I've found it a bit of a struggle to keep up my intellectual productivity lately (what in layman's terms you might call 'brain work').
I think it's maybe something to do with the really uninspiring weather we've been having this last week - kind of a sting in the tail of winter.
I know it's not just me that's been affected by this, it's pretty much everyone I talk too, this limp weather just makes you want to stay indoors and laze around in bed all day, so I'm not being too hard on myself, some periods of one's life are just like this!
Overall I'm pretty happy with my current weekly timetable:
Broken down it goes something like...
- 1 hour prep the day (non brain work, nothing too hard here except a bit of R4!)
- 2 hours brain work - always comes most naturally to me in the morning!
- 2.5 hours working out and then eating - it sounds like a long time, but I think this is appropriate, it's important!
- 5 hours brainwork - the main chunk of the day including lunch in the middle, the end can be a slog...
- 2.5 hours dinner, chill
- 2 hours OPTIONAL brainwork, if I feel like it (sometimes I do!)
Reflections...
NB this balance goes on 6 days a week typically, I usually give my brain one full day off a week to just go blurrgh, that helps, and of course with the odd few days in full holiday mode as required.
But TBH I think this is so balanced I could just keep it up all year, no exceptions.
Weekends I tend to to different brain work than weekdays. For example yesterday, Sunday, I got ahead with a few Hive posts, on a Sunday, I was just in the mood - having had Saturday off for a mooch around London that certainly helped.
I'm thinking maybe I could push another hour into the morning and take an hour out of the afternoon, that would also squeeze my eating window a little.
Final thoughts...
Overall I think the above is balanced enough to not kill me, I just have to remind myself that some weeks it's not that inspiring to do intellectual work (or anything else) but there's nothing inherently wrong with my approach, I think it's pretty much bang on for maximum life balance and productivity, and in those weeks I'm just not feeling it I have to just suck it up and push through....
I had a pretty productive day on Sunday TBH, very happy with what I got done and I was happy enough doing it too, so I'm sure this week will be better, for my regular work productivity: onwards and upwards!