Mental Warm-up Routine

Effective mental warm-ups include light journaling, solving simple puzzles or brain teasers, doing basic math problems, reading a short article, or practicing mindfulness. Choose activities that are engaging but not too challenging. The goal is to activate your brain without depleting mental energy. You can rotate between different activities to keep the warm-up interesting.

Aim for 5-10 minutes, though you can adjust based on your needs and schedule. The warm-up should be long enough to get your brain engaged but not so long that it becomes a task itself. If you find yourself getting too involved in the warm-up activity, set a timer to ensure you move on to your main work.

Do your mental warm-up right before starting your focused work session. This helps create a clear transition between regular activities and deep work. You might also find it helpful to do a brief warm-up after lunch or other breaks to help your brain re-engage with work.

Choose activities that are slightly challenging but enjoyable. Vary your warm-up routine to prevent boredom and maintain engagement. Consider matching your warm-up activities to the type of work you'll be doing later. For example, if you'll be writing, start with some light journaling or reading.