A couple days ago I read a really good post by blogger Albert van Zyl. It’s called 10 Ways History’s Finest Kept Their Focus at Work. I encourage you to go read it for yourself, but I’m also going to summarize some of the best points here.
In my last post I mentioned that I was a little bit busy, to put it lightly. That’s probably why van Zyl’s post caught my attention, because I have to get a lot accomplished in a little bit of time. It’s tempting simply to just keep pounding away. Long hours. Much time. Much accomplished right? As counterintuitive as it seems, some really brilliant people discovered that they could get more done by working less and relaxing more.
As they say, All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Some of the easiest ways to get things done? One that I’ve long believed in, if not always followed through with, get up early, work hard for a while, and then be done early. Starting early might not be right for everyone, but for people like me, it is really nice to get a bunch of things done before the day really gets underway.
Another important idea is to stop working and actually have lunch (or breakfast for that matter). It gives your brain a break and lets you actually enjoy your lunch instead of kind of ignoring it as it goes down while you keep pounding the keys. Use your lunch break to find variety so your brain stays happy.
We can’t forget relaxation. Sometimes the variety is not enough, you’ve got to actually stop working altogether. Take the afternoon off. Or remember that weekends didn’t used to be just another work day.
One last thing van Zyl suggests: exercise. Sounds like pretty good advice. I mean when was the last time someone told you not to exercise?
What are your best tips for mixing up the day and staying productive and relaxed at the same time?
April 4, 2008 at 4:23 pm
I could say a lot, but here’s one of many healthy chains to heighten productivity:
Exercise and health = better sleep = productivity through comfort etc.
Furthermore, comfort @ work = quality work.
April 4, 2008 at 4:49 pm
That’s way too many equations for a Friday afternoon. Yeah, I’ve found all of them to be true though. When I’m in the habit of regular exercise (easier in the summer) I sometimes find myself thinking, “man I feel good”. When I let winter trap me inside, I rarely feel so decidedly healthy.
April 7, 2008 at 10:53 am
I know, I apologize for the three ‘=’ signs, and an @ sign.
Totally uncalled for!
April 8, 2008 at 8:49 am
Michael – I loved this post as well, and it was great insight on some of history’s greats.
I particularly liked that Victor Hugo would ride around on buses in the afternoon, watching people slave away… I’m terribly unproductive in the afternoon, and if I could actually get away with working from 7-12, and then a little in the evenings, I probably would.
April 8, 2008 at 5:16 pm
I’m all for innovation and I look forward to a day when hours are more flexible. The problem of course is that a lot of work in the corporate world depends on communicating with others. This means that at the least we’d have to be available for communication during normal business hours even if we actually chose to do some of our work at other times. It will be interesting to see how business hours evolve.
June 27, 2008 at 10:14 am
[...] for your speed and your mental health. Watching the Microsoft logo all morning will give you a little variety, and your computer will gain new life and speed you forgot it had. [...]
July 3, 2008 at 4:24 pm
[...] At work you may be starting your mid-year evaluation. Re-evaluating objectives, duties, tactics. While this is important for professional development and planning, why not create a mid-year evaluation for your personal self? Perhaps by evaluating your personal self and striving to meet personalized goals- in the same way you try to meet your professional goals-may make you more productive. [...]