morning. Do some light stretching exercises, read a book, drink some water, meditate, etc.
Make Your Bed Immediately: It may seem like an easy task but making sure both sides of your sheets are properly tucked in can actually save quite a bit of time later on. Retired U.S. Navy Admiral SEAL William H. McCraven, who wrote the New York Times bestseller “Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...and Maybe the World”, calls the habit of making the bed one of the most important lessons he learned as a Navy SEAL.
GET ORGANIZED
It’s a simple concept that can be easy to forget. The more organized you are, the less stressed you will be later in your day. Getting organized means having a system for keeping track of all the things that need to get done in order for you (and the rest of humanity) to survive each day. It also means keeping track of what has been accomplished so far and how much progress has been made toward completing certain tasks. If you’re feeling lost, we created this habit tracker just for you.
It’s important to note here that there is no one right way to be organized—it all depends on what works best for YOU. But here are some of our tips:
Organize Workspace: Organize your workspace by turning off electronics (phones/computers) whenever possible so they won’t distract you while working.
Organize Emails: Organize your emails into folders depending upon whether they're personal or work-related.
Daily To-Do List: Organize yourself mentally by creating a list of daily to-dos along with deadlines attached so nothing slips through the cracks unnoticed!
HEAL YOUR CIRCADIAN RHYTHM
The circadian rhythm is a natural process regulating sleep patterns and wakefulness. It helps us know when it's time for bed, and when we should be awake. If you have a healthy circadian rhythm, your sleep will be more consistent and your energy levels will be healthier.
A good way to improve your circadian rhythm is by getting enough light during the day. Get outside as much as possible, even if it's just on the balcony or in your backyard. Make sure the room you sleep in has plenty of natural light coming through the windows—you want at least two hours of sunlight each day!
FOCUS ON YOUR SLEEP
Sleep is a critical component of health. It’s so important that it’s one of the Seven Pillars of Health, along with diet, exercise, and stress management. Sleep can improve your mood, boost brain power and memory recall, help you control your weight, reduce pain sensitivity, and improve your sex drive (for both men and women). So getting good quality restorative sleep every night is a must if you want to perform at your best in all areas of life!
But how do we get better quality restorative sleep? The answer lies in our biology: humans are hardwired to fall asleep when it gets dark because our circadian rhythm has us programmed to be awake during the day and asleep at night. The circadian rhythm governs the internal clock that tells us when we should be sleeping or waking up—it's the reason why jet lag happens when traveling between time zones or why you tend to wake up earlier than usual on weekends because your body wants to go back into its normal routine even though there isn't an alarm clock telling it what time it should be awake!
Cacti Tip: Our founder, Kira uses the Oura sleep tracking ring. Oura accurately tracks the quality of your sleep based on the time spent in each sleep stage (Light, Deep, REM Sleep)
THE RIGHT KIND OF EXERCISE
Exercise is a powerful tool for biohacking. It increases your energy, sharpens your focus, and improves your mood. There are many different kinds of exercise that can be effective for biohacking, but we recommend starting with something that you enjoy doing. If you don’t like the way running on concrete gives you shin splints, then keep looking until you find something that fits your lifestyle. The right exercise should be fun and challenging while also being social (whether it’s playing tennis with friends or going to a pilates class).
The key is finding an exercise habit that feels natural to you so it becomes part of who you are rather than something isolated where there are consequences (like brushing teeth).
Cacti Tip: If you’re new and feel intimidated by the gym, start with our Cacti workouts, done in 20 minutes or less.
PROTECT YOUR MENTAL ENERGY
Cut Out Multitasking: Multitasking gets a no from us. Switching between tasks takes a toll on your brain, which must constantly shift its focus. Instead of multitasking, try focusing on one thing at a time and using breaks to switch between tasks.
Schedule Breaks: Avoid burnout by setting aside time for focused work and taking regular breaks throughout the day. Use Pomodoro timers (like this one) to help keep track of how much time you spend on each task or project and when it's time for a break!
Use a Timer: Use a timer to help you get up from your desk when you're feeling tired or fatigued—and make sure you give yourself at least half an hour off every two hours or so!
MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS
Meditation and mindfulness are two of the most well-known biohacks. They're also two of the most simple and easy to implement, which is why you hear about them on every wellness podcast ever made (we’re not complaining though!)
Meditation is simply a practice of focusing your mind on a specific thing or idea, with as little distraction as possible. It can be done sitting or lying down (though some people prefer one over another), with your eyes open or closed, and with objects in front of you for focus—or not.
Cacti Tip: Start with a walking meditation like this one, and then slowly ease yourself into sitting ones.
Self-care is a top priority for anyone looking to take their life to the next level. When you prioritize self-care it can help with self-love, confidence, productivity, and motivation. If you’re new to the biohacking world, our biggest tip is starting small (like 20 minutes per day) and not overdoing it.
The Cacti Team