Think of using your brain like using your muscles
This has been a great productivity boost for me. I've gotten this idea from an Ezra Klein's podcast. You don't even have to read any further, it's what it says on the tin: use your brain like it's something that gets tired and needs rest.
Expectations vs Reality
I'm a software engineer. In my world there's this expectation that coders must work for 8 - 10 hours a day non-stop sitting in front of their screens, chugging coffee and diet sodas, munching on whatever they have lying on their desks. I think it comes from the way a lot of programmers start their coding journeys - being a teenager or a student, having all the time and all the energy and very little obligations, when you can sustain yourself on nicotine as well as on food.
But then you get older while still trying to work like that - non-stop full day.
And it doesn't work like that anymore, right? You find yourself checking social networks and emails and blogs and news and, of course, Slack (which is a social network really). And I don't think it's because all software engineers are lazy. I think it's because they get tired but are not aware of it.
Physical labor
Remember that? Nowadays white collar workers have to pay to go to a gym to do physical labor. They might even get a coach or join a group class where someone will motivate them to do physical labor with more intensity and better form.
Anyway, we all know how it feels like after doing an hour of physical labor non-stop - whether it's training or gardening or construction work. You get tired. You want rest. You actually need rest, otherwise you might fail - you might drop stuff, bump into things, fall down. It actually becomes dangerous to work beyond physical exertion.
Brain = Muscle
I know it's hard to hear for all y'all intellectuals but your brains and your muscles have more in common than you'd like to think.
For example, they both consume energy and use that energy and then run out of energy.
Think about it, when you get physically tired you take a break. Any knowledgeable physical trainer will even force you to take a rest day when you're feeling like you can do more work.
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Brain rest
Comparing brain to muscle makes so much sense to me. I finally understand why some days were super productive while others were crap.
Here's how I work these days. I setup a time frame for work. Depending on how I'm feeling and the task, it can be 1 hour, 1.5 hours or 2 hours. I've noticed that going 3 hours is possible but is not sustainable. I'll pay for those 3 hours later with less productivity.
During that time I only do work. I decide beforehand what exactly I'm going to work on - usually a couple of tasks just in case I finish one and will have time left. I shut everything off. I'm using brain.fm (I'm not sponsored) to stay in the zone and also as a timer. There's no social networking, no going to the kitchen for a cup of tea. If you can't do this for longer, try one hour. It's amazing how much you can do in one hour of super concentrated effort.
When the session ends I get up from my computer and go to the kitchen, bathroom, balcony, etc. I chat with my partner, grab a snack or a cup of tea. I breathe and look at something outside to give my eyes a rest as well. I might put some music on that I like and do a mini workout. It's usually a 10-15 minute break.
Then I come back to my computer and do another session. Same length or maybe shorter - depends on the duration of the first session.
After two sessions it's usually lunch time. And after lunch I might check my email and Slack, maybe even check some news or other social networks. I'm digesting my lunch anyway, so it's no use to push the brain now. You don't go into a gym right after finishing a big meal, so don't do the same to your brain.
If you skipped everything, read this
Basically, the exact protocol doesn't matter. Just follow this logic: imagine your brain is a muscle, so use it just like you would any other muscle: concentrated efforts layered with quality rest and nutrition.
And here's the link to that Ezra Klein's podcast episode: