“Life Hack” That Works for Feeling Peaceful AND Productive Throughout the Day

As a general life rule and before recommending any self-help tips to anyone, I like to try it for myself first. There are so many tips and tricks I have tried over the past 19 years as a dad, husband, and provider. As a result, there are quite a few of those that have worked for me. Obviously, you need to do what works for you, but I am confident some of these Life Hacks I will be talking about can be a game-changer.

Say Goodbye to Caffeine…

For this post, I am taking today off from drinking coffee or anything with caffeine. Taking a break from caffeine always reminds me of how peaceful I feel when my body is using its natural flow of energy. Let me be very transparent. As I am writing this blog post, the thought of coffee is brewing in the back of my mind. I like the taste and the way I feel the first part of the day when I drink coffee. Notice I said the “first part” of the day.

The Problem with Caffeine

Here is the problem with coffee for me and many others that I have discovered. Adrenal fatigue…Each time you drink a cup of coffee, neurons send messages to your pituitary gland and alerts your adrenals to pump out adrenaline and cortisol. So in short, caffeine instantly puts you into a slight fight or flight mode. It may not be at a high level of fight or flight, depending upon how quickly your body metabolizes caffeine. Either way, eliminating caffeine for most people will allow your mind and body to tap into its natural source of energy that is more steady and natural. Even your breathing is increased slightly when you consume caffeine.

Feel the difference the first day

The benefits I experienced when I went completely off coffee and caffeine for 20 days in 2019, was nothing short of incredible. If you are a person who has experienced mild anxiety as I have off and on for the past 19 years, this change would be a massive help. Just on the 3rd day of being off caffeine, I actually wanted to do certain things that I would normally avoid. Caffeine acted like a trigger for me that even though it gave me an initial mental boost, it kept me at an uncomfortable mild fight or flight level most of the afternoon. Here is one of the real-life testimonies of getting off caffeine that inspired me:

There is a level of peace in your mind and body that is simply just not there when you are feeling exhausted from the fatigue caused by stimulates like caffeine, sugar, and refined foods.

How to make the switch…

There are many different ways to transition off of caffeine to natural energy. Most people that are serious about kicking the caffeine take an entire weekend to start the process. Here is the most effective way that worked for me to not feel sluggish and avoid withdrawal headaches. On the first day, I would only drink water only until about 10 am and have a fruit smoothie for lunch. This allowed my body to use natural hunger to give me some energy and mental benefits found in intermittent fasting. I followed up with the smoothie because it gave me some electrolytes and energy that I needed. One thing I noticed is that I normally couldn’t take naps during the day because I was so keyed up, but I found myself wanting to take a nap during the day which my sleep was improved drastically.

For more information on caffeine and how it affects the body, see these related videos: