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4 Helpful Habits for Working From Home

Over the last few months, many of us have had to transform our daily routine almost completely. While some parts of the world are slowly going back to normal, the reality is many are going to continue to have to work from home, at least in some capacity.

Working from home, even without additional responsibilities, can be incredibly challenging. Still, for those who extra work responsibilities or watching over children or family members, it can be even more difficult.

If you find yourself working from home for the foreseeable future, here are 3 helpful habits that you might find useful. Remember, take what you can from this article and apply it to your specific situation.

Don’t forget to stretch

If you work in an office, you may be stuck at the computer or your desk most of the day, but you also likely get up to chat with coworkers or go get coffee. At home, that might not be the case. You may find yourself sitting on the computer for longer for normal, or even doing work from your bed for hours on end.

Incorporating more stretches into your day can make a massive difference. While being able to work from home is certainly something to be grateful for make sure you’re taking care of your body as well.

For example, if you spend most of your day responding to email or typing, don’t forget doing a good wrist stretch. Taking some time to stretch your back is essential too.

Set a timer, or even put some time on your calendar to physically step away from your computer and do some light stretching. You don’t have to fit a two-hour workout into your daily routine, but just a few minutes of stretching goes a long way in keeping your fresh.

Improve your diet

Okay. We’re facing a truly historic pandemic, and many of us are facing incredible amounts of stress. If your diet isn’t 100% on point, you certainly don’t have to beat yourself up, but working to make small healthy changes in your diet can also be incredibly helpful.

What you eat plays a role in your energy levels and mood. If you’re eating crappy, it’s going to make you feel worse and even more stressed.

While ordering in may be an option (and you’d be supporting local businesses), the reality is that it’s not always the healthiest of options.

Keep things simple.

Invest in a healthy cookbook or recipes to help you find a few healthy meals you can eat regularly. UltimateMealPlans.com has a whole bunch of affordable meal plans that are easy to follow. From keto to paleo, to even low carb, you can specify your needs and just follow along.

There are also a ton of great resources such as FitmenCook and Workweek Lunch that focuses on meal prepping, so you have to spend less time in the kitchen.

Again, the point isn’t to be perfect. Make a few small changes in how you eat, and it will pay off in the end. At the very least, aim to eat at least one healthy meal each day to build momentum.

For extra fun, encourage your partner, family, or kids to join in on eating healthy.

Disconnect from work

While going into the office often gets a bad rap, having a physical end to your day is certainly a benefit. After you pack up your bag and head home, you can enjoy the rest of the evening guilt free.

Yet, with working from home, that isn’t always the case. With email, slack, and text, it can be all but impossible to ‘turn off’ even when you deserve a well needed break.

Setting proper expectations with your family and coworkers is important to disconnect from work at the end of the day. No one, especially your employer, benefits from you burning out or not taking time to recharge.

At the end of the day, literally, turn off your computer. Put the phone in the other room. Make a rule of no work after 7 PM. Whatever works for you. It may not be easy at first, but once you build the habit, you’ll be able to get more done and not be as stressed.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it may be because you’re taking too much on. Disconnecting from work isn’t just a nice to have; it’s a necessity.

Explore a side hustle

For some, the current COVID-19 situation might actually be pushing you to your limits. Doing what you need to take care of yourself and your loved ones is always priority #1. That said, you may have some extra time to pursue projects and side hustles you otherwise wouldn’t.

If you do have some extra time on your hands, now is the perfect time to explore those options. Maybe you’ve wanted to start a blog. Or maybe you’ve wanted to start a Youtube channel or level up your skills.

If you have the extra time, don’t let it go to waste. With literally thousands of courses and tutorials online, there’s no excuse as to why you can’t come out of COVID-19. Maybe you’re a marketer who wants to learn design. Or maybe you’re an investment banker who wants to finally learn how to garden.

Use this time to get ahead or tackle those things you’ve been putting off. Heck you can write a book by writing just an hour a day. Don’t feel like you have to do anything extra, but don’t think you shouldn’t use this time to your advantage either.

Putting in the work now can pay off massively down the road.

While these above tips may seem simple on the surface, we promise if you give them a try, they will make a massive difference.

5 Habits You Can Do In 5 Minutes or Less

When it comes to building new habits, it can be tempting to commit to huge changes in your behaviors and routine.  

