Peak Time Performance

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THE RIGHT TIME TO PERFORM

We're on day 23 - just over 3 weeks into the new focus regime for 2015. The discipline has been applied consistently. It's been a steady march on the chosen path. Friday's are always time to reflect on the week, so it's time to evaluate and see if there's been any marked improvements.

Health:

I've been following a fairly low impact exercise routine that includes yoga, pilates and boxing. I cycle to work and back most days a week. I've also introduced a new strength training programme. I can clearly see/feel that the 3-4 times a week yoga & pilates, has improved my movement/flexibility and posture. The cycling, and gym work has helped up my general fitness, strength and stamina levels. In regards to the injuries - my neck has more mobility and my shoulders and right bicep appear to be getting better/stronger. Through diet, I've lost almost a stone in weight! (13lbs or 5.5kilos) and my definition is coming back through. My energy levels are up because I'm sleeping and eating much better and I'm able to cope with stress really well. 

Wealth:

Introducing the dry Jan rule has been an easy way to save money as there's been no money spent on alcohol. The Paleo diet means I've stuck to a very simple diet: eggs, fresh vegetables, lean meat & fish - fairly in-expensive too. Also, having a restrictive diet makes eating out a bit tricky - consequently, there's been little of that either. It's been fresh, home-cooked non-processed simple meals all round. But on the couple of times I have eaten out, the bills have been very low - especially as there's no alcohol in the mix!

I've spent some of my new free time organising my accounts, expenses and tax receipts - which has already saved on accountancy fees. I may also be saving considerably more money with a tax rebate too!

Happiness:

I've found some really great inspiration and info on the Internet - I'm actively learning, improving and creating every day. I feel and look healthier physically and mentally. Creating space for me at the most productive time in the mornings, means I have plenty of time throughout the day to accommodate others' needs. I'm more grateful of what I have and in a better mindset to appreciate the things around me that were taken for granted before. I have a positive outlook every morning and ready for what the day brings. 

Being at your best

Nobody wants to hang around with dull, depressive & negative people. But we do like being around energetic, uplifting, happy and positive people. So, which one are you today? How often are you like this? In your morning 5am comms meetings, take a bit of time to give yourself a daily check - kinda like the pilots do before flying a plane. This is how mine goes:

• How's the body feeling?
• Do I need to stretch?
• Am I rested/do I need more sleep?
• Is my mind clear/focussed?
• What's on the agenda?
• What nutrition do I need?
• Am I ready to take on the day?

According to sleep studies, you're optimum time for being the most productive is from about 7am til about 11am - then it drops to around 3pm when your energy is at it's lowest. So, If you can nap - do it at 3pm but keep it short because your energy goes up again at around 5pm (dropping off at around 9pm). If napping's not an option - this is when we tend to reach for caffeinated drinks and sugar fixes - switch for water and fruit & nuts instead. If you're going to bed earlier, you can change your internal body clock for optimum productive time to start at 5am. This gives you a few hours of quality time on your own to think and create.

I've realised making this extra time has had a massive improvement on my mental wellbeing. I'm one of the uplifting and positive people you'd wanna hang around with again. I believe everyone can benefit from doing this - and particularly introverts (see Meyers Briggs post) and the interesting book Susan Cain has written on the subject of living in a predominantly extroverted world. It can be energy sapping for an introvert if they don't get that time alone. I've found myself hiding from people at work, friends and my beloved girlfriend because I've not had the me-time during the day. If left for longer periods, this has manifested in periods with very low moods and extreme introversion whereby going deep in to my cave for recovery. While looking up the benefits of solitude, I stumbled upon Susan's insightful book which talks about introversion and coping in a predominantly extroverted world. I work in an open-plan office but as we're now able to 'hot-desk', I've managed to move away from distractions and into the designated quiet areas, which has left me in a much better place to produce good work.

I'm sure there's a lot of introverted thinkers out there who, stuck at their desk in an open environment, just don't have the luxury of being able to move to another place to work. Having everyone out in the open is a relatively new phenomenon and something that we need to look at in the workplace if we're going to have a happy, productive team.

For me, working in a creative role, keeping away from distractions and having a place of calm & order is key to ensure I'm at peak performance for longer to produce the best output.