Choice reduction

To achieve mental clarity first thing in the morning, avoid drawing on too much of your finite cognitive resource by making a lot of low-level decisions early on. Get up at the same time each day, eat the same thing for breakfast, take the same commute and limit your work wardrobe to a few staples. All of this will help prevent ‘decision fatigue’, which reduces your willpower.

The same principle applies when you are trying to change a habit or learn something new. Avoid over-committing and aim to alter one simple thing at a time. Focusing on a single task will help concentrate your brain’s resources and reinforce the neural pathway needed to learn a fresh behaviour.