After all… when you’re looking to build better habits, you’re often filled to the brim with motivation and inspiration.

If you’re trying to exercise more, for example, you might try and go to the gym 5 times a day for an hour each time. While that might sound good in theory, often life gets in the way. 

After a week of going to the gym, you slip up and end up back at square one. 

Whether your job allows for remote work or you have a traditional 9-5 job with a long commute, it can be a challenge to find time for your job, family, friends, and other commitments. 

So how do you go about building better habits? You start small and work from there.

Here are 5 incredibly beneficial habits you can do in under 5 minutes. 

There’s literally no excuse. 

Meditate 

Even just a few minutes of focusing on your breathing can help you center your emotions and improve your focus and your mood. 

Everyone, yes that includes you has a few minutes to spare throughout the day to do some meditation. 

While it may be challenging to sit still and sit with your thoughts when first starting, keep practicing, and you’ll quickly find your meditation practice will be one of your favorite parts of your day. 

Drink More Water

If you’re like most people, you often go hours of the day without drinking water. Dehydration can lead to moodiness, headaches, and even lack of focus. 

Purchase a high-quality water bottle you can take with you to work, and build the habit of drinking a large glass of water when you wake up. 

To ensure the habit sticks, commit to drinking a glass of water right after you brush your teeth, or take a sip of water every two hours. 

Don’t let the simplicity of this habit fool you; it can genuinely make all the difference. 

Practice Gratitude  

There’s a reason why some of the most successful people in the world have built a habit of gratitude. Being grateful for what you have instead of focused on what you lack can significantly improve the quality of your life.

Spend a few minutes each morning or each evening reflecting on 3 things you’re grateful for. After a long day, it might be hard to find three things, but we assure you there’s plenty to be thankful for.

Over time, your gratitude habit will literally change your brain to begin looking for the good in your everyday life. 

For an additional challenge, make sure the three things are different each day. 

25 Situps + Pushups

Replace setups or pushups with any exercise that gets your heart pumping. If you have an extra two minutes to spare, the 7-minute workout app is a great way to build the exercise habit.

You don’t have to spend an hour at the gym to reap the benefits of exercise. Any little movement helps. 

One of the Shock Clock 2’s most popular features is the jumping jack alarm which forces you to do jumping jacks, or you’ll receive a shock. 

Again, even the most business people in the world can make time to work up a quick sweat. Your heart, body, and mind will thank you. 

Journal 

Journaling is an incredibly valuable practice that can help you reflect on patterns and observations in your daily life. No one needs to read the journal but you. 

Use the time to write out your worries, plan out your goals, and note anything else that is going on in your head. 

If you’ve never journaled before, you might be surprised at how ‘light’ you feel after a heavy journal session. Just type or write without thinking; it’s as simple as that. 

If you’re looking to add a new habit or two, give one of these habits a try!

-Team Pavlok 

5 Must Read Books To Help You Reach Your Goals

Hey Shockers!

Happy Wednesday! We hope you’re having a great week. 

Last week announced our very first Pavlok meme contest, and the entire team has loved seeing the Pavlok community put their creative skills to the test.

We’ll be reviewing the memes over the next few days and be announcing our favorite pick in our weekly link Friday.

The winner will receive their very own Pavlok 2 on us stay tuned! 

Now let’s get in today’s email… 

One of the most common questions we get at Pavlok is asking for recommendations for the best books to help take your habits and self improvement to the next level.

While there are a TON of self help books that should never have seen the light of day, there are dozens of great books that really help you make huge strides into becoming the person you want to be.

Here are 5 must read books to reach your habit goals. 

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life And Business by Charles Duhigg 

An all time classic for those looking to improve their habits, the Power of Habit took the world by storm when it was published in 2012 and currently has over 4,000 positive reviews on Amazon.

What we like about the Power of Habit is how it breaks down the habit forming process in a way that is relatable and Duhigg does a great job of communicating the science behind habits in a way that’s incredibly easy to understand. 

Charles Duhigg’s research has had an enormous influence on Pavlok as a company and is a must read for those looking to take their life to the next level. 

The Willpower Instinct – by Kelly McGonigal 

Based on professor Kelly McGonigal’s Stanford course, “The Science of Willpower,” The Willpower Instinct breaks down everything you need to know about how willpower actually works. 

