Everybody has a natural daily rhythm to their energy patterns, rising to peaks of mental and physical performance, then experiencing troughs of low energy. Become familiar with your personal rhythm so that you can work with rather than against it.
Timing Tasks
It is important to allocate the most demanding tasks of the day to the times when you are at your physical and mental peaks. If you are the sort of person who gets up early and goes jogging at dawn, you should make sure that you complete most of your A-tasks early in the day. On the other hand, if you have difficulty in getting out of bed before 9a.m., you should leave your A-tasks until the late morning or early afternoon
Maximizing Efficiency
Your performance levels will fluctuate according to when you feel energetic and alert, and when you feel tired. You need to understand the mental and physical cycles that our body follows each day in order to prioritize and plan your workload effectively.
Note down the times at which you feel most tired or alert over a few days, and record the tasks you were performing at these times. If you were performing difficult tasks when you were tired, `you were not working efficiently. In the future, try to schedule easy C-tasks for these energy dips.
Because individual energy patterns can vary enormously, many companies now operate more flexible working hours. This allows employees greater control over their daily timetables and the opportunity to use time more efficiently by fitting work around their mental and physical cycles.
Taking Break from Concentrated Work
It is important to schedule relaxation time into your day, because your concentration levels and productivity start to decline as you tire. Plan breaks in your personal work pattern to match the times when your energy levels are low. Remember, the average person can only concentrate intensively on work without break is one hour.
Relaxing At Work
When you take a break, let your mind and body rest. Relax at your desk by lowering your head and closing your eyes. Rest your hands on your thighs, and breathe deeply
Tips
- Keep some energy for home life and leisure activities after work
- Time your physical and mental peaks so that you know how long they last.
- Suggest working flexible hours to improve company productivity
