Waking Up Early Does Not Make You More Productive

A productivity expert says there's one huge myth about how to get more stuff done during the day

If you want to get more stuff done during the day, you may look at the habits of super-successful people and try to emulate them.

For example, you might start setting your alarm for 4:30 a.m., a la Michelle Obama, who uses the wee hours to work out.

Unfortunately, there's no guarantee that your new morning routine will help you become the FLOTUS, the POTUS, or any more successful than you are right now.

That's according to Chris Bailey, the 26-year-old author of "The Productivity Project," in which he describes his year of experimentation with different productivity strategies, from meditating for 35 hours a week to living in isolation for 10 days.

Along the way, he learned that the biggest myth around productivity is that waking up early will make you more productive.

Bailey discovered this idea firsthand, during what he calls the most challenging of his experiments: waking up at 5:30 a.m. every day (except weekends and holidays).

After some struggling, he managed to maintain the habit for a few weeks — until he realized that a) he hated it, and b) it wasn't making him any more productive.

When I spoke with Bailey, he told me people often have a "fantasy of being an early riser who wakes up early to go to the gym and meditate.

But in practice the idea of that change is so much sexier than what we have to do to actually make that happen."

As Bailey writes in "The Productivity Project," when he started waking up at 5:30 a.m., he also tried to go to sleep by 9:30 p.m.

But since Bailey's a self-proclaimed night owl, that meant he often had to stop and get ready for bed right when he had the most energy, focus, and creativity.

"I couldn't stand quitting work when I was 'in the zone' late at night," he writes. "And I discovered I much preferred to meditate, work out, read, and plan out my day later on in the day, when I had more energy and attention to bring to the task."

Ultimately, Bailey realized he wrote fewer words on average per day and had less energy and focus when he woke up at 5:30 a.m.

On his blog, "A Life of Productivity," he cites a TED Talk by circadian neuroscientist Russell Foster, in which Foster says there's no known difference in socioeconomic status between early birds and night owls. In other words, waking up early is not associated with being more successful.

Recent research also supports Bailey's suggestion that certain people are simply not wired to wake up early. A study of nearly 90,000 people who had their genomes sequenced by 23andMe found that your DNA may help determine whether you're a morning or an evening person.

Bottom line: If you've tried waking up insanely early and it's not helping you, it may be time to ditch the habit.

As Bailey told me, you shouldn't listen to "blanket productivity advice" because what works for one person may not work for you.

Original Article:     Productivity Expert Says You Don't Have To Wake Up Early

Be More Productive By Embracing Laziness - Must Read

Why embracing laziness can make you more productive

If you have a smartphone, and data shows you most likely do, then you have struggled with the idea of "shutting down" after work. As you sit on your couch watching the latest Netflix original series, a voice in the back of your mind tells you that instead of being lazy, you could be on your phone cleaning out your inbox or taking notes for tomorrow's meeting.

Well, says Georgetown professor and author Cal Newport, a wide body of scientific research suggests this inability to stop working, or even the inability to do so without guilt, is harming your productivity.

If you really are dedicated to your job, then you need to learn how to be lazy, Newport writes in his new book "Deep Work," a guide to learning how to work in periods of intense focus.

"At the end of the workday, shut down your consideration of work issues until the next morning — no after-dinner email check, no mental replays of conversations, and no scheming about how you'll handle an upcoming challenge; shut down work thinking completely," Newport writes.

There will be times, of course, when you will need to put in extra hours to finish a demanding project. In that case, Newport says, stay at your desk longer and get it done rather than taking it home with you.

When it's time to shut down, do so with a shutdown ritual rather than just giving yourself a hard deadline and turning your computer off as soon as you hit it. Florida State University psychologist Roy Baumeister conducted a 2011 study in which he found that intrusive thoughts about an unfinished project are reduced or eliminated simply by devising a plan for how to eventually complete it.

Newport suggests spending at least 10 to 15 minutes at the end of each workday cataloging all of the tasks you are working on and have yet to work on, with updates on what remains and how they will be completed. He even suggests ending with a phrase that will tell your brain it's OK to let go of work (Newport uses "Shutdown complete," which he knows is cheesy but finds effective).

When you get home and take the time to watch a show, go for a jog, listen to a podcast, or read something unrelated to your job, you're not just entertaining yourself; you're giving your brain a chance to process all of the information you absorbed throughout the day.

Newport cites the work of Dutch psychologist Ap Dijksterhuis, whose unconscious thought theory (UTT) states that decisions requiring adherence to rules, like solving a math problem, require the conscious mind. Conversely, decisions dependent on large amounts of information related in a complex way, like determining which car to buy, benefit from an active unconscious mind.

Newport likens the conscious mind to a personal computer that can run processes based off programs, and he compares the unconscious mind to the way a Google search utilizes a massive data center to sort through an incredibly vast stream of information.

"The implication of this line of research is that providing your conscious brain time to rest enables your unconscious mind to take a shift sorting through your most complex professional challenges," Newport writes.

