Good advice on bad habits

Occasionally I get asked what I do away from the tables to improve my game. Though I don't spend nearly enough time improving by reading books or watching videos as I should do, there are a few things that I began implementing 9-10 months ago. One major thing that too many players neglect is personal hygiene.

When I wake up in the morning afternoon, I make sure that before I start playing poker, I've taken care of a few necessities beforehand. First, I always make sure that I've showered. This is not only for personal hygiene but also helps wake me up and get my brain functioning. Brushing your teeth has a similar effect and is totally essential.

Second, I make sure that I eat breakfast. Whether it be just a yoghurt, cereal, or a sandwich from the bakery downstairs (super convenient), I feel that this is an absolute must. They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and playing on an empty stomach is simply not optimal. I usually end it with a Nescafe Express iced coffee to give me that last spurt of energy.

Then I turn on the computer, fire up 4-8 tables and begin earning my bread and butter. I have tried to totally eliminate surfing the internet from my habits while playing and I have noticed a direct reflection of this in my winrate. Also, I keep messaging very brief, if at all, while I'm playing. This ensures that I am entirely focused on what's happening at my tables, even when I'm not in a hand.

Finally, I stop playing when I am tired or drunk. Drunk is the obvious one, yet you still see more and more players losing huge portions of their rolls after a drunken night out. I've never had this problem and I never will have it. Tired is the slightly more tricky one, because usually you can combat tired with a quick Red Bull or coffee. However, once it becomes noticeable, I just quit when I begin to feel that I am not playing my A-game.

I used to be that kind of guy who would roll out of bed and turn on the laptop for an early session while still laying in bed. Man am I glad that I broke that habit, I had no idea what I was missing. By eliminating these bad habits from your game, you'll not only watch your hourly rate increase, but also your general happiness and energy levels potentially skyrocket.