Being on LeetCode, we're all preparing for interviews that end up being relatively high stakes, in that it determines if we are still a candidate for the job we are after. We spend a lot of time practicing the problems here, but there are other factors that determine your performance, like proper sleep, having enough mental energy, and being comfortable and confident during the process.

What are your pre-phone screen rituals to help yourself be in the right physical and mental state?

Some things I've found that have helped:

• Very solid sleep for the 2 nights before
• A light meal with some carbs about an hour before to give your body the blood sugar it needs
• Some coffee ~30 minutes before for mental sharpness
• Stretching and breathing exercises ~10 minutes before to get your blood flowing and calm you
• Light "meditation" focusing just on the different kinds of problems you'll solve, resisting the urge to think about the interview results or potential things that could go wrong
• Making sure you're comfortable physically, and with the interview medium, and able to focus where you'll be taking the interview

Every phone interview is a potential veto! It's better ot over-prepare, as the cost of failure is just as high as failing the on-site!