I read this very appealing piece by Benjamin Hardy and he argues that most productive work gets done first thing in the morning. Block off your first 3 hours or so for distraction free, focused deep work. In fact Robin Sharma, whom Hardy quotes, talks about the 90/90/1 rule which translates to 90 days of focused 90 minute work on the most important project you have on hand – ‘your willpower is highest first thing in the morning, your energy is highest first thing in the morning, and your mental focus is highest first thing in the morning.’
7 countries with highest GDP also work the fewest hours as per an analysis of GDP data.
Ron Friedman, author of The Best Place to Work, in HBR Idea(pod)Cast says that most of us start the day with checking mail, messages in social media etc. Though well intentioned, it costs us our best hours of productivity. ‘…we have a window of about three hours where we’re really, really focused…And if we end up squandering those first three hours reacting to other people’s priorities for us…we’re not quite as effective as we could be.’
There is some solid backing to this idea of working deep but lesser hours. A new analysis of GDP data from the OECD (quoted in the article ) reveals that the most productive countries also have shorted workdays. Sample this – ‘Seven countries among those with the highest GDP also rank for the top ten fewest working hours. They include number one ranked Luxembourg, as well as Norway, Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden.
‘ This Morning Routine Will Save You 20+ Hours Per Week by Benjamin Hardy https://bit.ly/2ThP4xY
The 90/90/1 Rule – Podcast by Robin Sharma https://bit.ly/2tpeQpm
Your Brain’s Ideal Schedule https://bit.ly/2Up3OMq
