The Daily Schedule That Keeps Michael Acton Smith, CEO of Mental Health App ‘Calm’, Together

8 a.m.: clear your mind

Unlike the Mark Wahlbergs and Tim Cooks of the world, Michael Acton Smith, 46, starts setting an alarm most days when Radio 4’s Today is on the home stretch. “I know there are a lot of people in the 5am club,” he says. “Compared to that, I’m a late sleeper.” Not that he wakes up in a hurry: instead of checking his messages or messages, he switches his iPhone to airplane mode for 30 minutes. “The first thing most people do is pick up their cell phone. Instead, I try to meditate. I try to clear my head, concentrate on my breathing and center myself. It’s a joyful part of my morning. ”

9.35 a.m .: Doodle Away

Before his first meeting of the day, Smith grabs a pen and paper and lets his creativity run free. It’s his way of finding clarity. “Sometimes it writes or sketches,” he says. “Doing something digital is great for organizing your thoughts, but if you have a piece of paper, you can do anything. I just love to combine different ideas. Everything flows out or nothing does. It’s really old-fashioned, but it helps you start the day. “

Michael Acton Smith and Matthew McConaughey

Rick KernGetty Images

1.30 p.m .: Practice “API”

While working from home last year, Smith found that it is all too easy to get lost in digital translation when communicating with colleagues. So he’s practicing something called API: Assume Positive Intent. “I’ve noticed that if I’ve been on Zoom calls for a long time and maybe haven’t slept well, then I’m definitely going to be quicker at the worst and have a shorter temper,” he says. “Simply assuming that whoever is texting you has positive intentions can stave off angry responses and tension.”

2:45 p.m .: Create family time

When the pandemic broke out, Smith and his family moved to Ireland, adapting his working hours to Calm’s San Francisco headquarters. Some days he works until midnight. Still, he emphasizes the importance of fitting family time into each day, which includes spending time with his three-year-old daughter in the afternoons. “We go to playgrounds and take long walks,” he says.

5:45 p.m .: play games

To relieve stress, Smith keeps it analog and plays board games with his family. His strengths? Scrabble and chess. “As a kid, I developed my own board games,” he says. “I think it’s great for your sanity to really be immersed in another universe with a set of rules. This escapism is really valuable. “

10 p.m .: take a bath

Though tempting, Smith doesn’t opt ​​for a nightly binge watch for a good night’s sleep. Instead, he takes a bath and adds magnesium salts. “After hours of zooming in on my brain, my brain is still wired,” he says. “Just sitting there without a pen, paper or my cell phone is very valuable. Raising your body temperature before bed can be very helpful for sleep. It’s a nice way to calm down other than to watch Game of Thrones or something else on TV. “

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source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/the-daily-schedule-that-keeps-michael-acton-smith-ceo-of-mental-health-app-calm-together/