5 techniques for optimal productivity
I am just coming up for air after a very intense 20 days, where I took an idea from "hey, what if..." to a stable application that does some non-trivial processing. I have found five techniques that really help me stay sane and happy while working very hard. Your mileage may vary.
1. Set an alarm. I wake up at 8:00 every morning, even on weekends, and even though I can wake up whenever I want. The idea is to help you get to sleep consistently at the same time. I find that my natural cycle moves toward 26 hour days if I don't train it otherwise.
2. Total sobriety. I do my best work late at night, which would be compromised after a few beers. I sleep better, feel better, and work better when I am completely sober. Besides, I find that when you are in love with your job you don't have any use for a numbing agent.
3. Work out. I do a quick weight circuit every other day, and get my cardio from cycling and walking everywhere I go on the hills of Seattle. Free weights and a swiss ball are all I need to stay in shape.
4. Eat all day. I am never interested in the first splash of cereal I make myself eat first thing in the morning, but I am always glad I do. I munch all day long on fruits, veggies, and other healthy snacks, and try to eat small-ish meals. I avoid "bombs" for lunch because I'll be sleepy in the afternoon.
5. Meditate. I make time to meditate most days lately, and find it very helpful for keeping me relaxed and clear-headed.
1. Set an alarm. I wake up at 8:00 every morning, even on weekends, and even though I can wake up whenever I want. The idea is to help you get to sleep consistently at the same time. I find that my natural cycle moves toward 26 hour days if I don't train it otherwise.
2. Total sobriety. I do my best work late at night, which would be compromised after a few beers. I sleep better, feel better, and work better when I am completely sober. Besides, I find that when you are in love with your job you don't have any use for a numbing agent.
3. Work out. I do a quick weight circuit every other day, and get my cardio from cycling and walking everywhere I go on the hills of Seattle. Free weights and a swiss ball are all I need to stay in shape.
4. Eat all day. I am never interested in the first splash of cereal I make myself eat first thing in the morning, but I am always glad I do. I munch all day long on fruits, veggies, and other healthy snacks, and try to eat small-ish meals. I avoid "bombs" for lunch because I'll be sleepy in the afternoon.
5. Meditate. I make time to meditate most days lately, and find it very helpful for keeping me relaxed and clear-headed.
posted by aseever at
12:24 PM
1 Comments:
I totally agree with 3-5. I should agree with 2, but a large chunk of my life's goals involve Guinness, so it's hard for me to draw that line.
However... #1. Dude. No. You're self-employed! If you want maximum productivity, you need to stay awake when your body is awake, and sleep when your body is sleepy. 26hr days are marvelous! That's two more hours a day you get to do something. I strongly believe that we can *always* be productive, we just can't always be productive at the same thing ... sometimes I'm sick of looking at my computer screen, so I might run errands or catch up on phone calls or mop the kitchen.
The very worst thing ever is being inspired to work on a project at 9pm and then telling yourself, "No, self, you cannot work on that now, when you are focused and passionate, because you have to get up at 8am for arbitrary reasons."
If you found you had 16hr days, that would be one thing. 26hrs? Embrace them!
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