Not every awake moment is created equal.
- In some we’re more focused, in others we’re more playful.
- In some we’re more creative, in others we’re more bland.
- In some we’re more gritty, in others we’re more lax.
The trick, is aligning the ideal tasks with the matching naturally occurring state. Some examples:
- Plan your workouts when you’re feeling gritty/focused. For me, this is usually first thing in the morning at around 7-9am.
- Plan your deep work when you’re most focused/creative. For me, this is usually 1-3pm each day.
- Plan social interaction/family time when you’re most playful. For me, this is 4-7pm each day.
- Plan mindless, low barrier tasks when you’re most bland/lax like dog walking or reading a book. For me, this is at the end of the day 9pm – 11pm.
If I tried to do my social interaction in the morning and my workouts at night—there would be an extra layer of resistance in both.
Flipping them works significantly better for me—which means not only am I in a better state for both, but I’m much more likely to continue doing them because the resistance is significantly less.
The opposite might be true for you. Self-awareness is required and that’s not something I can give you.
The bottom line is this: don’t fight yourself. Align with your natural rhythms and reduce resistance in every way you can.
P.s. I asked: What’s one small thing you’ve done that has had a big impact on your mental health? I received a ton of great answers. I hope they inspire you to start doing something small for yourself.