What our brain tells us about time management
If you are reading news or checking emails the first thing in the morning, you are doing it wrong.
One of the most practical books that I have read this year is 脳のパフォーマンスを最大まで引き出す 神・時間術 by a Japanese psychiatrist 樺沢 紫苑. This book talks about how we can manage time from a scientific perspective. As this book doesn’t have an English copy, I have summarised some takeaways to share with you.
Here are some great tips from this book that have helped me find more time in my day.
The morning golden 2 hours
Our brain is the clearest for hard problem-solving in the first 2 hours of the day. Instead of reading news or checking emails, it is best to do the focus work that needs the most concentration in these 2 hours. A quick shower or morning exercise also help to kickstart our brain.
I used to listen to podcasts or read updates in the morning. After switching to work on more focused work, I’ve realised that I am getting much more done.
Canned working methods
This is very similar to the Pomodoro Timer method. The only difference is that we are meant to choose different time intervals based on the type of work. If the work needs intense concentration, we will set the time interval shorter. Usually, different types of work can be divided into 15 minutes, 30 minutes and 1-hour intervals. The rest time between these intervals freshes up our brain and makes us more creative.
Change the environment to increase efficiency
It is easy to get fatigued after working for a long time, especially in the afternoon. According to research, simply changing the work environment or changing the word content will help our brain to switch up and restart. While we are working from home, maybe it is a good idea to move our workstation to the backyard in the afternoon, pretending that it’s an outdoor Cafe.
Nap without any guilt
Taking a nap for 20 minutes will help us to reach a better focus for the afternoon. However, the nap should be no longer than 1 hour to keep us energized for the afternoon.
Active entertainment vs passive entertainment
Compared to binge-watching Netflix, actively reading or creating something is a better way to help our brain wind down. The best way to relax is often not visual. For example, here are some ideas to spend the night without using our eyes: listening to music, blind tasting some nice food & wine, or chatting with friends and families. We spend way less time creating and telling stories nowadays compared to our ancestors.
Self-investment
The most effective way to improve work output is not to work longer hours. In our free time, we should spend some time investing in ourselves to improve our skills and techniques. Making sure that we get enough work done during the day will create a positive cycle.
The last and the best: the 24-hour roulette
The best part of this book is a summarised plan of the day. Enjoy!
Let me know if you have tried any of the tips and whether you find them useful. :)