Many of us are raised to believe that any shortcomings in life are directly related to lack of willpower and discipline, but the truth is, the science of willpower tells a wildly different story.

Given that we each have a finite amount of willpower, this book does a great job of showing you how to improve your willpower and set yourself up to succeed at reaching your goals. 

The One Thing – Gary W Keller and Jay Papasan 

Another classic in the entrepreneurial and personal development circles the premise of The One Thing is quite simple – focusing strategically on one goal can drastically improve your chances of success. 

For those who find themselves bogged down with dozens of projects and pursuits, The One Thing provides an incredibly actionable framework to help you determine what your “one thing” is. 

Once you’ve determined your one thing, the book shares how to take massive action towards accomplishing what will likely have the most significant impact on your life both personally and professionally. 

Unhooked: How To Quit Anything – Susan Shaprio and Frederick Woolverton 

While building good habits is one of the most important things you can do to make a positive change in your life, understanding how to quit those bad habits such as smoking, procrastinating, and overeating is just as essential. 

If you find yourself struggling to quit some harmful vices, this book offers a scientifically backed method for overcoming those bad habits. If addiction is causing you or a loved one harm, this is an essential read for understanding how bad habits are formed and how to right the ship. 

Why We Sleep – Matthew Walker

When it comes to the quality of your life, high quality and restful sleep is arguably the most important factor of your overall health.  

Yet, many of us don’t hesitate to sacrifice sleep in hopes of “getting ahead.” 

Written by professor Matthew Walker, Director of UC Berkeley’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab, this book dives deep into the history and science of sleep and why it plays such an essential role in our mood, energy, and even productivity. 

Written in an easy to understand way, Why We Sleep is one of the best books you’ll read all year. 

Bonus: I Will Teach You To Be Rich – Second Edition

We maybe biased for obvious reasons, but Maneesh’s brother Ramit Sethi recently released an update to one of the most popular personal finance books of all time – I Will Teach You To Be Rich. 

If you’re looking to take control of your finances and build a rich life (however you define it) this book lays out an 6 week program to help you get out of debt, invest intelligently, and maximize your finances. 

If you’ve read the original, the 10th anniversary edition features over 80 new pages, including:

New tools
New insights on money and psychology
Amazing stories of how previous readers used the book to create their rich lives 

If you decide to dig into one of these books, let us know what you think!

-Team Pavlok 

The Secrets To A Productive And Successful Morning Routine

Why Shock Clock 2?

Maybe you’ve lost a job. Maybe you’ve ruined a relationship. Maybe you’re wasting your college years in bed—all because you can’t get up on time.

If that’s you, you already know why you need the Shock Clock 2.

But what if it’s not? Sure, you don’t always get up when you say you will. You catch those extra snooze minutes whenever you can, and while it makes you late for work every once in a while, you always roll out of bed before the situation gets dire.

All in all, you’ve got your act together. So why do you need the Shock Clock 2?

The reason you need the Shock Clock 2 is the difference between surviving, and truly thriving.

Mornings: The Key to Success

Over and over, studies have shown that the most successful people are the ones who curate a productive morning routine for themselves, and get up early every day to implement it.

In other words, a key part of maximizing your productivity and potential lies in three steps.

  1. Design your routine
  2. Wake up early
  3. Implement it consistently

It makes sense that this simple sequence has proven so important. There are a few basic psychological reasons why your brain is primed to turn a productive morning into a productive day, and eventually, a productive lifetime.

First, the very act of consciously choosing a morning routine helps you set and test achievable goals. As you decide what three things you’re going to prioritize above everything else, you cut through the negativity, anxiety, and excuses that we all struggle to resist. You start living boldly and intentionally.

Secondly, achieving a goal first thing in the morning (even a very small goal) primes your brain. The brain is constantly receiving and interpreting cues that become our impulses, desires, and habits. So by accomplishing a task as soon as you leap out of bed, you’re basically telling your brain that you’re the boss, and you’re here to get things done. You’ll be surprised to find how well your brain cooperates.

Finally, when we’re on a consistent sleep schedule, we naturally receive a rush of energy and action hormones in the morning. Our circadian rhythm uses these hormones to get our bodies ready for the day. And when you hack that natural rush with a morning routine, you’ll find getting your hardest task out of the way is easier than you’d ever thought possible.

