Experiment your way to success

When we settle into our routines, we sometimes make life harder than it has to be.

At some point we decided that this routine is the best way to do it. Every day we go through the motions, doing it over and over. As long as it still yields a result, we don’t question it at all.

And if you don’t have routines, you might have fallen into the ‘Follow-the-energy’ trap.

It sounds awesome to just do whatever is on your mind at any particular moment.

I have seen so many people and clients using this particular approach. They all make a living, they have enough customers and they get things done. But they also don’t reach the really big goals, and they are all constantly busy.

Busyness seems for many to be the one goal to rule them all.

Isn’t it way better to know that what you are doing actually has an impact?

While listening to a podcast talk between Dan Koe and Justin Welsh I realized my routines were not setting me up for the best possible outcome. I used my most productive hours either on client work (which I can do in my sleep) or personal activities that don’t require any brain power at all (sitting in the sauna).

So this last week has been an experiment to shake things up.

1 - No alarm clock

After I got back from my latest holiday I have been unable to set an alarm. 5 am seemed too hard, and even 6 am seems impossible. Mind you, sunrise is about 9am these days. Sitting for hours in the dark is a no go if I don’t have to.

I still go to bed around 9pm, and allow my body to get the rest she needed. And some days that means getting up at 7am.

7am freaks me out. I feel the day has already gotten away from me and everyone else is so far ahead. But hey, if life isn’t a race, why am I running all the time? So I’m learning to chill a bit more.

2 - The best time to write

About 1 hour after waking up my brain starts to function. The next 2-3 hours are usually my most productive. I have regularly used those hours to get the biggest bunch of client work done, then moved my body for a bit, and then sat down to write in the afternoon.

Guess what? I’m not creative at all after 12pm. So would it not be better to switch things up? Let the clients wait, as long as the deadline is kept.

Now my writing happens in the morning, for about 2 hours, and then I move on to work. Game-changer.

3 - Walk more but shorter

My aim is to walk 10,000 steps daily. That takes up to 2 hours. Physically it’s not an issue, but otherwise it is.

Very often, when I return from my mid-day walk, I’m bombarded with messages. Every client needs me, and they are all frantic because I have not responded immediately.

The brain space I had on my walk is gone, and stress the new color for the afternoon.

Dan Koe walks for about 15-30 minutes after every longer work session. This made things way easier for me too. Not responding for 30 minutes? That just means I’m deeply engaged in a work project, and no one truly misses me.

The other upside: walking for 2 hours in -10 degrees Celcius chills you to the bone, and it takes forever to get warm again. Way easier with the frequent shorter walks.

4 - Do no brainy stuff when brain is gone

I have a real down period after lunch. Energy keeps coming back later in the afternoon, but I’m not equipped for strategic thinking or creative endeavours.

So now I use the lack of energy to drag myself to the sauna, and then work on tasks that don’t require a brain. Like reading emails, organizing files and folders or doing chores in the house.

Self-reflection on your energy levels are crucial to optimize your workflow. So often we use our prime hours stuck in meetings, or doing routine tasks. And then have to struggle with the deep work when we are depleted of energy.

The best way to find out what works is to experiment. Take an assumption and try it out for a week. Schedule your tasks accordingly.

If you are one of the part-time creators you might be challenged to find the necessary energy to get your side-hustle work done when you get home after a long day at the office. But when you organize your working hours to play along your energy levels you might not be as depleted as usual at the end.

I just realized that this is my last newsletter for 2022.

Wishing you and your loved ones the best for the upcoming holidays. Reflect on how far you have come this year - I know for many of you it has been a great one. Set bigger goals for the next year and craft a game plan that allows you to reach them relaxed and gracefully.

See you on the other side!

xo

Yvonne