As I was doing research the other day on sleeping and the effects of napping, I ran across an interesting post by Brad Issac over at Achieve-IT. The post was labeled “How To Take A Caffeine Nap” and was based on a short article he had found in Field and Stream magazine. I was immediately intrigued by the research findings. The excerpt said…

Sleep researchers at the Loughborough University in Britain did several tests on fatigued drivers to compare the effects of different methods for a driver can use to stay awake. They put the volunteers in driving simulators while they were sleepy and let them drive. Some of the tests included rolling down windows for cold exposure, blasting the radio and slapping oneself in the face to try to stay awake. But what researchers found worked the best was a Caffeine Nap.

The Caffeine Nap is simple. You drink a cup of coffee and immediately take a 15 minute nap. Researchers found coffee helps clear your system of adenosine, a chemical which makes you sleepy. So in testing, the combination of a cup of coffee with an immediate nap chaser provided the most alertness for the longest period of time. The recommendation was to nap only 15 minutes, no more or less and you must sleep immediately after the coffee.

This is pretty profound stuff as we all have felt the effects of driver fatigue. As I have been testing different nap schedules throughout the day for my post of Quadraphasic Living, I have found similar results for the nap part. A length of 15 minutes is ideal for developing increased focus and alertness. If I sleep longer than 20 minutes I wake up irritable and groggy. The key to this process is to take along some type of alarm to wake you after 15 minutes is up or the whole effort becomes moot.

I have tested the “caffeine nap” in the early evening and found that it works well to energize you for 2 to 3 hours. The problem with using Caffeine is the effects may linger longer than you want and cause problems with your normal sleep. Too much caffeine can also cause a lack of focus and trouble concentrating. This definitely seems like a good tool for long road trips and times that you must stay up to a certain hour (like New Years Eve).

One of the best uses for napping that I have found is to energize your mind for an afternoon test, important meeting or other activity where you find that you have to concentrate and focus on important material. While napping alone is effective, I’ve found that adding a “zone meal” immediately after napping helps you concentrate better and stay focused. The definition of a zone meal is one that includes low glycemic carbs, protein and healthy fats and promotes a stable blood sugar level for hours.

Doctor Barry Sears wrote the famous book called the “The Zone” on his findings of this type of diet. Most current diet research has led to similar conclusions. The secret is to have some protein, healthy fats and “low glycemic” carbohydrates. A glycemic chart is available called the glycemic Index.

Glycemic balance is the key to maintaining proper blood sugar levels between meals. There is a lot of ongoing research in this area but what I have found that works well for me is to eat 6 smaller meals throughout the day and stay away from highly processed carbohydrates.  The glycemic index will give you an idea of foods to stay away from.

If I have an important meeting or test in the afternoon, I will usually do a timed nap of 15 minutes. When I wake up I’ll do a little light exercise and then have a light meal which will have protein, whole grains and some fat. One of my more popular lunches will be a tuna sandwich open face on whole wheat and an apple with a little peanut butter. The combination of the Protein (tuna), low glycemic carbs (whole wheat bread and apple), and a little monounsaturated fat (peanut butter) will keep my blood sugar levels stable for hours.
Once I get back to work I’m refreshed and ready to go. I find that I can concentrate much better than with a processed meal of white bread burgers, french fries and a sugary soft drink.

Years ago when I was training for my Novell network certification I would spend the mornings in class and take a certification test in the afternoon. The training school had a cafe where they would put out sugary treats (muffins and pastries) and coffee throughout the day. After eating this stuff all morning I would grab a fast food lunch and usually grab another pastry for dessert. When I would enter the testing booth in the afternoon my mind was all over the place. The combination of sugar and caffeine was very detrimental to sustained concentration. The questions were tough enough and with a lack of focus I really struggled. And to top it off usually about an hour into the test my blood sugar would drop and I would get very sleepy.

It was during this time that I read the book “The Zone” by Barry Sears. I decided to do a little experiment one day and I brought a couple of Balance bars from home. These bars have 40% carbs, 40% protein, and 30% fat. I had one in the morning and had a light lunch of chicken breast and salad. During lunch I reviewed the test material and closed my eyes and relaxed for 15 minutes. I had a half of another bar before testing in the afternoon. My caffeine intake that day was just one cup of coffee in the morning.

The difference was amazing, the material seemed to fall into place in my mind. It was much easier to concentrate and focus on the difficult questions. The other difference was I maintained focus throughout the 90 minute exam instead of having a blood sugar crash halfway through the test. During the following weeks I would keep some Balance bars with me and try to stay away from the donuts and pastries. Without the added sugar and caffeine my concentration during the daily classes was much better. While Balance and other brands of “low glycemic” bars are not an everyday staple they do work well when you can’t eat a balanced meal.

I try to keep one in the car or at my desk for important occasions. I usually take one with me for Toastmasters meetings and other times where concentration is key. It is really easy to see the difference between a “candy bar” and a “zone bar”. Try this experiment sometime. Have a large 3 musketeers or other ordinary candy bar about 2 in the afternoon and see how you feel about an hour later. If you are like me you’ll feel tired and your eyes will start to droop and you’ll find yourself yawning. Try the same experiment with the low glycemic bar and you’ll feel much more energized throughout the rest of the afternoon.

