When we think about time, it’s often that there’s not enough of it. What we often miss is that timing, when we do things, is a huge part of using our time well.
We do certain tasks better at different times of the day because our moods and performance cycle through the day.
We tend to move through the day in three stages – a peak, a trough, and a recovery. And most of us move through it in that order. Those of us who are strong night owls go in reverse order. You also see a pattern of mood that follows the same sort of trajectory where we have an elevated mood in the morning. It drops in the early afternoon and then rises again late in the day. In the mornings, during the peak, most of us excel at heads-down focus: analytic work that requires sharpness and vigilance. The trough is good for routine administrative work. Later in the day, during the recovery, most of us do better on insight and creative work that requires less inhibition and resolve. A better mood with less inhibition can lead to great ideas.
Using the time of day to your advantage can lead to much better decision-making and fewer errors.
Another way to use timing is with breaks. The common view seems to be that amateurs take breaks; professionals don’t. And it’s the exact opposite. Professionals take breaks, amateurs don’t. Breaks are part of the performance.
Breaks can be as simple as standing up, shaking your arms and legs, flexing your muscles and rotating your core before sitting back down. You can also follow the 20-20-20 rule: for every 20 minutes spent on a task, spend 20 seconds looking at something 20 feet (6 metres) away.
Some guiding principles for restorative breaks:
- Something beats nothing. High performers work for fifty-two minutes and then break for seventeen minutes. Other research has shown that breaks scattered throughout strenuous tasks decrease fatigue and increased productivity.
- Moving beats stationary. Hourly five-minute walking breaks can boost energy levels, sharpen focus, improve mood throughout the day and reduce feelings of fatigue in the late afternoon.
- Social beats solo. Talking with coworkers about something other than work is effective at reducing stress and improving mood.
- Outside beats inside.
- Fully detached beats semi-detached. Tech-free breaks reduce emotional exhaustion.
Some other time-specific activities:
- Coffee: Avoid coffee immediately after you wake up. Rather wait 90-120 minutes after waking for your first cup. It’s also a good idea to have your last hit of caffeine no later than 8 hours before you plan on going to sleep to minimize the effects of the stimulant on your sleep quality.
- Sleep and wake time: It’s important to have a fixed bedtime and waking time. The body has a built-in circadian rhythm that functions best with routine.
- Hormone levels: Many of our hormones oscillate through the day and night. Cortisol, for example, should be highest in the morning and lowest in the evening. A break in this cycle affects many of the systems in your body. The timing of hormones is important.
- Timing of meals: Intermittent fasting, where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting, may benefit heart health, reduce inflammation, and improve cell repair processes. It’s also important to time your biggest meal of the day around sleep- a big or starchy meal can reduce sleep quality.
- Sunlight: It’s important to expose your eyes to sunlight as close to sunrise as possible. It shouldn’t be through the glass and should be done even on overcast days. The light signal helps to set your sleep-wake cycles.
Chiropractic care: We often ask practice members when they wish they’d had their first adjustment. Many of them say they wish they’d started with care many years ago before they started experiencing pain and disability. They would have chosen carefully to help them grow into healthy adults.
The best time to start with care is at birth. The second best time is today.
A good book to read on time and timing is When by Daniel H. Pink
