How to Schedule Your Day

We’re working longer. But that doesn’t mean we’re getting any more done.

Of course, scheduling your workday depends on lots of factors. If you work in an office, home office, what type of work you do, etc..

No matter what field you are in and what type of business you do, there are three habits that will help you have the best day possible.

(Two of the habits, we have already covered here together, just click the links for the article on each one.)

3 Keys to Have the Best Day Possible:

1.  Do the things that have the most impact. 

2. Stay focused and avoid wasting your time.

3. Schedule breaks throughout the workday.

This one is so counterintuitive, you may be tempted to roll your eyes, skim over it and never think of it again. (How do I know this? I used to do the same thing!)

We can only stay focused on a single task for about 90-120 minutes at a time.

Physiologist  Nathan Kleitman, a groundbreaking sleep researcher, first coined what he called the “basic rest-activity cycle”: the 90-minute cycles during which you progress through the five stages of sleep. Kleitman found the 90-minute pattern in our days, too, as we move from higher to lower alertness–the ultradian rhythm. 

Have you noticed how you have certain times of day where you operate at peak performance and other times you seem to be phoning it in? Ultradian Rhythm at work! 

Our brains are meant to have breaks.

We can only focus on a single task for a limited amount of time before our focus and work suffers. When we take a break, we are allowing our brains to process.

The brain gradually stops registering a sight, sound or feeling if that stimulus remains constant over time. For example, most people are not aware of the sensation of clothing touching their skin. The body becomes “habituated” to the feeling and the stimulus no longer registers in any meaningful way in the brain. 

Taking a break from the task at hand allows our brains to make breakthroughs in our work. (Research)

Want to remember more and be more creative? Take breaks during your workday.

Your brain needs time to be away from the computer screen. In my opinion, checking Facebook does not *really* count as a break, neither does checking your email. Why? Those things are too closely tied to your work because you are still staring at the screen.

Try going outside for a few minutes, do some stretches, chat with a colleague or friend, say a prayer, or (if you must stay at the computer) watch a 5-minute clip on Youtube that will make you laugh. Disengage and get out of the normal ‘head space’ that your brain is in during the workday.

Try this for a few days and your brain will thank you!