“What does it matter if how much we do if what we're doing isn't what matters most?" – Stephen Covey
It’s a sad, sad day. 😢 The battery in my Oura ring no longer lasts 24 hours so it’s time to say goodbye. As an analytics nerd, one of my guiding principles is to only track data that I will actually use to change my behavior. I could buy a new one, but I’ve already learned what I wanted to learn. I've already measured what matters most.
Here are a few observations from the 81,326 data points collected over the past 4 years…
✈︎ I get in about 3,800 steps on recovery days and a little more than 10,000 steps on exercise days (6,800 overall). 10,000 steps is a myth that originated from a 1960s marketing campaign, not scientific research. Be careful who you listen to. Studies show that 5,000 to 7,000 steps is associated with a 50-70% lower risk of mortality. Health benefits plateau around 10,000 steps for most people.
✈︎ I burn 2,300 calories on recovery days and more than 3,000 on exercise days. I don’t recommend counting calories, but this is still an interesting insight. And it’s why I save my treats for exercise days.
✈︎ My total sleep has remained consistent at 7.6 hours. My REM sleep has remained stable, but I now get less deep sleep than I did 4 years ago (comes with age). Sleep is the #1 most important, highest priority thing you can do to improve your overall health. I used my ring to optimize my sleep patterns. Get one if you will use it to optimize your sleep too. You’ll be amazed to see how bad alcohol is for sleep quality.
👉 As a business owner, focus on the 3 to 5 key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter most. The ones that will actually change your future behavior.
