Quickly, I’m so grateful for the kind messages of support after my last newsletter. Thank you, thank you.
Now, back to priorities…
As some of you may remember, I’m not a huge fan of productivity – I think it too often gets wrapped up in a tech-bro, bio-hacking, self-obssesed environment of “how can I maximise my time and do everything and be the best version of me ALL THE TIME”. It hints heavily at privilege, with a side of very little working knowledge of what it means to be a person, with a busy life and competing demands and responsibilities heaped on top. Also, exhausting.
But, I think the idea of increasing our productivity can become really useful when we frame it as a tool for increasing our general happiness. Less “how can I fit as much into my hours on this earth as possible” and more “how can I arrange my time so that I have more of it for the people and things I truly love”.
And one solid way to do this is by working out when you do your best work. By assessing and figuring out your energy levels, you can begin to organise your time – insofar as you’re able – to reflect that. Think of it as swimming with the tide, rather than against it.
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a morning person. My energy, creativity and ability to focus are at their highest first thing. Conversely, one of my 1-2-1 clients (my session with them yesterday actually inspired this newsletter!), is all about the nights, happiest smashing out a project while everyone else sleeps. My client can’t think straight on a Monday morning, that’s my best time of the week; I slump in the evening, just as she’s getting fired up and ready to go.
Amazing, right? How different we all are.
So, what about you?
You can probably find some basic answers by trawling your memory, but if you’d like a more precise idea of your energy levels, I have a free coaching resource for you…
The instructions are there, but essentially you print it off (or copy it down) and map out your energy levels throughout the day. You can choose how you assess this – could be how ‘productive’ your feel, how sharp your mind is, how much physical energy you have, or something else entirely.
You may want to do this a few times on different days or times of the month (as we all know, hormones play a huge role in our energy levels). Then, once you’ve got a bit of data, you can use it to better support yourself… First of all, you can stop berating yourself for not feeling energetic at the times you ‘think’ you’re supposed to. Acknowledge your unique point of difference, and then depending on the level of control you have over your obligations and working life, start to shift simple meetings, errands and other less intellectually demanding tasks to other times of the day so that your peak time isn’t taken up by things that you could do with your eyes half closed!
An obsession with self-optimisation isn’t a healthy path for anyone, however this tool is great for that adage of ‘work smarter, not harder’. If you can become disgustingly productive in those high energy hours, then you’re better set to free up your time and energy for the stuff you really want to prioritise. The stuff that would be probably considered ‘unproductive’ – hanging out with friends, slowly walking with your kids as they explore the world, having time for hobbies, binge watching the new Top Boy. (And of course, the more secure and comfortable we feel in own life and with our time, the more available we become to support others… which can only be a good thing.)
I hope this helps. Let me know how you get on and drop in the comments whether you’re a morning lark like me or an night owl like my client!
Lily x