Own the Day, Own Your Life- Optimized Practices for Waking, Working, Learning, Eating, Training, Playing, Sleeping and Sex
In “Own the Day, Own Your Life,” Aubrey Marcus offers a roadmap for optimizing daily habits to achieve a fuller, healthier, and more satisfying life. Published in 2018, this book is a practical guide filled with actionable advice on how to enhance your diet, exercise routine, mental clarity, and even your sex life. Marcus, the founder and CEO of Onnit, a lifestyle company that promotes holistic health, uses his experience and research to craft a guide for anyone looking to make the most out of each day.
This book is particularly valuable for individuals who are striving to improve their fitness, refine their diet, and enrich their personal and professional lives. Through a series of small, yet impactful changes, Marcus shows how you can transform your day from ordinary to extraordinary.
Introduction: The Blueprint for a Better Day
The concept behind “Own the Day, Own Your Life” is simple yet profound: by mastering your daily habits, you can master your life. Aubrey Marcus argues that your life is a collection of days, and by optimizing each day, you lay the foundation for a healthier, happier, and more productive life. This book isn’t just about improving one aspect of your life; it’s about integrating better habits across all areas, creating a ripple effect that leads to overall well-being.
Start Your Day Right: The Power of Morning Hydration
The Morning Routine: Why Hydration Comes First
One of the first habits Marcus advocates for is starting your day with proper hydration. After a night’s sleep, your body is naturally dehydrated, which can lead to feelings of sluggishness, irritability, and even headaches. Instead of reaching for your usual cup of coffee first thing in the morning, Marcus suggests opting for a glass of water.
Why Water Over Coffee?
Drinking water upon waking helps to kickstart your metabolism, rehydrate your cells, and flush out toxins that accumulated overnight. Marcus recommends adding a pinch of salt and a slice of lemon to your morning water to replenish essential minerals like potassium and calcium. This simple yet powerful ritual can significantly enhance your energy levels, mood, and overall readiness to tackle the day.
Fuel Your Body Wisely: The Impact of Simple Carbohydrates
The Hidden Dangers in Your Breakfast
Many of us start our day with what we consider a quick and convenient breakfast—cereal, toast, or a pastry. However, these foods are often loaded with simple carbohydrates, which can cause your blood sugar levels to spike rapidly. While this might give you a short-term energy boost, it often leads to a crash later in the day, leaving you feeling tired, moody, and unfocused.
How Carbohydrates Affect Your Decision-Making
An interesting study from Israel in 2011 revealed that even something as simple as a judge’s meal timing could influence parole decisions. The research showed that judges were more likely to grant parole after meals when their blood sugar levels were stable. As their levels dropped, their decisions became stricter. This finding underscores the importance of maintaining balanced blood sugar levels—not just for your physical health, but for your cognitive abilities and decision-making as well.
Supplementing Your Modern Diet: Replenish What’s Missing
The Nutritional Gap in Modern Diets
In the past, our ancestors’ diets were rich in diverse nutrients due to their consumption of wild vegetation and animals that fed on nutrient-dense plants. Today, however, much of our food is derived from animals raised on nutrient-poor diets and crops grown in depleted soils, leading to a significant decline in the quality of the nutrients we consume.
The Role of Supplements
To combat this modern-day nutritional gap, Marcus emphasizes the importance of incorporating supplements into your diet. One key supplement he highlights is Vitamin D, which is crucial for bone health, immune function, and mood regulation. Due to our indoor lifestyles and limited sun exposure, many people are deficient in Vitamin D. Supplementing with Vitamin D, along with other essential vitamins and minerals, can help bridge the gap and ensure your body is functioning optimally.
The Power of Napping: Recharge Your Mind and Body
Why Napping Beats Coffee
Feeling tired in the afternoon? Instead of reaching for another cup of coffee, consider taking a nap. Research has shown that a short nap can be more effective than caffeine in improving cognitive functions, reaction times, and overall alertness.
Napping in History and Modern Times
Napping isn’t a new concept—historical figures like Winston Churchill and Albert Einstein were known to take regular naps to boost their productivity. Today, many forward-thinking companies, such as Google and Uber, recognize the benefits of napping and encourage their employees to take short breaks to recharge.
Holistic Fitness: Moving Beyond Appearance
Rethinking Fitness Goals
When it comes to fitness, many people focus solely on building muscle or losing weight. However, Marcus advocates for a more holistic approach that includes cardiovascular health, flexibility, and mental well-being. By setting realistic and well-rounded fitness goals, you can create a sustainable exercise routine that benefits your entire body and mind.
The Health Benefits of Exercise
Regular exercise not only improves your physical appearance but also boosts your mood, reduces stress, and enhances cognitive function. Marcus emphasizes that exercise should be seen as a lifelong habit, not just a means to achieve a certain look. By focusing on the overall health benefits, you’re more likely to stick with your routine and enjoy the process.
Boosting Testosterone Naturally: Enhance Your Health and Sex Life
The Importance of Testosterone
Testosterone plays a crucial role in maintaining energy levels, muscle mass, and a healthy sex drive. As we age, our testosterone levels naturally decline, but certain lifestyle choices can help boost these levels.
Dietary Changes for Higher Testosterone
One of the most effective ways to naturally increase testosterone is through your diet. Marcus suggests consuming more healthy fats, such as those found in avocados, nuts, and wild salmon. These foods not only support testosterone production but also contribute to overall health and vitality.
Optimize Your Day: Integrating Transformative Habits
Creating a Balanced Routine
To truly own your day, it’s essential to integrate several key habits into your daily routine. Start with hydration, fuel your body with balanced meals, incorporate supplements to fill nutritional gaps, and make time for exercise and rest. By making these practices a part of your daily life, you can enhance your energy, focus, and overall well-being.
The Holistic Approach
Marcus’s approach is holistic, meaning it takes into account the interconnectedness of all aspects of life. By optimizing your diet, exercise, and mental health, you’re not just improving one part of your life—you’re creating a ripple effect that enhances everything you do.
About the Author: Aubrey Marcus
Aubrey Marcus is a well-known advocate for holistic health and wellness. As the founder and CEO of Onnit, a lifestyle company focused on total human optimization, Marcus has dedicated his career to helping others achieve their best selves. His podcast, the Aubrey Marcus Podcast, further explores topics related to health, fitness, and personal development, reaching millions of listeners around the world.
Takeaways from the Book in Just 20 Words
“Transform your life by mastering daily habits that enhance health, energy, focus, and well-being for a more fulfilling existence.”
Conclusion: Own Your Day, Own Your Life
“Own the Day, Own Your Life” by Aubrey Marcus is more than just a self-help book; it’s a comprehensive guide to living a more fulfilling and balanced life. By implementing the strategies outlined in the book, you can take control of your day, improve your health, boost your productivity, and ultimately, own your life. Whether you’re looking to enhance your diet, exercise routine, or mental clarity, this book offers practical, actionable advice that can help you achieve your goals and live each day to its fullest potential.