What To Do (Instead of Work) For a More Productive Day
If you’re a human, then you’ve got a human brain. (If you’re not a human, then feel free to skip this article.) And for a variety of reasons, human brains aren’t meant to be completely “on” 16 hours out of the day, even if you get the 8 hours sleep you need at night.
If you’re trying to cram at work and just bear down and blast through, you’re doing yourself and your brain a disservice. Not only that, you’re giving yourself a less productive day and less chance to get the important things done. (As a reminder, busy is not productive!)
Recharge for a more productive workplace
Internet self-care day is August 21, but I’ve stopped using the word self-care. Many business owners believe:
Self-care is a luxury only to be indulged in after taking care of spouse/children/parents/pets/business/friends/charities/etc.
Self-care means bubble baths, which you hate
Self-care means zoning out on streaming TV, or downing a glass of wine as big as your head, or going on a girls retreat (OK, actually this last one can be true)
Self-care means doing absolutely nothing
That’s why I use “recharging” instead. Many people think of their brains as if they’re computers (which brains decidedly are not). But everyone understands that their computer will stop working when you let the battery drain all the way down and so it needs to be recharged on a regular basis.
Obviously, then, recharging isn’t a luxury. If your brain’s battery is depleted, it won’t work right. And it doesn’t really matter if your spouse’s brain is recharged, or your kids’/parents’/pets’/friends’/etc. brains are fully charged if yours isn’t.
Recharging doesn’t have to mean bubble baths, unless you enjoy them. Recharging should be something that benefits you and your brain, which is why scrolling/streaming/drinking aren’t good ways to recharge.
Most of the good ways to recharge are things you enjoy, like favorite hobbies and activities. Getting out into nature. Playing with the people (and animals) you love. Reading books that you love and intrigue you. Not necessarily trying to “better yourself” through podcasts/books/articles and what have you, but things you genuinely like.
Another way to recharge that’s actually important for creativity (and which you may find incredibly uncomfortable at first) is spending time not doing anything. Not scrolling through your phone, not thinking about a problem at work. Just staring, maybe at a blank wall, for a little while. Try it while you’re in line somewhere or waiting at the doctor’s office. Eventually, your brain will come up with something to think about - and it could be a great new idea for your business.
Why recharging leads to a more productive day
If you’re a knowledge worker, you work with your brain. And human brains come with some limitations. They’re amazingly powerful, yes, and they also need to be treated well. The always- on-24/7-always-in-touch ethos of the 21st century is not designed to benefit human brains.
When you’re feeling tired or that you’re grinding away with no joy, it’s because you’re going against your own brain. You’re not working the way that it works best, and you’re fighting it. So of course your brain is fighting back, trying to reach a reasonable equilibrium. Constantly fighting against your brain leads to burnout, health problems, etc.
Due to the way we humans evolved, everyone gets about 4- 41/2 hours of “thinky work” a day. That’s when your brain is best ready to tackle difficult tasks that require a lot of slow processing: strategizing, spreadsheets, tax returns, financial plans, architecture schematics, etc.
After that time is done (and if you haven’t filled up your productivity tank for the day, you might not even get that much time) you’re at the mercy of the emotional, heuristics-based, fast-acting brain that doesn’t help you make any good business decisions.
Recharging periodically helps you fill up your productivity tank, make the most of your thinky work time (if you schedule it during the right time of the day for you), and makes your brain less fatigued.
Recap (tl;dr)
Rather than thinking about taking time away from work as self-care, consider it recharging: after all, when the battery dies, then the machine doesn’t work. Recharging should be something you enjoy that works for your brain.
If you’re worried that if you stop working 14 hours a day you won’t get anything done, let’s talk (you can schedule a chat here). I may be able to help you accomplish the important things in a much shorter period of time every day.