Yahoo Finance The 'API' Technique Michael Acton Smith, CEO of Mental Health App 'Calm', Uses for Mental Clarity
8am: Clear Your Head
Unlike the Mark Wahlbergs and Tim Cooks of this world, Michael Acton Smith, 46, begins most days by setting an alarm for when Radio 4’s Today is already on the home straight. “I know there’s a lot of people in the 5am Club,” he says. “Comparatively, I’m a late riser.” Not that he wakes up in a rush: instead of checking his texts or news alerts, he places his iPhone on airplane mode for 30 minutes. “The first thing most people do is reach for their handset. Instead, I try to meditate. I try to clear my mind, focus on my breathing and centre myself. It’s a joyful part of my morning.”
9.35am: Doodle Away
Before his first meeting of the day, Smith grabs a pen and paper and lets the creative juices flow. It’s his way of finding clarity. “Sometimes it’s writing or just sketching,” he says. “Doing something digital is great for organising your thoughts, but when you have a sheet of paper, you can do anything. I just love interconnecting different ideas. Everything pours out or nothing does. It’s really old-fashioned, but it helps ground you to start the day.”
1.30pm: Practise “API”
While working from home over the past year, Smith realised that it’s all too easy for communication with colleagues to get lost in digital translation. So he practises something called API: Assume Positive Intent. “I noticed that if I’ve been on Zoom calls for a long time, and I maybe didn’t get a good night’s sleep, I’m definitely quicker to assume the worst and have a shorter temper,” he says. “If you just assume whoever is writing to you has positive intent, you can stave off angry replies and tension.”
2:45pm: Create Family Time
When the pandemic hit, Smith and his family relocated to Ireland, which meant adjusting his working hours to Calm’s San Francisco HQ. Some days, he works until midnight. Still, he emphasises the importance of fitting in family time to each day, which includes spending time with his three-year-old daughter during the afternoons. “We go to playgrounds and on long walks,” he says.
5:45pm: Play Games
To de-stress, Smith keeps it analogue and plays board games with his family. His strengths? Scrabble and chess. “As a kid, I used to create my own board games,” he says. “I think it’s great for your mental health to really immerse yourself in a different universe with a set of rules. That escapism is really valuable.”
10pm: Take a Bath
Though it’s tempting, Smith doesn’t opt for a late-night binge-watch to get a good night’s sleep. Instead, he makes a bath and adds magnesium salts. “After hours and hours of Zoom calls, my brain is still wired,” he says. “Just sitting there without pen, paper or my phone is very valuable. Raising your body temperature before bed can be very helpful for sleep. It’s a nice way to calm yourself besides watching Game of Thrones or anything else on TV.”
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