The Art of Caffeine Cycling for Optimized Productivity

Hey Supercharged Entrepreneurs,

Today, I found myself buying a humble espresso for $2.99 and tipping the barista an extra $10.

Why the generous tip?

The barista looked like he was having a tough day, and after reading 'The Power of Love' by Fran Grace, I've been challenging myself to practice more acts of kindness.

(That said, I can't shake off the guilt of squashing a mosquito this morning. Karma, right?)

But back to the espresso.

I bought it because it contains roughly 65mg of caffeine, about a third of the amount in a standard cup of coffee.

This was after a sleepless night due to some nagging lower back pain - but that's a story for another day.

Why am I sharing this, you ask?

Well, it got me thinking about our relationship with caffeine, especially in the business world.

Are you leveraging caffeine as a tool, Supercharged Entrepreneurs, or is it becoming a daily dependency?

Caffeine, used correctly, is a PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING DRUG.

Yet, overuse or abuse may lead to negative effects such as:

1. Diminished ability to process emotions[^1^].

2. Heightened feelings of anxiety[^2^].

3. A tendency to focus on busywork while neglecting key tasks[^3^].

4. Increased risk of adrenal fatigue and consequent burnout[^4^].

5. Impaired sleep quality[^5^].

Remember, these adverse effects are dose-dependent - the more caffeine you consume, the greater the impact.

So, how can you cycle caffeine effectively, leveraging its benefits without the pitfalls?

Take a leaf from Olympic athletes' books.

They use caffeine strategically, only when they need that extra boost - during intense training sessions, on competition days, or to compensate for a poor night's sleep.

Here's a strategy I recommend, one that I've seen work wonders with my clients:

1. Gradually reduce your daily caffeine intake by about 100mg each week until you're at zero.

This helps reduce the caffeine withdrawal symptoms.

(If you're on two cups of coffee a day, that's approximately 400mg of caffeine, meaning it'll take you about four weeks to cut it out completely.)

2. Then, reintroduce 50-200mg of caffeine (equivalent to around 1 cup of coffee) ONLY when you need to be at your most focused and alert.

In essence, this approach means you'll be consuming caffeine maybe 1-3 days per week, giving your body a break on the other days.

I realize this approach might not be popular, Supercharged Entrepreneurs, especially if you've become somewhat dependent on your daily caffeine fix.

But my mission isn't about popularity; it's about helping you to perform at your best, enabling you to grow your business FASTER without the dreaded burnout.

So, Supercharged Entrepreneurs, I'd love to hear from you.

How do you currently use caffeine, and do you think you could make any changes based on what you've just read?

Stay healthy, stay focused,

Mark Dhamma, MA

High-Performance Coach to Entrepreneurs

Helping You Make More Money, By Increasing Your Energy, Focus & Productivity, Without The Burnout!

CEO & Founder of Supercharged Entrepreneurs

P.S.

Want help increasing your energy, focus and productivity?

Book a FREE coaching session with me by clicking here.

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