3 Powerful Lessons From Einstein To Make You Healthy

Science-based lessons from one of the greatest thinkers of all time.

The pandemic has created an incredible amount of change and stress in our lives.

So much change is hard.

On top of it, we have the burden of protecting those who are vulnerable and evaluating our own level of risks we face doing simple tasks like grocery shopping.

Dealing with all of this can be overwhelming. Finding a way to do this well is essential.

Three techniques used by Einstein offer an answer. I use them regularly — as do many successful individuals I know.

Exercise

Exercise is a great way to release stress and to regain perspective. How do we know it?

So many great people have made it a regular part of their creative lives.

Einstein routinely went for long walks to help him develop his most important ideas and theories.

Albert also did it with others. Albert and Marie Curie went hiking together in the Alps.

He would use exercise to de-stress, spend time with others, and provide a space for creative thinking and dialogue.

I know many senior leaders at New York State manufacturers who make it a point of exercising daily and encourage their employees to do so as well.

When I was in the Army, daily exercise was required. It was for more than physical fitness. It also creates mental toughness, enhances creativity and reduces stress.

For me, daily exercise early in the morning is the best way to start my day.

Do you exercise daily?

Take a Nap

Napping is key to both regaining your creativity and to making advancements regarding key insights. Many individuals avoid naps. This is a mistake. Many famous people routinely napped.

Einstein napped to reenergize and to achieve creative breakthoughs.

What has science taught us to about when to nap? About six hours after you wake up, your body’s circadian rhythm starts to dip and you’re likely to feel drowsy, especially if you’ve had a busy morning and lunch.

Science encourages us to use two types of naps. A twenty-minute nap can be very effective. If you keep it short, you’ll wake up more alert and can quickly get back to work.

The nice thing about a twenty-minute nap is you can do it almost anywhere. At work, an easy chair in a quiet room can allow you to close your eyes and recover from the morning grind.

If you are more tired, you can stretch it to an hour. At an hour, you actually get REM and short wave sleep that can help you solve problems and advance your creative endeavours.

The afternoon can be difficult for us. It is the time of the day where we can start to drag. That’s why many start their afternoons with a nap. Many highly creative and productive people nap the hour after lunch.

One of the great advantages when working from home is you can more easily nap. COVID has given so many a chance to routinely nap to stay energized and to increase their creativity.

Taking my cue from Einstein, I routinely nap right after lunch for twenty minutes. When needed, I even stretch it to an hour. This allows me to work effectively later into the evening when I have scheduled video meetings or calls.

When could you nap routinely?

Deep play

We also should play to stay healthy. A certain kind of play is especially helpful.

Deep play involves mental and physical absorption, use of our skills in a new context, provides some of the same satisfaction we desire through different means and offers a personal connection to our past.

Deep play is a powerful break from work, a respite from professional frustrations, and a source of recovery.

Deep play can pull us in directions we would never expect to go.

Einstein loved playing the violin and played it beautifully.

Albert rarely left home without his music, and it inspired him as he developed some of the most elegant theories in science.

Writing is my deep play activity. This creative activity helps me learn, develop skills of communication, and connect with others on a daily basis. I write and publish a daily thought and also a weekly leadership message.

What deep play would energize you?

Change, the unknown, and constant stress can take its toll. You will need strategies to both navigate this period of time in your life and find a way to succeed.

What I have learned so far is that I must monitor how I feel each day. I also make sure I include exercise, naps and deep play to rejuvenate.

When I do, I am at my best.

Final Thoughts

Give yourself the needed break we all deserve in these difficult times.

To remain effective, top leaders and creative individuals find ways to reduce their stress, re-energize, and enhance their creativity. They do this by:

• Exercising
• Napping
• Deep Play

Doing so will pay high dividends for both you and those who depend on you each day.

To learn more about leadership visit me at www.macny.org.

To get a copy of my book Present-Future Leader, go to www.amazon.com.