Productivity: As a business owner in pre-launch, I can’t include financial metrics yet to measure performance. Instead, I look at productivity and closing the gaps between my daily goals and activity.
I ask: How am I measuring my productivity? What are my KPIs? How often should I gather data on performance and productivity? How well is that data informing my choices? Am I acting on any changes sooner rather than later?
Energy: What are the best times of day to ensure peak productivity? I’m more of a night owl but aware that I need to manage the afternoon slumps that occasionally happen. I have a number of ways of doing this such as going for a walk, a swim, or the gym. That leads me to my environment…
Environment: Not just where I walk, swim or gym – but the way my environment impacts me internally. Some places can look great based on a recommendation or at a distance, but once immersed in them, there’s an energetic mismatch.
This happened to me in both Chiang Mai and Market Harborough in the UK. The longer I stayed, the more my energy leeched away. That’s a dangerous place to be, and a hard balance to manage until you can extricate yourself.
Ruthless focus: Does your environment – not just where you are now, but the people in it – support total focus?
I’ve just come out of a two-week burst of 24/7 creative, inspired, relentless, complete focus and flow. During that time, I generated enough activity and outreach to create momentum that will last me on and off the rest of this year. I never know when the next burst will come.
I’m now in a much more flatlined state, which is the norm for me. I’m at my best 11am to 5pm. I work in concentrated chunks of 30 to 40 minutes, occasionally 20, depending on the task.
Evaluation: During my peak working times, I take a 5-minute mindful break to clear my mind after each task, recalibrate, then resume. This is when I evaluate progress, data, and energy levels.
I’d be interested to know what methods you’re using to ensure peak productivity, whilst still being conscious of taking the time to tend to your body with kindness and compassion.
