When I’m playing football, I think of nothing but the game. Psychologists call this “flow.” I’ve often thought about how the football state-of-mind can be gotten to throughout a workday. I have since realized that it isn’t as simple as just showing up to play. Here are 7 things that help me –
1. Sleep as much as you need. 8 hours, 6 hours, 7 hours – figure out how much sleep you need and prioritize this over all else.
2. Show up and set a time limit. Show up on time or early and make the game fun by committing to a time limit. The moment you know you’ll be in the office till midnight, procrastination is inevitable.
3. Eat regularly to guard against ego depletion. Schedule meals regularly (perhaps lunch and an afternoon snack?) to keep your willpower muscle going strong. And while you are at it, eat healthy.
4. Group meetings where possible or space them out with 3-4 hour slots to maximize flow time. Yes, yes, you have lots of meetings and they are productivity killers. We know. Do what you can to make sure you have uninterrupted “flow” hours in a day.
5. Practice when you find some free time and stay fit. When you find free time, upgrade your skills. Or head to the gym. Staying fit matters.
6. Be ruthless about time spent outside of the field. Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs know a thing or two about longevity and they were big proponents of quiet lives and yoga. Do what it takes to show up enthusiastic the next morning.
7. Expose yourself to other play outside of work to improve your creativity. Sportsmen always play sports in training as other sports give them skills that they can use in their sports. Engage in activities outside work as they’ll often help you develop useful skills outside the office.
A manager of mine once said – “You have 3-4 productive hours in a day – 5 if you are lucky – use them carefully and use them well.”
Indeed.
A Learning a Day 