He explains how further research has shown that this rest can only happen during activities that occupy your attention just enough, without taxing it. And the activity doesn't need to be enjoyable, either. A walk through the park on a bright, warm day is just as effective in this sense as one on a bleak, cold day.

Plus, the work you'd be fitting into your leisure time doesn't usually turn out that great anyway, Newport says. When mentally and physically exhausted, those extra tasks will be done slowly and not as sharply as they could have been had they been set aside.

"When you work, work hard," Newport writes. "When you're done, be done."

So, the next time you kick back after a long day of work and sip a beer on your couch, remind yourself that sometimes it's good for your brain to be lazy.

Source:     Why Embracing Laziness Can Make You More Productive

Associate Professor At 27 Years Old, He Beat His Mates Handsdown

Here's the productivity formula one Wharton professor uses to outwork almost everyone in his field

In 2009, 27-year-old behavioral scientist Adam Grant became an associate professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Within two years, he became the youngest professor to receive tenure at the school; within five years, he became the school's youngest full professor with around 60 peer-reviewed research papers under his belt.

Now, at 34, Grant is a New York Times bestselling author and prolific researcher who performs at a level typically far beyond his years.

Grant decided early in his career that productivity was a scientific problem that could be solved, and one of the fundamental components of his solution is doing "deep work," Georgetown professor and author Cal Newportwrites in his new book "Deep Work". It's a phrase Newport coined for intense sessions of distraction-free work that requires the full use of one's focus and intelligence.

It's a simple formula, Newport says: "High quality work produced = (time spent) x (intensity of focus)."

Newport writes that "there's one idea in particular that seems central to his method: the batching of hard but important intellectual work into long, uninterrupted stretches."

Rather than continuously work on research throughout the year, Grant reserves the fall semester for his teaching responsibilities, and the effort that he puts into his classes and students has resulted in Grant's being Wharton's top-rated professor for four straight years.

The spring semester and summer are then dedicated to research. When he's working in his office, he'll sometimes spend a few days working in total isolation. During these stretches, Grant will set up an email auto-reply telling people he's not answering messages for a few days.

"It sometimes confuses my colleagues," Grant told Newport. "They say, 'You're not out of office, I see you in your office right now!'"

In a 2009 research paper, University of Minnesota business professor Sophie Leroy explains that every time a brain shifts its attention from one task to another, part of its energy is still processing the first task. She calls this "attention residue."

When people discipline themselves to focus on one task only, their brain utilizes energy more efficiently, which Newport argues can result in more and better quality work.

"When Grant is working for days in isolation on a paper," Newport writes, "he's doing so at a higher level of effectiveness than the standard professor following a more distracted strategy in which the work is repeatedly interrupted by residue-slathering interruptions."

Source:     Wharton Professor Adam Grant Uses Deep Work For Maximum Productivity

How To Be More Productive

The World's Easiest Way to Be More Productive

Got 40 seconds?

Then try this incredibly easy activity to give yourself a productivity boost.

Taking lots of breaks might not sound like the route to incredible productivity, but according to tons of research, giving yourself regular breathers is a sure-fire way to get more done.

One study showed 20 minutes of yoga could significantly improve brain functioning, another that a quick nap would seriously boost memory, while a third suggested that just shy of an hour of work followed by around a 15-minute pause was the ideal work pattern.

But what if you don't have 40 minutes to nap or even 15 minutes to kick back and reset? If that sounds like you, don't worry. Science has an alternative that even the most maniacally busy entrepreneur can take advantage of.

 According to a recent study out of Australia, even 40 seconds is enough to refresh your brain, as long as you do the right thing with those seconds.

The incredible power of nature

So what's this magic 40-second intervention? Something so simple you don't even have to get out of your chair to do it--just look out the window at something green.

That's one recent insight from a study looking at the impact of so-called green roofs--such as the nine-acre one Facebook is installing at its headquarters--not on the environment (which they definitely benefit) but on workers in the vicinity.

To test the effects of having a green roof in your line of sight, the research team showed study participants pictures of either your average concrete roof or a plant-covered one and then tested their ability to complete a boring, attention-sapping task.

Just a quick glimpse of a green landscape, the team found, had a measurable impact on productivity.

"This study showed us that looking at an image of nature for less than a minute was all it took to help people perform better on our task," explained lead researcher Kate Lee.

"It's really important to have micro-breaks. It's something that a lot of us do naturally when we're stressed or mentally fatigued. There's a reason you look out the window and seek nature; it can help you concentrate on your work and maintain performance across the workday."

Time to hit the garden center?

It's a simple finding (and one that jives with lots of previous studies) that's obviously useful for stressed office workers looking for an easy way to refresh, but it's clearly actionable for business owners, too.

While it would be ideal if the company next door got cracking on building a green roof, until that happens bosses can help keep their teams' brains at their most productive by simply ensuring they can easily view naturein some form or another.

Rethinking your office layout, your view-blocking window coverings, your wall art, or the number of potted plants in your space might just be enough to help your team get more done and be happier doing it.

Even opting for natural materials like unpainted wood could help.

