Maximize Your Time: Triple Your Productivity

Have you ever noticed that at certain times of the day you seem to be just plodding through life, while at other times you feel in sync with the universe, highly productive, and everything flows effortlessly?

Sometimes you feel strong, confident, and capable, almost invincible. But at other times, maybe even during the same day, you find yourself irritated by routine tasks and easily overwhelmed. You may be distracted often and have difficulty focusing. Perhaps you feel fatigued and notice that even the simplest tasks seem difficult. Don’t worry – you’re not losing your mind. You’re merely a victim of your own constantly changing energy level.

Almost everyone notices energy levels fluctuating throughout the day. Productivity that ebbs and flows. But did you know that most of our physiological functions vary from moment to moment as well?

Blood pressure, temperature, the digestive system, and glandular secretions all have their own ups and downs and can effect your productivity. Because of this, we’re more mentally, physically, and emotionally suited to particular tasks at different points throughout the day.

For example, some jobs require high energy, while others can be done with medium or even low energy. If we can simply match up the jobs with the times of day most conducive to that kind of work, our joy and productivity will skyrocket.

Some of the peaks and valleys may be obvious while others aren’t. By learning about your personal highs and lows and using them effectively, you can easily increase your productivity, ward off negativity, and experience greater self-care.

 

Aligning Your Energy Levels with Your Tasks

Imagine how much more productive you could you be if you knew when your natural peak and crash times were, so you could evaluate and plan your tasks according to your energy level.

A perfect match is rare: Usually we’re either over- or under-utilizing our energy levels. To the extent that you can mesh your energy levels with the most appropriate task, you’ll benefit by reducing stress, saving time, increasing productivity, and enjoying yourself more.

The question is, how does one go about planning a day according to tasks and energy levels? It’s important to determine when your highs, lows, and in-betweens are, and also determine what type of energy various tasks require.

Begin by creating a list of about 30 of your common activities like shopping, making phone calls, cooking, reading, and on-the-job responsibilities. I encourage you to add a few things you’ve been meaning to do but never found the time to do.

Next, review your list and evaluate the items by assigning them a number from 1 to 7 based on the minimum energy level needed to perform the task. Let number 7 represent a peak energy level, number 1 a low (crash) level, and number 4 a medium level.

Then evaluate the items again, this time assigning a value based on the ideal energy level at which the task should be done. When you are through, each task will have been assigned two levels that may or may not be the same: the minimum level of energy required, and the ideal level at which the task should be done.

This exercise will not only make you recognize the energy demands of your tasks more accurately, but you’ll also understand why some tasks feel particularly difficult or easy according to the time of day you’re expected to do them. Another vital piece to the puzzle is your energy flow. From now on, you’ll realize when you’re trying to flow low energy into a peak-level task and vice-versa.

 

Arranging Your Schedule to Boost Your Productivity

When I consult with clients about excellent self-care, I start by reminding them why it’s important to practice self-care. Without realizing it, these clients can be undermining their natural vitality.

If they’re trying to perform above their current level of energy, they’ll feel overwhelmed and be less constructive. On the flip side, they’ll feel anxious, bored, restless, and even irritated if they’re wasting their peak energy level doing menial, simple tasks. Self-care comes in many shapes and sizes, but it often involves prioritizing and rearranging schedules.

There will be times when it’s necessary to perform at a much higher or lower level than your natural energy levels. But most situations will be predictable if you pay attention.

For instance, if your five-year-old has a crash time daily at 2 in the afternoon, you can expect to encounter some sort of challenge then. If you find yourself crashing around noon every day, arrange to have lunch about that time.

If your boss has a peak at about 9 a.m. or 3 p.m., expect him or her to be full of ideas and raring to go full speed ahead at that time of day. You could even help out your co-workers by making them aware of what’s happening.

The average person can expect to experience two or three crash and peak times daily, with a natural ebb and flow of energy in between. Your energy level can also be affected by outside influences, creating false peaks and crashes.

I especially want you to beware of these false crashes, such as bad news, illness, or being around negativity. All of those can instantly make us feel down. Likewise, if we haven’t gotten enough sleep, we can feel under par or drained all day. Even some foods have been known to cause lethargy.

