"Procrastination may be the enemy of productivity, but it can be a resource for creativity."
― Adam M. Grant, Originals: How Nonconformists Move the World

Author and Wharton professor Adam Grant says we all have periods of both productivity and procrastination. He proposes that by slowing down we allow ourselves to recover physically, mentally, and emotionally so we can be at our peak during our next period of productivity. And if we defy this natural process? Our motivation will wane and our productivity will decline.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Let’s take a look at a longer-term approach that will take advantage of our recovery times so we can be our best during our productive periods. Perhaps most importantly, this approach supports not only your work, but also your health and well-being.

How to manage your energy

In his research, Tom Rath, author of ‘Eat Move Sleep’ found that when energy levels are high, we’re up to 3x more likely to be engaged in our work and to have the drive and focus to get tasks done. High energy is directly tied with healthy habits – eating well, getting good sleep, and regular exercise. Read my post The importance of taking a walk for helpful tips and surprising facts on why getting moving is so good for us.

How to manage your focus

When we manage focus, we tune out all distractions and give our full attention to the work at hand. This means turning off phones, logging out of email, and silencing notifications so that our minds are not struggling to toggle multiple tasks at the same time. If you haven’t explored mindfulness, now may be the time to consider this helpful tool. With just 10-minutes of mindfulness meditation daily, you can train your brain to focus and resist the urge to wander. Scott Shute, LinkedIn’s Head of Mindfulness and Compassion, says that having this type of practice also helps us reduce the effects of stress and supports us to build better relationships. His LinkedIn Learning course shares strategies that can be incorporated into your weekly routine to help settle body and mind. Another resource is the Insight Timer app with a free library of more than 80K guided meditations.

OK, now you’re ready to manage your time

Once you’ve successfully managed both energy and focus, the next step is determining your highest priority tasks. Here are two useful tools:

• Use the Chunking Technique By breaking up your day into larger chunks instead of reacting to constant interruptions, you can devote time to specific tasks, have fewer start- up moments, and your efficiency will improve immensely.

•  Create a new type of To Do List Consider your daily intention before each day begins. How do you want to feel at the end of your day? Peace of Mind? Accomplished? Energized? Even if certain tasks aren’t finalized, you can achieve this intention. Having positive reinforcement means your To Do List supports you vs. a list that feels never-ending. Another idea is to add an area where you can move tasks to do later. This way you don’t have to see these all day long, you can breathe easier, and you’ll be confident these to do’s won’t be forgotten. However, you may find that these tasks that keep being pushed out to be done later are either done by others or not that important to you after all and off your list entirely.

As we support ourselves to be more constructive, perhaps most important to remember is that our productivity is closely tied to being aware and connected to our purpose. As author Simon Sinek says in his book ‘Start with Why,’ “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress: Working hard for something we love is called passion.” May your ‘Why’ inspire you as you work smarter, not harder.

Further Reading

The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal
Renewal – Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know – Adam Grant
Letting Ourselves Off the Hook (video) – Simon Sinek