Isn't it time you made a trip to the garden center?

http://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/the-world-s-easiest-way-to-be-more-productive.html

How To Become Ultra-productive

11 Things Ultra-Productive People Do Differently

By: Travis Bradberry

When it comes to productivity, we all face the same challenge—there are only 24 hours in a day.

Yet some people seem to have twice the time; they have an uncanny ability to get things done.

Even when juggling multiple projects, they reach their goals without fail.

Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can’t afford to lose. —Thomas Edison

It feels incredible when you leave the office after an ultra-productive day.

With the right approach, you can make this happen every day.

You don’t need to work longer or even do more—you just need to work smarter.

 Try these 11 productivity hacks that ultra-productive people rely on:

1. They Never Touch Things Twice

Productive people never put anything in a holding pattern, because touching things twice is a huge time-waster.

Don’t save an email or a phone call to deal with later.

As soon as something gets your attention you should act on it, delegate it or delete it.

2. They Get Ready for Tomorrow Before They Leave the Office

Productive people end each day by preparing for the next.

This practice accomplishes two things: it helps you solidify what you’ve accomplished today, and it ensures you’ll have a productive tomorrow.

It only takes a few minutes and it’s a great way to end your workday.

3. They Eat Frogs

“Eating a frog” is the best antidote for procrastination, and ultra-productive people start each morning with this tasty treat.

In other words, they do the least appetizing, most dreaded item on their to-do list before they do anything else.

After that, they’re freed up to tackle the stuff that excites and inspires them.

4. They Fight The Tyranny Of The Urgent

The tyranny of the urgent refers to the tendency of little things that have to be done right now to get in the way of what really matters.

This creates a huge problem as urgent actions often have little impact.

If you succumb to the tyranny of the urgent, you can find yourself going days, or even weeks, without touching the important stuff.

Productive people are good at spotting when putting out fires is getting in the way of their performance, and they’re willing to ignore or delegate the things that get in the way of real forward momentum.

5. They Stick to the Schedule During Meetings

Meetings are the biggest time waster there is.

Ultra-productive people know that a meeting will drag on forever if they let it, so they inform everyone at the onset that they’ll stick to the intended schedule.

This sets a limit that motivates everyone to be more focused and efficient.

6. They Say No

No is a powerful word that ultra-productive people are not afraid to wield.

When it’s time to say no, they avoid phrases such as I don’t think I can or I’m not certain.

Saying no to a new commitment honors your existing commitments and gives you the opportunity to successfully fulfill them.

Research conducted at the University of California in San Francisco shows that the more difficulty that you have saying no, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout, and even depression.

Learn to use no, and it will lift your mood, as well as your productivity.

7. They Only Check E-mail At Designated Times

Ultra-productive people don’t allow e-mail to be a constant interruption.

In addition to checking e-mail on a schedule, they take advantage of features that prioritize messages by sender.

They set alerts for their most important vendors and their best customers, and they save the rest until they reach a stopping point.

Some people even set up an autoresponder that lets senders know when they’ll be checking their e-mail again.  

8. They Don’t Multitask

Ultra-productive people know that multitasking is a real productivity killer.

Research conducted at Stanford University confirms that multitasking is less productive than doing a single thing at a time.

The researchers found that people who are regularly bombarded with several streams of electronic information cannot pay attention, recall information or switch from one job to another as well as those who complete one task at a time.

But what if some people have a special gift for multitasking?

The Stanford researchers compared groups of people based on their tendency to multitask and their belief that it helps their performance.

They found that heavy multitaskers—those who multitask a lot and feel that it boosts their performance—were actually worse at multitasking than those who like to do a single thing at a time.

The frequent multitaskers performed worse because they had more trouble organizing their thoughts and filtering out irrelevant information, and they were slower at switching from one task to another. Ouch

Multitasking reduces your efficiency and performance because your brain can only focus on one thing at a time.

When you try to do two things at once, your brain lacks the capacity to perform both tasks successfully.  

9. They Go off The Grid

Don’t be afraid to go off grid when you need to.

Give one trusted person a number to call in case of emergency, and let that person be your filter.

Everything has to go through them, and anything they don’t clear has to wait.

This strategy is a bulletproof way to complete high-priority projects.

10. They Delegate

Ultra-productive people accept the fact that they’re not the only smart, talented person in their organization.

They trust people to do their jobs so that they can focus on their own.

11. They Put Technology to Work for Them

Technology catches a lot of flak for being a distraction, but it can also help you focus.

Ultra-productive people put technology to work for them.

Beyond setting up filters in their email accounts so that messages are sorted and prioritized as they come in, they use apps like IFTTT, which sets up contingencies on your smart phone and alerts you when something important happens.

This way, when your stock hits a certain price or you have an email from your best customer, you’ll know it.

There’s no need to be constantly checking your phone for status updates.

Bringing It All Together

We’re all searching for ways to be more efficient and productive.

I hope these strategies help you to find that extra edge.

What productivity hacks do you rely on? 

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2015/05/13/11-things-ultra-productive-people-do-differently