The combination of a short nap (15-20 minutes) and a low glycemic meal makes a noticable difference. Researchers have found that a short nap can increase alertness and productivity by 30 to 40 percent over those who do not take a nap. Combining this with steady blood sugar levels can help you concentrate better and stay on task. Everyone is different so the key is to experiment and see what works best for you. The added concentration and alertness may just help you pass that next test. Sometimes it is only one complex question that may keep you from a certification or getting that new job.

Low Glycemic nutrition:

Zone Bars

Kashi Bars

Glycemic Index.

Sleep Information:

National Sleep Foundation

The Glycemic rating of some popular foods (the lower the better)

apple 38

banana 62

French fries 75

white bread 72

milk 34

Need to pass that test? Get into the zone…

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My definition of success also would be to fully use what God and my parents gave me, to the best of my abilities, and to carry on those family values. Perhaps the biggest value I learned growing up was the notion of service, to make sure that I lead by example in all areas of my life and to help others in a way in which they can do the same. Through hard work, passion, honesty, and the courage to lead the life I’ve dreamed of, I can become successful. I will not accept anything less from myself.

The book is called Core Performance Essentials, by Olympic trainer Mark Verstegen. In this book he presents a comprehensive exercise plan which can be performed in just 30 minutes a day in the comfort of your own home with just dumbbells, an exercise ball and some training bands. This program, which focuses on Core movements to improve strength, flexibility, and overall health, has proven effective for some of the world’s most elite athletes. The book also includes a diet plan which includes meal timing and low glycemic food choices to create a customized “perfect day” routine.

This book offers insights of a real world Olympic training center and with some determination you may have luck at home with his program. Mark needs to take a few cues from Billy Blanks (Taebo) and bundle a DVD with the book. Get out there and show us how to do these exercises. I recommend the book as an insightful read but you may have better luck with a simpler exercise program.

As I was driving home yesterday I turned down a new road that had opened up in Town.. I decided to see where it went and was amazed that it went over a local hill and continued on for miles. I soon found myself deep in wine country and discovered that some new wineries had just opened up. The sky was clear and the weather was perfect. It was amazing how many new things had sprung up along the way. As I was driving along I started thinking about blogging and the usual path I travel on a daily basis. I thought that it might be fun to take a new turn on the blog-roll and see where I end up.

When I got home I decided to start out with a known link on my blog and then follow interesting links as they came up on each consecutive new blog, trying to find a new undiscovered link at each site. It took about 30 minutes and I discovered over 10 new sites. The interesting thing was I found my way back here on the 11th link. It was a fun trip and I learned a lot about small business and entrepreneurism. Here is the play by play.

I started out at Yaro Starak’s great Internet Marketing blog… Entrepreneurs Journey From there I found and interesting site called the Duct Tape Marketing Blog piloted by John Jantsch. This soon led to Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends a popular destination in the business world. From there a short jaunt took me to Ageless Marketing which made me feel much younger.

As I though about retiring some day a long ways away I discovered a new book blog called The Number. This was a very intriguing site and I realized that to save money properly for retirement I should visit All Things Financial. But even saving might not be enough. I have always thought it would be interesting to start my own business and The Entrepreneurial Mind could help me do just that. But what kind of business would be good?

I found that Bootstrappers Notes had a daily diary of one person’s online business. This was really interesting and led to the Odyssey of the Mind that really made me think. It was so thought provoking that I wanted to Rattle The Cage . My thoughts flew upward and I found myself looking down at the earth. I discovered that I was in Orbit Now and that I had better land soon and take care of my own site called Success Begins Today.

It was a fun adventure and one I highly recommend. Take the road less traveled sometime and discover new things along the way…

Something remarkable is worth talking about. Worth noticing. Exceptional. New. Interesting. It’s a Purple Cow. Boring stuff is invisible. It’s a brown cow.
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Develop one new habit a month for a year. That has been my quest since October of 2005. As I come into the fifth month of my twelve month quest I have decided to bring in the exercise quotient. I want to develop a “doable” exercise program that is easy to track and record.

For February 2006 my new habit is…

To do 30 minutes of exercise a day.

This is an interesting goal for the fact that it has a time requirement in it. I have to find 30 minutes out of my 24 hour day to exercise. I have to replace an existing activity with physical activity. This is the tricky part… what 30 minute section of my day can I set aside for this new activity?

As I wrote about in Quadraphasic Living there are distinct advantages to exercising first thing in the morning. Studies suggest that exercising before eating anything in the morning can burn 300% more calories than exercising later in the day. I definitely like the idea of being efficient but the early morning hours present a problem for me.

I’m a morning person.

That shouldn’t be a problem… right?

But the morning is “my” time. It’s a time to write, design, and do creative things.

On most days this time is limited to the hours between waking and going to work. I usually get up at 5am and need to get ready for work by 6:30. Ninety minutes is actually a pretty short time and to take a 30 minute chunk out of it will just not work.