For example, several years ago, I noticed that I was feeling very fatigued in the middle of what would normally be a peak time for me. I stopped and took stock. Had something in the last hour or two somehow triggered a crash time? I wasn’t aware of anything in particular, so I went back to work. The next day it happened again.

I eventually realized what had caused the two false crashes. I had taken a snack break at the same time on both days. Something I had eaten had been the culprit. But, to be sure, I decided to wait a couple of days and test my theory. I waited, then ate the same snack, and once again my body created a false crash. I am told that indicates an allergy, and this is quite possibly the case. Perhaps there are foods in your diet that are creating false crashes for you. Ask yourself.

 

Morning or Night Person?

Some of us consider ourselves to be morning people, while others function better at night. But perhaps more important than whether you’re a morning or a night person could be how quickly you get going in the morning.

You may just jump out of bed and get going, or you may be waking up in the middle of a crash time. Our natural cycles start out low and build to a peak, only to fall back again. Therefore, you may need to get up earlier in order to have your optimum energy level available at a given hour. If you find yourself wide awake at 5 a.m., and go back to sleep because it’s too early, only to awaken to the alarm feeling exhausted at 7 a.m., you might be fighting your own peak times.

On the other side of the coin, maybe you have problems going to sleep because bedtime comes during a peak level. If this is the case, you’re probably not going to be able to sleep. You might as well get up and do something constructive.

 

Understanding the 7 Energy Levels

 

High Level

This is your peak level, when you’re at your best mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Your peak times are characterized by high mental acuity, which makes these periods ideal for negotiations, detailed work, difficult projects, and any task that requires high mental ability and concentrated attention. High energy levels are accompanied by a sense of confidence, strength, and focus. The ability to learn new things, make important decisions, and be positive is high. Additionally, your mind is at its most creative.

High/Medium and Medium/High Levels

High-to-medium and medium-to-high levels are characterized by a better than average or good level of energy for performing most anything.

However, you need to pay attention to which direction your energy is moving: Are you going down from high to medium or up from medium to high? It can make a real difference in some tasks. The transition state between high and medium is a great level to strive for. I find that people who eat well, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep feel that they spend more time at this level than others who don’t.

Medium Level

This is probably the most common energy level.

Most people spend the majority of their day at this level. You can perform most tasks just fine, as long as you already know how to do them. If you’re learning tasks, it’s better to be at the high-to-medium or medium-to-high level.

Medium/Low and Low/Medium Levels

Medium/low and low/medium energies are very similar. The important thing to know is the direction that your energy is going.

Are you heading up to medium from low or down to low from medium? This is crucial if your task is going to take enough time for you to go from one level to the other.

This level is comfortable if you stay with routine or relaxed tasks. This is an ideal time to do simple or repetitive tasks like; cleaning, laundry, cooking, writing an email to family or friends, cleaning the fish tank, or even reading.

Low or Crash Level

This low level is also known as crash time because most people at this level feel as though their energy level has crashed. This is time best spent relaxing, having quiet time with kids, napping, watching TV, coloring, daydreaming, deleting unwanted emails, or getting a massage.

 

Determining Your Personal Energy Levels

Chart your days to determine your energy level patterns. Pick a typical week in your life. Begin by labeling a piece of paper with a space for every hour you’re awake. For each hour, write in a number from 1 to 7 that corresponds with your current energy level. The number one represents a crash, and seven is a peak.

Next to the number, write down anything you recall that may have affected your evaluation. After a week you should have fairly predictable patterns. The next step is to look at the previous listed tasks and align them with your energy levels as closely as possible.

Repeating this exercise about every 6 months and whenever you have any major changes in your life is a beneficial idea.

By aligning your tasks and energy levels as much as possible, you can make your life better. You’ll benefit by reducing stress, lessening wasted time, increasing productivity, and enjoying yourself more.

Now that you’re armed with the information you need to align your energy levels with the tasks you want to accomplish, you can take on life in a more effective and enjoyable manner than you previously thought possible.

Energetically,