Article: Studies have shown that people who are successful and content generally have a routine they stick to. The routine they stick to probably isn't staying in bed all day and consuming buckets of fried chicken, sure. But what's more important is that their routine allows them to conserve energy. When you have a daily routine, going onto autopilot allows you to expend mental focus on deflating and getting rid of problems that arise. You can only make so many decisions in a day and this routine allows you to save energy for the important stuff. Your routine should involve those three things mentioned above (eating, exercising and sleeping right) and whatever else makes you happy. A little bit of work, a little bit of play and some self-improvement time, whatever form that takes (meditation/job searching/going back to school, etc.) Why? You are less likely to be emotionally and physically exhausted. Decision fatigue is definitely a thinglike that poorly thought-out late night chalupa. At night, we've done so much work all day, we throw caution to the wind and let our present selves make poor decisions for our future selves. Don't do it! So if something big presents itself, sleep on it. You want as much energy as possible to decide what the best course of action is. It's a figure of speech for a reason! One of the easiest ways to get in the being-great-at-life zone is to focus on others. It's easy on you and it feels goodin addition to making the world a better place. And for just a second you get to forget about your problems and focus on someone else's. What's not to like? Helping others gives us a buzz unlike anything else. And doing so can get us out of a rut when we don't have enough energy to help ourselves. So whether it's donating some things to a thrift store or volunteering your time at the local homeless shelter, try it out. Might as well build some good karma to be safe! No one can go from 0 to 60 in 3.5, and you shouldn't expect this of yourself either. We all need assistance and a shove in the right direction. No Olympian would start the race in a sitting position, you know? So whatever you need to do, do it. So sign up for that class. Find a therapist. Get serious about your job search. Succumb to online dating. Join Alcoholics Anonymous. Call your mom and make amends. Join the gym you've been driving by every day on the way home from work. The first step will be the hardest and it will all be downhill from there. You've got your mind right, you've got your body right, and now it's time to do that thing you've been wanting to do. That thing you've been too afraid to do. You've gotta bite that bullet. One foot at a time, regardless of how long your path to a turned-around life is. That class you've signed up for? Go. Your therapist? Make an appointment. Submit job resumes. Go on dates. Attend meetings. Initiate a family lunch. Get on that treadmill. Being amazed at yourself and the things you can create will be such a good feeling it'll be hard to stop. Consider this a diet for your soul. Any diet that isn't working needs to be dropped, so routine evaluation is necessary. Are you beginning to feel better? Are things slowly but surely falling into line? Could you up the efforts you're making? Just like you need to increase the intensity of your workouts as you progress, you need to keep pushing your mind, too. What works for you right now may not be enough in a few weeks' time. Once you get a grip on the efforts you've started out with, add more and more. There are very few things in life you can go cold turkey on, and this isn't one of them. To a similar end, what you think will work might not. If that's the case, talk to your mentor and get advice on what you should do. Is it something you need to push through, abandon completely or is there a different tactic you should take? You're in a very precarious position right now: a wrong footing and it'll be too easy to fall back to where you were. So right now, focus on staying motivated. Focus on positive thinking. Focus on breathing. Focus on doing you. If you refuse to give up, guess what? You won't. Obstacles happen. They crop up without warning and sometimes unyieldingly so. The car breaks down, the relationship falters, the cravings get worse and worse. Knowing these will happen is importantthat way, you're a little prepared and don't blame yourself. They happen to everyone and they're a part of life. You just gotta roll with the punches.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Develop a routine. Make your most important decisions on anything in the morning. Do random acts of kindness. Get yourself in line. Do what you've been wanting to do. Periodically reevaluate. Refuse to give up.
Article: Les Miserables comes in many different forms than just the novel. It's popularity has spurred musicals, plays, and movies. Consider consuming one of these media to help you understand the story or as an alternative to reading the book. There are many different versions of Les Mis as a movie. You can watch any of them to understand the story. You could go and see the play or musical. Major cities including New York and London still run productions of Les Mis, and you may even be able to find it at a local theatre. You may find that watching the movie or seeing the play can help motivate you to read. If you travel a lot, try using an e-reader or tablet instead of the hard copy. This can help you to pass time without having to tote heavy books on your trip. Reading can sometimes be a boring or solitary endeavor. Suggesting Les Mis to your book club can make reading the book an enjoyable endeavor. Watching a story unfold and discussing it can be powerful motivation for many people. In addition, it makes the process more enjoyable. Combine Les Mis with other enjoyable activities such as eating a French meal or having a glass of French wine. If you truly don't enjoy reading, listen to am audio version of Les Mis. This may allow you to enjoy the story without actually having to do any physical reading. Studies have shown that listening to books offers basically the same intellectual benefits as reading a book. In fact, there are some people who learn better from hearing than through visual stimulation. If you're reading Les Mis for pure enjoyment, there is no pressure to get through it quickly. Take your time while reading the book to allow yourself to truly enjoy this classic piece of literature. Break down the book by chapters to make it more digestible.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Rely on media other than books. Suggest it for your book club. Listen to the Les Mis audiobook. Take your time.