7-Day Productivity Plan: Day Six

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QUICK-WIN: Instead of rushing in the morning, get up an extra hour early (even just 30 minutes) and use this time to invest in yourself – you could meditate, exercise, journal or read. It's a great way of getting some undisturbed time to yourself so you can do some work or prepare for the day.

“Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness” – Edward Smith-Stanley

Hi [urlparam param=”FirstName” default=”friend”/]!

Just a few days left now and today we're going to focus on one of my favourite parts of productivity – ENERGY!

Energy is a massive topic and there are lots of things you can do to increase your energy. We’re going to focus on three key areas: sleep, exercise and diet. Unfortunately, in this course, we can only touch on these areas very briefly, but we'll cover some quick-wins that are easy to implement and are guaranteed to maximise your energy.

Get enough “quality” sleep

There are lots of recommendations around how much sleep is necessary. Ultimately it comes down to what works for the individual. I aim for 7.5 hours in total each night which is exactly 5 sleep cycles (90-minutes each). By waking up at the right time i.e. at the top of a sleep cycle, you wake up feeling more refreshed and ready for the day.

You should also ensure you are sleeping between the hours of 10 pm and 2 am. Studies have shown that restoration is most effective during these hours. This means that even if you get the same amount of sleep but miss this window, you're more likely to wake up feeling sluggish the next morning.

Finally, don't keep your body up into the early hours of the morning and think you can “catch up” later. If you want to get the most benefit you need to maintain a consistent sleep schedule. I aim to sleep from 9:30 pm – 5:00 am. This means I can get up at 5 am and do an hour of quality undisturbed work the next day before hitting the gym.

Make time for exercise

There’s no arguing with the fact that exercise is crucial for a healthy lifestyle and boosting your energy. Scheduling a workout for the morning can be a great way of starting the day and setting your body up for success. Cortisol (the energy giving hormone) is highest in the morning to encourage activity and exercise, making the mornings a great time for your workouts.

Working out may not seem like it has a direct impact on productivity. But by looking after your body and keeping healthy you'll take fewer sick days, maximise your energy and improve your focus and attention. Make sure you get regular exercise during the week and you'll very quickly start to realise the benefits this has on productivity.

Make time for exercise at least 4 times a week. Schedule this in your calendar and set to repeat each week.

A final piece of advice I like to recommend is to go for a 10 to 15-minute walk during the day. Going for a walk is a great way of getting oxygen to the brain. This helps to de-stress, it clears your mind and it gives you time to reflect and plan your next move (schedule time for these walks in your calendar).

Fuel your body

My friend Duane once noticed me coming into work with green smoothies every morning. He asked what was in them and we got to talking about each other’s diet. It was after this conversation that Duane made a real effort to change his diet for the better. He cut out all processed food including the sneaky “low-fat” variety which pretends to be healthy and instead focused on eating whole foods, vegetables and healthy fats. He was amazed at how this simple change had a massive impact on his general health. He found he had a wealth of untapped energy and felt as if a “fog” had literally cleared from his brain, helping him to focus.

A nutritious diet is vital if you really want to maximise your energy. I love mixing up a green smoothie with the following ingredients:

Dark leafy greens (e.g. spinach or kale) – Getting some greens into your breakfast can be tricky, but these ingredients are ideal for smoothies. Dark leafy greens contain essential nutrients that support your digestive system and strength.
Chia seeds – Chia seeds are an excellent source of protein and fibre. These tiny seeds expand in liquid and help you to feel fuller faster. No more reaching for sugary snacks one hour after breakfast.
Avocado – Avocado is an excellent source of healthy fat. We’ve typically looked down on fats for many years, but fat is actually a fantastic source of quality energy. Dr Libby explains that fats are literally the most concentrated source of energy for humans. Imagine your body is a fire. Would you fuel your fire with fast burning kindling (sugar and carbs), or a nice slow burning log (fat)?
Blueberries – Known for being rich in antioxidants, blueberries are more than just a tasty berry. Blueberries contain essential nutrients for brain development and function and are perfect for increasing your willpower and focus.
Coconut water – Drinking coconut water is an excellent way of hydrating the body. Staying hydrated is fundamental for maintaining brain function.
Banana – Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and energy, full of natural sugars, not the nasty artificial kind.
Wholegrain oats – Oats are a complex carbohydrate that releases energy slowly throughout the day. Perfect for sustaining your energy into the afternoon.

Throughout the day be sure to avoid sugary processed foods whenever you can. These sugary treats give you a short-term buzz and you might think they help you “get through” the afternoon. But it's much more sustainable to consume a slow releasing and quality source of energy like fat.

Mistakes to avoid

Skimping on sleep. Sleep is often the first thing that gets sacrificed when people get too busy. They think by sleeping less and working more they’ll be more productive. This is a big ‘NO’. Sleep deprivation makes you slower, less creative, more stressed and generally under-perform. On the flip side, high-quality sleep improves your immune system, balances your hormones, boosts your metabolism, increases your energy and improves brain function.
Not sticking to a consistent workout plan. Workout routines often start with good intentions, but can fall flat after a few weeks when you're not seeing results. Scheduling time for exercise will help you to maintain a regular workout routine and overcome these issues.
Avoid sugar like the plague. I really do believe sugar is one of the biggest enemies to your health and productivity. The scary thing is that you'll find sugar in about 70% of the products in the supermarket. It hides everywhere and goes by many names like “maltodextrin”, “xantham gum” and “high-fructose-corn-syrup”. Watch out for sugar hiding in seemingly healthy foods and cut it out of your diet as much as you can (we're pretty much sugar-free in our house now).

Action step: plan a healthy routine

Spend 5 to 10 minutes working out a basic exercise routine and schedule this in your calendar. When I say “exercise” it can be anything that gets your heart going or pushes you physically – running, swimming, walking, playing sports, weight-lifting, boxing, the list goes on…

If you have a grocery list, take a few minutes to review it and be sure to add lots of vegetables and whole foods to your next weekly shop. Next time you find yourself craving an afternoon snack, why not whip up a smoothie using the ingredients above?

For our final day tomorrow we're going to look at ways of maintaining your focus and awareness throughout the day. Get ready for a very zen-like email… om…

Wishing you the best of health,
Paul