McGill SciLearn discussion

What is an example of an atomic habit, from SciLearn or from James Clear's book, that you have successfully applied in your life?

Something that I've adapted recently is creating a to-do list for the next day before going to bed. This way, I can start the day with a clear plan.

As a student athlete at McGill, napping isn't just a luxury for me; it's a strategic tool for optimizing my performance. Balancing the demands of rigorous academics and intense training schedules can be mentally and physically exhausting. Naps serve as a efficient mental reset for me, and can enhancing my cognitive function and memory consolidation. These power naps are very similar to timeouts during my games, offering me a chance to reset, enhance my focus, and tackle the next challenge with renewed energy. Moreover, strategic napping can contribute to improving my mood, reducing my stress levels, and promoting overall well-being. In the competitive arena of academics and athletics, a well-timed nap is my secret weapon to staying sharp, focused, and at the top of my game.

As a Mcgill athlete, I have to balance a full course load with a busy practice and competition schedule. Not only does this force me to prioritize my time management, I also find that exercising daily has a profound effect on my overall productivity. I feel more alert, have better concentration, and reduced stress levels.

Cindy wrote: "Something that I've adapted recently is creating a to-do list for the next day before going to bed. This way, I can start the day with a clear plan."

Thank you for sharing your approach to planning, Cindy! Creating a to-do list the night before is a great way to stay organized and kickstart your day with a clear direction. Have you ever heard of "morning pages"? It's another interesting technique some people use to enhance their creativity and productivity by writing a few pages of stream of consciousness first thing in the morning.

Stuart wrote: "As a student athlete at McGill, napping isn't just a luxury for me; it's a strategic tool for optimizing my performance. Balancing the demands of rigorous academics and intense training schedules c..."

Hi Stuart, it's fantastic to hear how you've integrated napping into your busy life as a student athlete at McGill! Your approach to using well-timed naps as a secret weapon in the competitive world of academics and athletics is both practical and inspiring. Keep up the great work!

Georgia wrote: "As a Mcgill athlete, I have to balance a full course load with a busy practice and competition schedule. Not only does this force me to prioritize my time management, I also find that exercising da..."

Hi Georgia,

Balancing a full course load with a demanding practice and competition schedule at McGill is undoubtedly a challenging feat, and your commitment to effective time management is commendable. It's great to hear that daily exercise is playing a crucial role in your productivity. The benefits you've mentioned—feeling more alert, improved concentration, and reduced stress—are well-documented positive outcomes of regular physical activity. Keep up the excellent work, and your dedication to both academics and athletics will surely continue to pay off!

Do you have a time-management strategy that helps you stay on track with all your commitments?

One habit that I have consistently implemented in my routine is napping, or alternatively, Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR). The SciLearn PSYC 100 presentation is what initially encouraged me to include this habit in my daily routine, especially as a student athlete at McGill. However, I came across some research that was introduced to me via The Huberman Lab (Andrew Huberman's podcast), and found out that NSDR is also quite helpful with maintaining energy levels and preventing stress. I decided to try yoga nidra (a type of NSDR). After as short as a 20 minute session, I feel incredibly revitalized, and arguably less groggy and tired than a 1 hour nap, but still experience the same benefits. Thank you to SciLearn for teaching me about the importance of napping for our brains, and setting me down this very interesting rabbit hole! I recommend that anyone interested in trying out NSDR for themselves do so :)

In relation to James Clear's book, 'Atomic Habits', there was an idea that I shared with Valerie last week at one of the SciLearn sessions, and I thought I could share it here as well. Clear discusses the idea of becoming 1% better every day, and those small increments will lead us to become exponentially better individuals even in as short as a year. I believe that this is a very encouraging idea for people to keep in mind when they are beginning to implement new habits to better themselves. However, I also believe that there are many aspects to self-development. Someone may be simultaneously interested in succeeding in their academics, athletics, eating habits, sleep schedule, and spiritual growth, but is it sustainable to focus on all of these large pillars simultaneously? Moreover, is it viable to get 1% better at each of these pillars (or other ones) with all the hustle and bustle of life? Sometimes, I find that I may be better with prioritizing my academics one day, but at the cost of the sleep hygiene I have been trying to implement as well. Does that still mean that I have become 1% better as a whole? I am not sure, because there is no multi-faceted metric defined in the book (to my knowledge). With this being said, Valerie and I also discussed how it may be a good idea to focus on a couple of things to improve on at a time, rather than overload yourself with countless new habits, as many tend to do on New Year's ;) We can't drastically change our lives over the course of a week, or even a month. These things take time, consistency, and patience, which is why it may even be easier to pick out a few habits at a time you would like to implement in your daily routine. For example, if you wanted to start meditating every day, as well as exercise and sleep 8 hours, maybe you could start choosing one of these habits to focus on first until it becomes something automatic, reminiscent of brushing your teeth. That is when you know it has become a habit, and you can focus on solidifying the next best thing. I know this may have been a ramble, but these have been my thoughts in regards to some of the ideas proposed in the book. If anyone has any other ideas to bounce back and forth, feel free to reply :)

I loved Atomic Habits, especially the idea of identity-based habits - instead of saying “I want to study more,” thinking “I am someone who studies consistently.” That shift really helped me.
I even started applying this to health routines too — like being more regular with supplements or medications. I’ve used Pharmacy B2B(https://www.canadapharmacy.com/) a couple of times now for reliable access, which helped me stay consistent without the stress of running out.