Think Productivity Intervals

Think Productivity intervals

• Short bursts of focused attention
• 30-45 minute bursts
• Sprint | Recovery
• 45/45/30 Break

This is very straightforward habit hack which has old sources and keeps popping its head up every 20 years or so because it works so very well.

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It’s a rapid route to increased productivity if you have been applying the earlier material in this prosperity system.

The idea is simple: arrange your tasks and work by breaking down projects into output you can achieve in approximately 20 minutes (to start).

You will run three 20 minute rounds of output-driven work – three different projects, or three all the same project but new outputs – the choice is yours.

It all depends on your needs and preferences.

Run three 20 minute sequences of focused work, then take a ten-minute break, shift your mind on to other things or change the type of thing you are working on during that time.

Then go back for another round of three and repeat the cycle. It is very effective for high output times and you can change the duration of the work periods.

The basic principle is to shorten the period of concentration but intensify your focus and drive.

Our bodies have an 80-120-minute cycle they go through, in terms of ability to concentrate and focus, and then enforced “veg out” for a few minutes.

This method allows you to make the best of that cycle.

This is also a superb way to increase the gradient for your ability to output, while managing your energy and attention.

Start with the 20-minute period but once you have mastered it and can easily run three sequences of three twenty-minute work periods + 10-minute rest period cycles; then try 30-minute work periods and a 15-minute break.

Many combinations are possible, but do not work for longer than 60 minutes without a short break or complete change of task.

Studies have consistently demonstrated that no matter how skillful you think you are, NO ONE can maintain top form for more than about an hour, and the majority of us top out at about 45 minutes.

This information has not learned by corporations which maintain early 20th century manufacturing patterns – people are not machines and we work best when we are within our energy and attention competencies.

You can work on one project this way or, if you have different projects or categories of task that all need to be worked, it’s a good way of making progress on several fronts.

You must be smart with this. It works by STARTING SMALL and building on successes, ADDING NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES for the brain to pattern, and then adding a stretch component to it.

At first, the challenge is refining your ability to gauge what and how much can be accomplished in 20 minutes – if your calibration is off or even missing – this will give you a starting point.

While increasing output and intensity, you are also developing your habit hacking muscle for guiding and shaping your own behavior.

If you add CELEBRATE EVERY WIN and some of the other elements we have covered; you will develop some very healthy power-output abilities.

It’s definitely worth the effort and we commend this to you.