Use your ultradian rhythm to favor your productivity
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 33 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: Use your ultradian rhythm to favor your productivity
— From The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business by Josh Kaufman
We’ve all heard of the circadian rhythm, which is the 24-hour cycle or body clock that tells us when to eat, when to sleep, when to wake up, etc. But few of us have heard about the 90-to-120-minute ultradian rhythm, which is a period or cycle that is repeated during a 24-hour day.
Throughout the day, your energy waxes and wanes, which is what Josh Kaufman calls Energy Cycles in his awesome book, The Personal MBA. “The implicit assumption of time management systems is that every hour is fungible—equivalent to any other. Nothing could be further from the truth: all people are created equal, but all hours are most definitely not. Throughout the day, your energy level naturally cycles up and down.”
Kaufman points to the ultradian rhythm as described in The Power of Full Engagement: managing energy, not time, is the key to high performance and personal renewal (yay, another addition to my reading list!) by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. “The ultradian rhythm influences bodily systems, controlling the flow of hormones throughout your body. When your energy is on an upswing, you’re capable of focusing deeply and getting a lot accomplished. When it’s on a downswing, all your mind and body want to do is rest and recover. There’s nothing abnormal about these changes in energy during the day, but we often act as though being on a downswing is somehow a problem that needs to be fixed.”
Most people resort to hacking a downswing with caffeine or sugar, but the truth is that taking a break is much better, and doing so is neither a sign or laziness or weakness, it’s simply human nature. Thus, Kaufman says that we need to pay attention and understand our natural Energy Cycles so that we can perform at our best in a consistent way over time.
In order to do this, he suggests four ways to work with our bodies instead of against them:
1. Learn Your Patterns. “Use a notebook or calendar to track how much energy you have during different parts of the day, as well as what you’re eating and drinking. If you do this for a few days, you’ll notice patterns in how your energy waxes and wanes, allowing you to plan your work accordingly.”
2. Maximize Your Peak Cycles. “When you’re in an up cycle, you’re capable of getting a lot accomplished, so plan your day to take advantage of that energy. […] Carve out a 3-4 hour block of [creative work… and] plan the most important meetings during the up cycle.”
3. Take a Break. “When you’re in a down cycle, it’s better to rest than attempt to power through it. Rest and recovery are not optional—if you don’t rest now, your body will force you to rest later, either by cycling down longer than usual or getting sick. During a down cycle, go for a walk, meditate, or take a 20-minute nap. Relaxing on the down cycle can restore your energy, allowing you to take full advantage of the next up cycle.”
4. Get Enough Sleep. “Sleep deprivation results in a prolonged down cycle, which gets in the way of getting things done.”
While none of these points are Earth-shattering and we somehow already were aware of them, Kaufman points on his webpage, “Useful advice often sounds boring, but acting on that advice can produce amazing results.”
So, let’s pay attention to our ultradian rhythms and get things done. You can read more about the energy cycles in Josh Kaufman’s The Personal MBA book page.
ACTION
TODAY: Carry a piece of paper with you all day and write down your energy levels. Notice the times you feel most energetic and the ones when you’re falling asleep or can’t concentrate. Notice the time(s) when you function best to tackle certain tasks.
FUTURE: Start adapting your schedule (if you are able to do so) to coincide with your ultradian rhythms. That way you’ll be as productive as possible during an upswing. And during a downswing you can fully rest and recover to be fully prepared and energetic to tackle on the next upswing.
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