Productivity Tip #2: Work When You’re Productive

Sometimes the simplest and most obvious things are also the easiest to overlook. Working when you’re productive and not working when you’re not is one of these duh facts that I rarely see applied effectively. In fact, if you simply take a minute to read this post and answer the quiz at end, you’d be surprised at the immediate benefits you’ll get!

Conventional work habits vs conventional wisdom…

Most companies have a work schedule that’s absolute nonsense. How can you expect everybody to be productive during the hours from 9 to 5? Some people are most productive at night, others early in the morning. We all know that. When are you most productive?

If you’re able to really listen to yourself and work only when you’re the most productive, this will have a huge impact in your lifestyle and overall happiness.

Are you wasting your precious time?

No more spending hours trying to solve a small problem and just getting frustrated over and over. No more staring at the screen wondering what to do next or just zoning out. Go to the gym, read a book, or hang out with some friends instead of wasting your time!

Learn to know yourself well enough to understand at what times of the day you’re the most productive and work only during that time.

I’m productive on Sunday afternoons – you?

Same goes for the days of the week. For example I’m particularly productive on Sundays. There’s something about Sunday’s energy that really helps me  concentrate on my work. I usually don’t work on Saturdays so my brain is rested, nobody else works on Sundays so the usual distractions are not there (emails, etc), and I get motivated getting things ready for the coming week. Sunday’s a good day for me to work (not all day – just a few hours in the late afternoon).

Now let’s get real.

Take a few minutes to ask yourself these simple questions:

1. When are you usually the most productive during the day? Try to be specific. Most people have 1 or 2 windows of top productivity during the day.
2. Which days of the week are you most productive? Try to identify a pattern beyond the random ups and downs of productivity.
3. Are you more productive on a somewhat empty stomach or after a nice meal? Take that into account as well .

Next time you decide when to do what (schedule a meeting with friends vs working for example), you’ll have better tools to make the decision that makes the most sense for you, give you more satisfaction, and improve your lifestyle.

You might also enjoy reading these previous articles:

• Productivity tip #1: get off email (twitter, facebook, etc)
• How this productivity tip series all started