So I have a couple of options…

Get up at 4:30 am and exercise… or

Exercise at a different time of the day and be less efficient.

So far the second option has been the one that has worked for me but the first option is definitely the preferred one. Can I replace 30 minutes of “sleep” with exercise… time will tell. My wife and I are going to “turn back the clock” on our alarm and see what happens.

The other habits are going well.

1. October 2005: Drink Two Quarts of Water a Day
2. November 2005: Take My Lunch to Work
3. December 2005: Eat an Apple a Day
4. January 2006: Write One New Blog Article A Week.

The first three habits have become automatic on workdays which is amazing to me. I have modified the November goal to include breakfast  and the December goal to include two pieces of fruit a day. Modifying these goals was easier than starting a new one. Both took additional planning and shopping but were relatively easy to modify. For many people these probably sound easy but they have always eluded me in the past. To consistently walk out of the house in the morning with lunch, two pieces of fruit and a liter bottle of water has been very encouraging.

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The January goal of writing a new article a week has proven to be harder than the others. I have an article started for each week so far but I need a big chunk of time to re-organize the whole article structure on this site. One technique that I just discovered that is really helping is using a timer to get my creativity going. The process is called freewriting and it actually works really well. It works like this…

1. Open your word processor on your computer
2. Write the topic of your freewriting at the top of the page
3. Set a timer (egg timer works well) for 5 or 10 minutes
4. Write down whatever comes to your mind about your topic
5. Continue writing until the time runs out
6. Do NOT stop until that time.
7. Do not pay attention to typos or grammar
8. Incomplete sentence… keep going
9. Dead end… write the same thing over & over
10. Time over… circle items of interest and key phrases
11. Start on your first draft using these items

This process is amazing. The timer is the key and I find the ideas come quickly. Next time you have writers block try this technique.

With this procedure I have numerous articles ‘in process”.  With the weekend coming I should be able to find the large block of time and be able to put it all together. If you have any trick or tips in the writing process please leave a comment. I would love to hear your ideas to make this “writing habit” an easier one.

Until next month, good luck with your “habits”

Hmmm…. gotta change the alarm to 4:30 am… Hmmmm…

The eye doctor finished up with my eye test and reached into his drawer and pulled out a full color brochure. As he handed it to me he said in his full doctor turned salesman voice… You are a good candidate for monovision lasik surgery. “Hmmm” I thought, I had wondered about lasik surgery before. Would it be a solution for me now that I am over 40? Could I finally get rid of the glasses? Dr. Scott grabbed a pad and wrote down a date and time. “If you’re interested, we’re having a Lasik seminar on the 23rd”, he said with a smile. I nodded and put the note in my pocket.

I figured I would give it a go and made an appoinment for the seminar. When the 23rd came around I joined 6 other people in a very informative meeting. Dr. Scott had a large cutaway of a complete eye. He showed us the different parts and explained how the different elements of the eye work. He showed us how lasik changes the focal length of the eye and explained the whole procedure. It didn’t sound too bad. Then he had the Lasik lady give us the pricing news. It seemed real expensive for such a short operation.

When I got home that night I went online and did some price comparisons. I looked at a lot of lasik sites and read about numerous procedures. There was custom lasik and no-blade all laser lasik. The idea of getting rid of the blade seemed appealing to me. I looked at prices and read the ads. I quickly realized one thing… this is a competitive and money making business. The words “all laser lasik and custom lasik sounded very interesting.” I spent hours researching the subject and I think I may have the surgery done in the near future.

As I was perusing the web today I noticed that Marketing guru Seth Godin had a very interesting post on his blog about how long visitors stay at your website.
He states…

Fact: about half the visitors to your website leave after less than five seconds.

Fact: the percentage that spend less than that on your ad or your packaging is even greater.

Two choices:
1. grab the quickie browsers FAST and turn them into interested prospects (somehow) or

2. ignore them and realize that you only get a chance to talk to the people who are going to stay for more than five seconds anyway. The rest of the population is ignoring you… don’t let them distract you from your real mission, which is to amplify interest, not create it.

If you can do the first, more power to you. Please let the rest of us know what you come up with.

I decided to take Seth’s 5 second challenge and came up with some possible solutions.

Since I just finished up researching Lasik Eye Surgery I figured I would think back to what caught my eye as I was surfing numerous lasik sites. There are numerous competitors in this field and they all want us to explore their websites and see what they have to offer. How do they grab our attention in the 5 seconds that we spend looking at the average site?

They can have large H1 text on their page

Lasik Eye Surgery

They can modify the text to appeal to our pricing concerns…

Affordable Lasik Eye Surgery

They can modify the text to appeal to our time concerns…

One Day Affordable Lasik Eye Surgery

They can add a picture for added effect.

They can even simplify the message and take out the scary word Surgery

They can even create a Flash movie such as the one in the top right corner of this blog that will utilize all of the techniques above.

Will any of these grab a visitor’s attention in 5 seconds?

Did any of these grab your attention?

Did any pass the 5 second test?

I have to say the pictures grabbed my attention… and the “affordable” price drew me in

What about you?