T I M E M A N A G E M E N T
person become a jazz musician? Could an evening person find
happiness as a morning drive-time radio personality?)
Most of the rest of us learn to adjust to the clock rhythm, but
we all pay for it.
You need to discover your own rhythms and then accommo-
date them as much as possible. Keep a “mood log” for a week or
two. As frequently as you can during the day, jot down the time
and how you’re feeling. Track your mood and your energy level.
The mathematically inclined can create a mood scale, 1 to 10.
English majors and my other numerically impaired brothers and
sisters may feel free to use descriptors. It matters only that the
notations make sense to you later.
After a week or two, see if you can discern your patterns, your
peak and trough times during the day and the week.
When you find them, follow them as much as you can. Plan
the tasks that require creative thought and clear decision making
for your peak times. Leave the relatively no-brainer tasks for the
troughs. (You may even be able to sneak in a nap here, but more
on that in the next chapter.)
When you can’t control the schedule (the big staff meeting
invariably arrives just as your energy leaves), compensate ahead
of time with a little extra deep-breathing, a longer mini-vacation,
maybe a brisk walk. Compensate, too, by being aware of the source
of your reactions. (The boss’s proposal may not really be as stupid
as it seems; you’re tired and grouchy, after all.)
Learning and honoring your internal rhythms is one more way
you can live a more productive, happier, and healthier life.