A Life-Changing 2.97%

We all know we should exercise. And read more. And eat less. We should be more kind, should be more punctual, should give more back to our community. We should do dozens of things, but who has the energy? In fact, there are so many shoulds in life that we’re overwhelmed and frustrated trying to tackle them all. In my case, no matter how hard I try, I’m often left with feelings of guilt and regret for not accomplishing more.
 
Realizing there’s just no way to do it all, I set out to create a simple hack. I struggled, since it appeared to be a zero-sum game. Working more in one category meant robbing time from another. More time at the office meant less time with family, while more time helping others meant less time achieving my own goals. Was there an easy to follow ritual that could elevate the entire landscape of projects and pursuits? It would need to be something realistic, sustainable, simple, and extremely high-impact, I decided.
 
After reading endless posts on productivity, studying human performance, and interviewing many of the most highly accomplished people, I arrived on this dead-simple approach, which I call The 5-30-30.
 
Here’s how it works: Five days a week, invest 30 minutes in learning and 30 minutes in movement. Easy to remember, completely doable, wildly flexible. 
 
Each component is totally up to you. Learning, for example, can consist of reading a book, watching a TED talk, studying academic research or working at a passion such as art, music, or crossword puzzles. For movement, you may decide on a casual stroll, or choose to hit the gym like a professional athlete. One day may be intense, the next more casual. No scripted, overbearing, unsustainable dogma. Just the simple formula of 30 minutes learning + 30 minutes movement, five days a week.
 
In our 168-hour week, that is just less than 3% of your time. While these activities may feel frivolous at first, this five hour per week investment actually expands time in other areas so you end up with more, not less. Stimulating your body and brain turns out to be a time-expansion machine. In other words, the remaining 165 hours are more focused, productive, and powerful. You’ll get more accomplished, with higher quality results. Your energy, creativity, and stamina will skyrocket, while enjoying more peace, happiness, and resolve. The frenetic pace will melt away into a grounded, purposeful, and sustainable rhythm.
 
This simple habit may be the perfect antidote for our chaotic and demanding lives. And let’s be honest, we all can find that time if we want to by watching an hour less TV, listening to books on tape during our commute, or waking up just a tad earlier. Give the 5-30-30 a whirl for one month, and you’ll be blown away with the difference. You’ll gain more energy and experience a giant boost in overall performance. In our dizzying world, embrace this simple approach to lock in your best life yet.