Capture the Cycle of Timing
by Paula Morand
Just as Nature reminds us with the passing parade of seasons that there is a time for rest and restoration, and a time for rebirth and growth, so too is there a cycle to how we perform effectively in our profession or business.
However, we fill our agendas with taxing duties for mornings, afternoons and sometimes evenings, without figuring out if our energy expended at all of these cycles of the day will be equal and if in turn we can expect similar results at all times.
The concept of observing the cycles of things and paying more attention to them has been in my mind since I recently read Daniel Pink’s new book, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing (a must read like all his previous works!).
Pink contends that we all know and say that timing is everything, but most of us know very little about timing itself. Yet every decision we make in life (and in business) comes down to deciding on the timing …when is it best to expand, when to take risks, when to hunker down and stay safe).
He suggests that timing is a science, and we can use that science to live better and more effectively. By harnessing our personal energy expenditure to specific times and cycles of the day, we can actually increase our production and work quality by 20 percent.
For most people this means doing the toughest tasks in the morning when your focus and brain power is highest, routine tasks in the afternoon, and creative work in the early evening when you get a fresh burst of energy.
You will instantly be more intelligent if your rebuild your schedule to the rhythm of your day.
Of course this is supported with serious science in Pink’s book, one study of which stems from Denmark where students who took standardized tests in the afternoon had lower scores than those tested in the morning.
I should insert a caution here. If you are a night owl and do your most creative work in the middle of the night, you are on a whole different rhythm and will need to read more about that in the book.
How can you apply this to your business?
One approach I am starting is to reserve my morning for tasks that only I can do and which are challenging and require analysis and deep thought. Using that process, by noon I can see which tasks I may not get to that day, and can either re-assign them to other team members for another day or re-schedule them.
I am one of those people who never completely ends the day satisfied with what I managed to do, but I can say now that each day one major job is completed and moved to the next level, thanks to my morning focus on it.
It is a good feeling. Meanwhile, being more conscious about timing and rhythm in life is helping me to reconsider when to launch new projects, when to maintain the status quo for a period of research and renewal, and when to proceed full speed ahead with building something new.
Paula Morand is a leadership building, revenue boosting, strategy expanding keynote speaker, author and visionary. This dreaming big and being bold leadership expert and brand strategist brings her vibrant energy, humor and wisdom to ignite individuals, organizations and communities to lead change, growth and impact in a more bold fashion.
25 years, 27,000 clients, 34 countries, 15 books, former radio personality, 11x award winning entrepreneur and humorous emcee.
Check out Paula’s bestselling books on Amazon: “Bold Courage: How Owning Your Awesome Changes Everything”, “Dreaming BIG and Being BOLD: Inspiring stories from Trailblazers, Visionaries and Change Makers” book series; and her newest release“Bold Vision: A Leader’s Playbook for Managing Growth”.
For speaking inquiries email bookings@paulamorand.com or call toll-free 1-888-502-6317.