As much as we want to be as productive as we can throughout the week, the unfortunate truth is our bodies are constantly going through cycles - whether it's our daily cortisol levels, monthly hormonal levels, or simply being an unexpected space cadet after a couple hours of energy-draining work. So while we might make valiant attempts to squeeze in that side hustle after work or read something dense every night before bed, we often get there only to find we're "not in the mood."
As such, one of the biggest things you can do to increase your success and productivity is to anticipate, plan around and even take advantage of our inevitable up's and down's in energy and motivation.
Know your best thinking happens in the morning? Prioritize the projects that are most important to you before getting sucked into the black hole of your email.
Know you typically have a big slump mid-afternoon? Consider inserting an activity that doesn't require a lot of brainpower, but you know typically gives you a lift (i.e. a TED Talk, catching up with friends, etc.)
Our energy and mood even change from day to day. If you have a block of time typically reserved for something, how can you still honor its intention while allowing for flexibility on those off-days? One of my clients blocked off 2 hours of her day every day to work on her writing, but allowed herself to turn to podcasts and videos about the process on the days she had less energy, rather than default straight to Netflix.
So give it a go - what do your daily, weekly, and even monthly energy cycles look like? How can you adjust to swim with the current of your body, rather than against it?
