Aligning Productivity to Energy Levels

I’ve recently started observing my energy levels through the day to align the tasks I’m meant to do corresponding to the level of energy I (generally) have at that time. This exercise began as a result of being stuck in a vicious cycle of never getting enough done. I would begin my days with an unending task list, only to finish 50% of it by the end of it, giving my inner critique an excuse to knock at the door every night.

First step to breaking the cycle was the inculcation of the value of SIMPLY BEING (still underway).

Living in such a fast paced world (which one can argue is also a state of mind), it’s all too easy to get caught in a cycle of always trying to accomplish something. While it is important to acknowledge that action is needed for anything to be accomplished, it is equally important to realize that the quality of action is influenced by the quality of your being. If you are generally a patient person, it directly reflects in the work you produce given you are more likely to take your time with each given task which translates into meticulousness (attention to detail).

However, if you’re anything like me and simply impatient to get things done, you are likely to miss out on firstly the joy of doing things and secondly, compromise on the quality due to the hurriedness of simply checking things off your list. So first & foremost was imbibing the quality of being which in my case meant embracing the presence more, being calmer & more patient. This also let’s me enjoy the process more than being so outcome oriented.

Second was to make honest observations about myself — putting myself under the microscope. Rather than set out to fly to the moon, let’s first learn how to drive across town.

Waking hours — 6.30am-8.30am: FLOWY ENERGY

This is the perfect time for me to set the tone of my day. I wake up greeting myself with a big smile, kissing Cersei & Abhay a couple hundred times to let the gratitude of what I have sink in.

I take a cold water shower to wake my body up which gives me a boost of energy. I go on to meditate for 25 minutes which helps me strengthen my focus and gain presence.

After meditation, I will usually do a 10–15 minute yoga session to encourage more flow in my body. Once my body & mind have gotten the validation they need, I will play the piano for 5–10 minutes. Playing the piano for a short period allows me to not only learn a new skill but also take my time with it. No rush.

With these simple practices, my body & mind are always at ease when I start my day and not disturbed by the currents of the external world.

Big Picture Hours — 8.30am-12.30pm: GET SHIT DONE ENERGY

By this time, I’m usually feeling pretty energized. I want to focus the hours of my day before lunch on setting priorities for the day & doing things that are aligned with longer term goals. I will take this time to focus on the following (minus the time spent in morning meetings):

• Finance News & Updates
• Understanding Industry Themes
• Tackling bigger projects that require creativity & collaboration
• Meeting my clients & colleagues

Given during these hours, my energy is quite high and pumping, I realized that I could use it for active engagements and conversations. I prefer to leave out tasks that are draining and mundane for the passive hours of the day so they don’t drain me out for the work that excites me.

I prefer having my first coffee in these hours — while I’m already pretty energetic in these hours, I love the experience of working while sipping on coffee.

• NOTE: I had the urge of checking Instagram every hour during this period. Since I couldn’t resist it, I have taken to the rule of deleting it for the week and downloading it every Saturday for a timed usage.

Lethargic Hours — 12.30pm-2.30pm: RESTING ENERGY

By this time, I’m super hungry and tired. I realize how much unwanted restless energy I was producing when I was deciding what to order over Ubereats so I had to cut that down to be more efficient. These are the tiny hacks that have really freed up my mental space.

I would prefer to go for a walk and eat outside with a colleague and I realize how much a good conversation & a good meal refreshes you for the hours after.

Around 1.30pm, lethargy sets in and it’s time for my second coffee. Of late, I’ve been trying to figure out whether I should cut down to one cup of coffee. My own personal reason for this is that I get good work done both on calmer levels of energy when my heart rate is slower and on faster levels of energy when my heart rate is pumping so I’m trying to decide which one to pick (TBC).

Passive Hours— 2.30pm-5.00pm: BLEH ENERGY

I’ve realized that there’s no point giving myself heavy tasks during this period (unless I absolutely have to). I would prefer to do the passive tasks around admin, operations, emails, etc (minus any meetings). This is the time I don’t push myself but try to align the passive energy to the kind of tasks that need to be done.

This has been quite crucial in not feeling frustrated with what I get accomplished in the day. Once I aligned the nature of my tasks to my energy levels through out the day, I could get on with them much more easily.

Rejuvenation— 5.00pm-7.00pm: HIGH BUT NOT VERY HIGH ENERGY

This would be the time when I wrap up my day at work and give a little time to myself to get prepared for my workout. I need a little break for rejuvenation, to put my mind at ease and prepare my body for the work. This break is essential to maintain a baseline mood through out my day.

I would usually nap or spend time with my cat or Abhay before working out.

Beast mode seeps in around 6.00pm which is when I prefer working out. I have started to balance out high intensity workouts with yoga & pilates which allows me to manage my body and energy better. On the days when I’ve had a long day at work, I prefer to do Power Yoga, Pilates or simply Yoga. On the days when I feel pumped, I’ll prefer high intensity and Calisthenics.

Down Low — 7.00pm-10.00pm: LOW & SWEET ENERGY

After working out, I feel pretty drained. I’ve tried to accomplish things after but it rarely ever happens. Taking a cold water shower right after working out gives me an oomph for a couple of hours. I prefer to pick up things I love doing in my own time around these hours like blogging, reading, researching a random theme on the internet.

Soon after, it’s time to cook dinner and I remind myself that this isn’t just an errand but perhaps one of the most important things I do for myself in the day — feed myself a nutritious meal.

Abhay and I would usually talk over a meal or watch Ted Lasso, ending our day on a positive note. We would then meditate together & annoy Cersei because she’s had too much peace in the day.

We end the day just the way we start it, with a kiss and a heartfelt goodnight. Sometimes, turning a few pages of a slow book which is the POWER OF NOW at the moment which was gifted to me by my beautiful friend, Ana.

My hope for every one reading this: I hope you conquer whatever you’ve set your mind to WITH KINDNESS, PRAGMATISM & QUALITY OF BEING. It helps to remember there is nothing but death at the finish line when you’re rushing. Do one thing at a time, but do it right.