The Magic of 90 Minutes
If you're doing something fun or relaxing, a few hours can fly by. But if you're doing something physically or mentally intense, a few hours can feel like an eternity.
You’re not imagining that. There is a biological reason why you can’t sustain intense focus for long periods of time.
More than 50 years ago, sleep researcher Nathaniel Kleitman discovered what is known as the “basic rest-activity cycle.” He found that humans sleep in 90-minute cycles.
And that during the day, every 90 minutes, our bodies move from higher to lower levels of alertness. These recurrent 90-minute cycles are called ultradian rhythms.
\If you’re trying to optimize your productivity, learn to take advantage of your body’s natural biological rhythms like ultradian rhythms. Rather than expecting to go hard for hours at a time, plan 90-minute sprints of intense work, followed by 20-to-30-minute breaks of complete relaxation.
Here are some ideas for breaks:
- Relax and don’t place your attention on anything that requires intense focus
- Don’t look at your phone – your phone fixes your focus on a small focal point which is counterproductive
- Exercise
- Take a quick nap
- Grab a bite to eat
Here is one way you could plan your workday:
- 8:00 – 9:30 a.m. - work sprint
- 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. - break
- 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. - work sprint
- 11:30 - 12:30 p.m. - lunch
- 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. - work sprint
- 2:00 - 2:30 p.m. - walk
- 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. - work sprint
If you need a little extra focus during your 90-minute work sprints, consider trying Endel. Endel is an Apple Watch app that creates personalized sound environments using biometrics to improve focus. When I need to grind out 90-minutes of work, I use their Deep Work mode, which helps me focus and maximize my productivity.
Now, you may not be in a situation where your job allows for breaks like this. If not, you can still make this pattern work for you. During the 20 minutes down periods, try and disconnect and do some creative thinking or less mentally taxing work. Maybe this is when you plan a restroom/coffee break.
Give is this a try, and I bet you’ll be surprised at how much work you get done in a day!
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Who is Dr. Erik Korem
Dr. Erik Korem is on a mission to help people learn how to use stress to perform at their best – professionally, personally, and in any domain. It’s about being adaptable. He has spent the past 15 years working as a Sports Scientist and High-Performance Director in the NFL and major college and Olympic athletes. Today, he is an expert and thought leader in high performance who teaches others to be at their best without burning out or stressing out.