Your Morning Routine

Ok, so you’re sold on the value of a morning routine, but how do you get in the habit of one? And more importantly, how do you stick to it?

That’s where Pavlok comes in. Pavlok’s Morning Routine module will helps you cross that first hurdle: setting your intention. Just plug in the three most important things that you want to see happen each morning, and the app will remind you each and every day. If you don’t mark them as done, you’ll get a zap!

But setting your intention is only part of the story. To get that morning energy rush, you need to have a consistent circadian rhythm. And to help your brain establish your morning routine as a habit, you need to get it done every day at the same time. You need peaceful, consistent early morning time to yourself.

That means rolling out of bed just in time for a shower and a bagel won’t cut it anymore.

Luckily, Shock Clock 2 is here to help. Since it actually tracks your sleep, you’ll wake up at the lightest part of your sleep cycle. That means maximum energy, minimum grogginess. And the Shock Clock 2 provides that extra accountability you need in order to fully reap the benefits of the Morning Routine module.

You won’t be able to turn off your alarm while still half-asleep and unaware of what you’re doing. Instead, you’ll need to solve a math problem, or do some vigorous aerobic exercise. And the Shock Clock 2 can notify your friends or post to your social media if you aren’t meeting your goals. Even if you don’t have the willpower to zap yourself, one of your buddies will!

Together, the Shock Clock 2 and Morning Routine module are an unbeatable team to master your mornings. Goodbye to being rushed in the morning, goodbye to feeling unfocused all day, goodbye to living your second best life.

So what are you waiting for? Come check us out on Indiegogo, and start becoming the person you were meant to be.

What’s New In The Latest Firmware Update

 

Hey Shockers!

As you know we recently released our latest firmware update with a ton of bug fixes and new features released. The Pavlok team continues to work hard to make the Pavlok hardware and software combination the absolute best way to improve your habits for good.

Here’s what’s new with the latest update.

Don’t have a Pavlok? Order now. Or download the app on IOS and Android (no hardware required.)

Pavlok Firmware Update

  • Vibe strength now works down to 10%
  • Low-battery indicator added: at 7% or lower a periodic (every 30s) red LED flash occur. This is a unique pattern of three sets of two very short flashes. Connecting to the charger will clear this.
  • Clock-not-set warning flash added: when the battery discharges fully, the real-time clock (RTC) chip will not be set after power is restored, until the device is paired with the app. When this condition exists, the red LED will flash periodically in a warning pattern: two sets of two short flashes followed by a one-second long pulse. The warning flash should stop within a few seconds of connecting to the phone.

        Jumping jack option added for alarms

  • More flexible stimulus (vibe/beep/zap) and LED combinations.
  • Alarm stimuli are now sequential, so instead of vibe+beep+zap occurring together, an alarm will now do vibe, pause, beep, pause, zap, pause, and repeat (or an appropriate subset, depending on the selected stimuli).
  • Stimulus pattern durations (on and off times) are now controllable from 10ms up to 10s.
  • Snooze indicator with triple yellow LED flashes every 10s as long as alarm is snoozed.
  • Fixed alarm dialog is shown properly if phone is paired after alarm has already triggered.
  • Implemented haptic feedback for initial button press: a quick vibe that simulates the “click” of a regular button. Also added additional vibes for “long” and “very long” presses, to signal when you’ve held the button long enough.
  • Alarms are now cancelled when the button is held down long enough (2.5s) even while it’s still being held down.
  • Pressing the button will cancel any active stimulus (including multi-zap!) and no additional stimulus will be started as long as the button is held down (except the haptic feedback, and the double-vibe when an alarm is stopped).

    Hand detect now allows selection of several stimulus patterns: vibe, beep, zap, or “countdown” which cycles through vibe (3 short ones), beep (3 short ones), then a sequence of 3 zaps, before starting over. The zap level is configurable as well.

  • Vibe and beep stimulus patterns now include a green LED indicator whenever the motor or buzzer is active, for additional user feedback.

We’re very excited to continue adding improvements to firmware to help you reach your goals.

As always, if you have any questions, feedback, or need help transforming your habits, please reach out to support@wp.pavlok.com

7 Simple Habits To Kickstart Your Day

It’s no secret that having a good morning routine is one of the best things you can do to get your day started off right.

