Nov 21, 2021 3 min read

❄️ Freezethawed: The Newsletter #048 - Is it too late to turn the year around?

Hello everyone!

It's November. Soon 2021 will be over too. If this year has not been the best one for you, is it too late to turn the year around?

No, it's not.

A few weeks ago I read, The 5 A.M. Club by Robin Sharma. I may be sharing an unpopular opinion by saying the book sort of let me down. However, in the book, Sharma talks about "The Victory Hour" which I feel is something I have incorporated well and might be something you should too. It might be the one thing that helps you turn your year around.

The Victory Hour

The victory hour is an hour Sharma describes between 5AM and 6AM.

(Why 5AM? Because there are no distractions and your brain is all kinds of active during this period.)

Use the 20/20/20 formula. Once you're up, divide this hour into 3 parts, 20 minutes of each.

In the first 20 minutes - choose a high intensity exercise which makes you sweat. During exercise, your brain releases BDNF chemical (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) which helps you build focus and develop new neuronal connections, reducing stress.

In the next 20 minutes - isolate yourself and indulge in some self reflection. Analyze your actions and reassess your goals. Meditate. Plan your day as well as your week.

In the last 20 minutes - engage yourself with positive vibes. Read books, listen to audiobooks ir podcasts and rejuvenate your mind.

To some of you this may be a little ostentatious and I wouldn't blame you. It does describe an ideal scenario, hence it has not always worked for me. However, using the main ideologies behind the same I propose "The Modified Victory Hour."

The Modified Victory Hour

Choose a time comfortable for you but it has to be the first hour of the day and the rest of your day starts after this first hour.
Divide it into two parts (30 minutes each), exercise and work.
Exercise - for the body or the mind. If you already an athlete (or a gym nut) complete a high intensity workout. Conversely, you may also enjoy yoga during this time. Finally, you may have never worked out in your life, in which I would advice simple stretches to get the blow flowing in the morning. Alongside this, add a workout for your mind. You may alternate it with the workout for your body, or add it simultaneously in the form of a podcast or audiobook.
Work - uninterrupted work (which may be studying too). What you need to be working on can be decided the night before so that you know exactly what to do when you wake up. Ideally choosing something high-yield and difficult which needs all your brainpower is the ideal way to go about it.

And that's it! The Victory Hour or The Modified Victory Hour, is something you may choose practice for the next couple of weeks so that it becomes an ingrained habit by 2022!

This week I stepped into the shoes of a Quizmaster, four years and a pandemic later! I hosted the Scientific and Academic Association's Annual Undergraduate Medical Quiz. Honestly, I am just glad there was no Zoom link for this event.