Why Routines Are Important

In general, routines provide certainty.

Based on research, having consistent routines may help us to have better stress levels and less anxiety.

Researchers have found that having a regular routine may even help to alleviate bipolar disorder, ADHD, and even insomnia.

For investors, I am a firm believer in having an optimized routine that supports us emotionally – so we can be a more rational investor.

My Daily Routine

First of all, I’m an optimist.

Recently, in CNBC, I was reading about Tom Brady’s mantra for life from this self-help book called “The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom”.

I liked it and I thought to share it with you guys:

1. Be impeccable with your word
2. Don’t take anything personally
3. Don’t make assumptions
4. Always do your best

I think the above four rules are great because it focuses on us to have rational optimism while focusing on what to do with things we cannot control and what to do with things we can control.

The goal of this article is to share with you the routine that I have, I hope it will add some value to you.

Easy Exercise in The Morning

I think it is important for investors – and for us humans – to exercise regularly.

Based on this Harvard blog, regular exercise can help the brain to improve memory and have better-thinking skills.

A study was also done at the University of British Columbia. They found that regular exercise that gets our heart pumping appears to boost the size of the hippocampus – the brain area for verbal memory and learning.

Exercise may also help to improve mood and sleep and hence, reduce our stress and anxiety – which are usually caused by cognitive impairment.

Remember that health is ultimately the greatest wealth.

So for me, I regularly exercise daily with some push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups in the morning. Coupled with some brisk walking when time permits.

20 Minutes Meditation In The Morning

There is an article by Forbes titled “Can Meditation Make Us Better Traders And Investors?“.

The Forbes article said that there is significant evidence that meditation can help us deal with stress.

Meditation may help our minds to be calmer and increase our emotional resilience and compassion.

And ultimately, allow us to have better control of our body.

As investors, it may help us to be more aware of our cognitive biases as a result of fear and greed.

Dr. Daniel Crosby from the AlphaMind podcast said that our brain is not naturally wired for decisions in the financial market.

Meditation might help us to improve our processing of the present moment – and our ability to reflect – and hopefully, make a calmer, and better decision over the long run.

The ability to make calm, rational and wise decision is vital for investors — and I believe meditation helps in that regards.

Never Stop Learning – I Read News And Books Daily

According to science, people who read books live longer. That is according to Yale researchers who studied 3,635 people older than 50.

But more importantly, investors are people who need to make quality decisions.

As we read widely, we will be able to synthesize better and hopefully, make better decisions over the long-run.

I usually read Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times daily.

I also learn many things from reading books by great investors as well as from watching online videos on many topics — such as on sleep and chess – from Masterclass.com.

I usually read the news and learn new things for around 1.5 hours daily.

20 Minutes Power Nap After Lunch

After lunch, if I am feeling sleepy, I will usually fo a 20 minutes power nap.

Research shows that we can reduce stress and improve cognitive function with a power nap.

Having a power nap may help us to be more patient, have less stress, increase our learning capability and have better health.

Studies also show that 20 minutes of sleep in the afternoon provides more rest than 20 minutes more sleep in the morning.

Read Up on Companies For At Least An Hour Daily

As an investor, what we are really focused on are monitoring our portfolio company and looking for new potential investments.

Hence, reading up on companies form a good part of my daily routine.

I usually read up on new companies as well as my existing positions – to see if there is anything actionable. Oftentimes, the key is really to simply gauge whether the fundamentals of the company we are investing in are still intact or not — in relation to the type of investment it is.

Most of the time, I do nothing. Because as a business-like stock investor, we are judged by not only our action, but also our patience.

Evening Meditation for 20 Minutes

In the evening, I try whenever possible to meditate as well.

I find that when I meditate regularly, I am less stressed. I am also able to be more rational in the face of emotional/stressful situations.

Wind Down and Relax Before Sleeping

In the evening, I will usually watch Netflix or play Oculus Quest 2 after dinner just to relax.

Based on National Sleep Foundation, 71% of people sleep with their smartphones close to their hands. This makes it easy for people to use phones before sleeping and it could be counterproductive to sleeping well.

So I make sure that my phone is not near me when I am trying to sleep.

In Conclusion

Warren Buffett was once asked how to get smarter, he held up stacks of paper and said, “Read 500 pages like this every week. That’s how knowledge builds up, like compound interest.”

The purpose of having the right routine is so that our knowledge compounds over time. And concurrently, we manage our emotional balance well through exercises as well as meditation.

Ultimately, we should never stop learning, stay humble, and never stop growing to become a better and more well-balanced person over time.

Disclaimer:

The information provided is for educational and general information purposes only and is not intended to be personalized investment or financial advice. We make no promises as to the accuracy or usefulness of the information we present.

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