All too often, we think about our output at work in terms of hours.
“I’ve done eight hours of work today; last week, I did 50 hours of work.”
In reality, it took you 50 hours to do your work. The time you put in is your cost, not your output.
The goal here is to get more output from your cost to get more work done in the same (or ideally less) time. To do this, stop thinking in terms of time management and start thinking in terms of energy management. Energy is what enables you to get more from your time and manage it.
So What Specifically Can You Do?
It’s first essential to understand your mental energy as a variable. It fluctuates every day throughout the day, and much of it is predictable. Most people feel their mental energy is most significant in the morning, but it slumps after lunch, often referred to as the two o’clock dip. It then comes back reliably between around 3 pm and 6 pm.
1. Own Your Mornings
If you can spend the first 60 minutes of your day in a nonreactive state, working on your most valuable tasks, your whole day will probably be better.
Given that most people’s natural biorhythms mean that they have a greater energy reserve first thing, use that to your advantage. What you don’t want to do is waste the morning by outsourcing your energy on other people’s stuff and then focus on your high-value activity after lunch. That wouldn’t make sense.
Between 9 am and noon, your brain is probably hotter than at any other time of day. Capture it, protect it, and utilise this spike in mental energy. Make sure you’re working on your priorities.
2. Have More Breaks Throughout the Day
Not only does your brain oscillate in the circadian predictable rhythm, but it also oscillates in what are called ultradian rhythms, which occur around every 90 minutes.
What Does That Mean in Practical Terms?
Have a break about every 60–90 minutes. Don’t fall for the illusion of productivity that comes from sitting at your desk for two or three hours, thinking you’ve done so much work – because you probably haven’t.
A large meta-analysis conducted last year found that the most productive 10% of employees worked for 52 minutes, then had a 17-minute break. So take longer, more regular breaks than you’re probably taking.
Ideally, get up and shut down the computer. Go for a walk or have a chat with someone about something non-work-related. The important thing is to shift your brain state, and the more you can shift your location, the easier it will be to return to work afresh.
3. Learn to Switch Off
If energy is a variable and a limited resource, there’s no point working later into the evening. Decide on a deadline after which you will stop working if possible.
Often, I hear people say they really struggle to switch off. And yet, they’re still on their email or phone in the last 60 minutes before they go to bed, meaning their brain never gets a chance to switch off.
Depending on your daily schedule, agree with yourself on a realistic time to pack up, and remind yourself that your energy tomorrow is dependent on you recovering today. Whether it’s six o’clock, seven o’clock, or an eight o’clock deadline, think about when you turn off your applications and start to re-energise.
And that doesn’t just mean sleep. Get some of your evening back.
I hope that helps, and remember to be kind to your brain. Treat it like a muscle and give it the rest it deserves so that it can re-energise.
Best of luck,
Phil
3-Point Review
- Energy is a variable: It predictably changes throughout the day. If your energy is greatest in the morning, own it and allocate your most valuable tasks during your brain’s peak – usually between 9 am and 12 pm.
- Take more breaks: Schedule regular, longer breaks every 60–90 minutes. Include one in the morning, one for lunch, and one in the afternoon.
- Give your brain a break at the end of the day: The last couple of hours should focus on recovery, not activity.
