I've written previously about habits that destroy your creativity and ability to produce. In our world, whether you're an accountant, a lawyer, doctor, professor, writer, or entrepreneur, the ability to perform at your most optimal is paramount. For this, you need to be in a certain kind of groove. You need to have certain things down pat that are almost habitual so you can concentrate on what you need to be doing, namely performing at the highest level possible, and adapting and foreseeing a great deal of change.
Here's list of things you need to function at your best:
1. Sleep: Pretty basic stuff. Burning both ends of the candle will lead to burn out. That's not to say it's not wise to do once in a while. As I've written previously, staying up late can lead to wonderful bursts of creative energy and productivity. Pushing that practice over 72 hours of work without sleep can lead, however, to burnout. People can function well on different hours of sleep. For me, 6 hours works well, but I need a quick afternoon nap to top off my energy and get me through to evening.
2. Nap: Indeed, a nap. There's a growing body of research on naps that shows its importance not only for physical but also mental health. Many think of the lazy nap on a Sunday afternoon, and thus doubt its practicality for daily use; but researchers are noting that a 10-15 minute nap is all you need to get that energy boost and perform optimally. There are famous people who have insisted on naps, such as Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, and Thomas Edison. Try it out. If you have a place in your office to nap, do so. If not, go out to you car at lunch, recline the seat, set your phone for 15, and recharge your brain.
3. Diet: Big carb loads during the day will kill your brain function and leave you drowsy and your stomach gassed up. The best is to eat a protein-rich lunch with plenty of greens. If you can, take into work with you a good smoothy. Coffee's good too, if you're into it, but not too much. If you're drowsy, and you can, resort to #2 above--nap. Skip all the cheap sugars and energy drinks that'll simply hype you up then send you into a tail spin.
4. Hydration: We are made up of 90% water. When we're dry, we can't think straight. To keep your mind alert, make sure you're hydrated--but not over-hydrated. There are people walking around with massive canteens of water that they're guzzling all day--it's probably over-kill, not to mention gets you running to the toilet every 15-20 minutes, which can really disrupt your productivity.
5. Walking: You don't need to hit the treadmill and pound the weights at the gym to stay fit. In fact, you can add a walk into your work-day that will both keep you fit and get your brain stimulated. A walk is one of the best things you can do for your mind and body--and that will in turn optimize your performance. Steve Jobs was a consistent walker: he strolled around the outside of Apple HQ for everything from having meetings to clearing his head after a big hissy-fit. Try it.
6. Routine: This is one of the most important yet overlooked aspects of high-functioning high-performance people. If you don't have a daily routine, you need to get one. And I'm not just talking about when you shower and have your breakfast, but the things you do everyday at the same time related to your life, your productivity, your work and leisure. If you have to produce a lot of material, having a routine for producing, and then getting other tasks done will help you operate on auto-pilot and thus give you the focus you need. If you look at the lives, for instance, of great writers, they had a daily routine that was maintained without fail over years and years.
7. Mindset: Also vital for high-productivity. If you believe you're a loser and unable to perform, chances are that's where you find yourself. If you have a fixed mindset, believing you can't grow and improve, you'll go through your life and work that way. If, however, you have a mindset of growth, that you can get better at whatever you try with hard work and persistence, you will accomplish whatever you put your mind to. Check out the book Mindset by Stanford Psychologist Carol Dweck.
8. Flow: This is the state you're in when you're doing something at a high level of focus. Watching TV, for example, is one of the lowest states of flow you can be in--lower than using the bathroom. Reading, studying, writing, painting, doing something manually are all high-level flow activities. You want to increase the amount of flow exercises and decrease those that take you out of flow. If your work is boring and repetitious, and you've always been drawn to paints but never had the courage to buy them, pick some up and use them somehow in your work. Use modelling clay to create a new idea. Learn mind-mapping and do all your work notes in that fashion rather than linearly and sententially. Take up a creative hobby. All these things will increase flow and thus teach you more skills for high-performance and creativity.
We all need to brush up our lives once in a while. Our lives and jobs are demanding. Finding that sweet spot when work is pleasure is critical to high-performance. Applying yourself to these tips, and routinely researching others, will reap tremendous personal and vocational benefits.
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