When is YOUR “Power Hour”?
Here’s something interesting that most people don’t know:
Each of us has a specific two-hour window every day when – thanks to certain physiological processes – we’re naturally TWICE as productive as normal. Not only that, but our cognition is sharper, too.
Remember the last time you were in the zone? Chances are, it was during this two-hour window.
I know my peak time starts around 11am, I need some time to get settled into the day and then I’m ready to get down to work.
Knowing when you’re at your peak performance can help you in so many ways. You know precisely when to do your most important work. Better yet, you could set an alarm and wait for it to ring before diving into tasks that are essential for getting ahead.
Why? Because then, without even trying and tapping into your personal productivity style, you’d perform at a higher level and, ultimately, do a better job. You’d finish faster, leave work earlier, and arrive home with more energy at the end of the day.
This two-hour window occurs at a different hour for each of us.
It’s hardwired into our neurology. Read more
How to Break Down Your Goals
Whatever project you have in mind, whether it’s writing a book, planning a big dinner party or starting your own side hustle, these big ideas can quickly become overwhelming. Thinking about all the work you have left to do can make you feel like giving up before you even begin..
To help me feel less overwhelmed I use a little trick called “backtiming.” This is a concept I picked up from my day job as a TV news producer. If your show finishes at 11pm, that’s it, you can’t over run. So to make the news work on time we start with the end in mind and work backwards. This guarantees that you’ll finish on time.
This method has multiple real world applications, if you’re a whiz in the kitchen you probably use this method to ensure all the various elements of your dish will finish at the same time. You can also use backtiming to plan out your future goals. For more on how backtiming works check this out.
It also helps to break up your goals into smaller, more manageable pieces. You can focus on one of these lists at a time to prevent yourself from getting distracted by all the other pieces of the puzzle. Read more
I Finally Figured Out How to Meditate
I’ve tried to meditate lots of times.
I’ve gotten into the groove once or twice, but it just never stuck. I’ve done countless stories at work as a senior health producer about all the benefits and it sounds great.
One of those benefits is better focus and increased productivity. And you KNOW I want that. But I just couldn’t figure it out.
I always struggle to switch my brain off and so I’ve never had the “enlightening moment” everyone always talks about.
Well it turns out I was doing it wrong.
My intentions were all screwed up.
But thanks to Oprah (of course) and an all day meditation retreat with world renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg I figured it out.
If you know me personally or have read my book Listful Thinking, you know I have a generally positive and sunny outlook on the world. It’s the thing that many people tell me is one of my best qualities. Read more