Instead of hitting snooze and reacting to your day, incorporating just a few tweaks to your morning ritual can make all the difference.

Regardless of whether you consider yourself a morning person these 7 habits will get your day started off on the right foot.

Wake up 30 minutes early

[bctt tweet=”No. You don’t have to wake up at 4:45 to have an awesome morning.” username=”pavlok”]

Stop feeling guilty about not jumping out of bed before the break of dawn. Instead, aim to give yourself just 30 minutes of extra time to get moving.

30 minutes is just enough time to give yourself time to wake up and not feel rushed throughout your morning while not sacrificing the amount of sleep you get.

Use the extra 30 minutes however you like. Heart a few Instagram photos. Watch the lady with the Chewbacca mask. Or get started on some of the habits below — guilt free.

Make Your Bed (3 minutes)

It may sound silly, but making my bed each morning has been one of the best additions to my morning routine this year. Starting your day by making your bed is perfect “small win” to give you a quick boost of momentum and get your mind in the right place to tackle the day.

For one, making your bed is something you can control, and feeling in control is one of the best ways to improve both your confidence and overall well being.  There’s something that feels inherently good about having a made bed before you walk out the door. It’s also a nice way to return home after a long day at work. 🙂

Floss One Tooth (1 minute)

This is something Stanford professor and habit extraordinaire  BJ Fogg teaches. Before coming across the floss one tooth concept I had always struggled to floss consistently despite knowing the clear health benefits.

After you brush your teeth, you commit to flossing just ONE tooth — which takes less than a few seconds. If you floss one tooth you are successful. Of course, to get the benefits of flossing you’ll want to floss all your teeth eventually, but building the habit of flossing is far more important in the long term.

Some days you’ll get “lazy” and floss one tooth and that’s perfectly ok. Eventually after doing one tooth for consecutive days you’ll work your way to adding another tooth. Because you’re already in motion you’re literally tricking your brain into building good habits.

Our brains are funny aren’t they?

If you’ve struggled to make flossing a regular habit give this a try. Trust me.

Get Up And Move (5 minutes)

I like to spend a few minutes moving my body after making my bed. Sometimes I like do pushups. Other times I’ll do a quick 7 minute workout. In the spirt of small wins, moving your body even just for a few minutes helps you start your day off on the right track.

Not only does moving help you wake up, it gets the blood flowing to your muscles and brain.

Plan Your Day (5 minutes)

Stop reacting to your day and take a few minutes to plan your game of attack. Open up your calendar. Take note of what’s on your agenda. Give your mind a general idea of what to expect. Is today packed with meetings? Perhaps you should leave for work a few minutes early. Lunch with coworkers? Perhaps you should skip the usual Starbucks frap.

Once you have an overview of your day, jot down 2-3 of your most important tasks for the day. I like to to put my 2-3 tasks on a blank index card.

Your goal should be to complete your 2-3 MIT’s (most important items) each day. If you can do that, you’ll have had a “successful” day.

Of course life happens, but taking a few moments to clarify your focus will significantly increase your chances of having a genuinely productive day.

Take A Cold Shower (5 minutes)

Taking a cold shower certainly isn’t for everyone, but I can say for certain when I’ve taken cold showers consistently my productivity and overall happiness levels have skyrocketed.

I typically like to commit to 30-60 days of cold showers when ever I want to step up my game.  I use the app Cold Shower Therapy (CST) by my friend Joel Runyon to help keep track of my cold showers and gamify the process.

While I can’t attest to the many claimed “health” benefits of taking cold showers, my personal experience and those at Pavlok has proven them to be accurate.

[bctt tweet=”Nothing says “wake up” like standing under a stream of freezing cold water.” username=”pavlok”]

Meditate (3 Minutes)

Since the beginning of 2016 I’ve made it a priority to meditate on a consistent basis and couldn’t be happier that I did. Without a doubt, it has been one of the best things I’ve done (aside from quitting smoking.

The science behind meditation is real.

If you’re looking to get more out of your day I suggest you give these morning habits a try. 🙂

P.S Would love to hear about your morning rituals… what do you do each morning to give yourself an edge? Leave a comment below!

P.P.S If you want to improve your habits… Pavlok can definitely help.