How 30 Minutes a Day Can Transform Your Life

I don’t think I’m going too far when I say that your personal health, both physical and mental, is paramount to everything else in life.

You can have all the money in the world, but if you don’t have your health, it doesn’t really matter. I admit that having lots of money can make your unhealthy days more comfortable, but better than that is to be healthy.

Many people will say that family is more important. I agree that family is important, but if you are unhealthy you are less capable of enjoying and taking care of your family.

It’s like when you are on a crashing plane and they tell you to put your own mask on first, because if you pass out you can’t help anyone.

This reminds me of the movie “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” where his mother is so obese that the kids have to take care of her, instead of the other way around.

Anyway, the point of all this is that you need to prioritize self-care, and not just health, but your personal development also.

Ideally, you want to spend 3 hours a day on this. I know that might be asking a lot to begin with, so start smaller if you need to.

First I’ll explain what to do with the 3 hours. At the end, you’ll see how it can be compressed to 30 minutes.

For exercise, anything that makes you sweat is great. Do what you enjoy.

For ideal health, do resistance training 3 to 4 times a week and some cardio 2 to 3 times a week.

Also include a stretching session. I like yoga because it combines stretching and meditation.

Other types of meditation I like are Yoga Nidra and Wim Hof Breathing. I hear Transcendental Meditation is amazing but I’m yet to try it out.

And don’t forget to eat right. Lots of minimally processed protein and vegetables.

Feed your mind!

But what to read?

There are several schools of thought I have come across. Each of them was recommended by highly successful people, which I came across from reading or listening to podcasts.

The first is to read widely, consuming as much about many different subjects as possible.

The second is to read and re-read a handful of really good books so you can really instill the lessons within.

And the last one is to read lots of biographies.

I’ve always enjoyed reading biographies, and the same lessons of success always pop-up no matter if the person is a musician, an athlete, or an entrepreneur.

More recently I have decided to test out the second method, so I wrote a list of books that I aim to read and re-read throughout the year. I hope I have enough on the list to cover a wide range of subjects.

I still love biographical stories, but these days I can get the hit from podcasts. My two favorites are “Founders” and “Acquired”.

Of course, if none of those three methods appeal to you, then just read whatever you want!

There’s a lot of value in reading fiction also. Almost anything is better than nothing.

Spend some time each day practicing a skill.

Two things I highly recommend are learning a second language or an instrument. Amongst other things, practicing these skills enhances memory, problem solving, neuroplasticity, and increases white matter in the brain, which is associated with faster and more efficient communication between different brain regions.

Other things I’ve enjoyed learning in the past are close-up magic and lock picking.

Possibly, depending on your personal schedule. Hell, I have no job I need to show up for, and no wife or kids, and I still haven't hit the 3-hour mark.

But I’m building up to it.

I probably hit the one hour with exercise and meditation, but only 30 minutes of each for the others.

Even two hours can be a lot to take out of someone’s day.

The trick is to start small. How about just 10 minutes of each? That’s half an hour in total.

As you build the habit you will naturally find yourself wanting to increase it, and trust me, when you really want to do something, you will find the time.

Start the small habit, then build your way up.

Self-care is ultra-important.

Prioritize it!