Just as your sleep consists of 90-minute cycles that go through different stages (light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep), your body follows a similar pattern during the day. In the morning, periods of high alertness of about 90 minutes alternate with shorter moments of fatigue lasting 20 to 30 minutes. This is called the Basic Rest-Activity Cycle, a natural biological rhythm that regulates your energy and concentration.
Research on highly productive people confirms the value of this natural rhythm. The top 10% most productive people work an average of 112 minutes straight and then take a 26-minute break. By aligning your work schedule with these natural cycles, you can make the most of your high-energy moments and avoid working against your own body. This means planning your heaviest and most concentration-demanding tasks during your 90-minute peak periods and consciously taking breaks when your body signals it’s time to recharge.
By becoming aware of your personal energy pattern, you can better organize your day: use the natural break times for lighter activities like planning, reading, or a short walk, and reserve the 90-minute blocks for your most important work.
Related:
- Before you start (a task, a work session, a project…), set a time budget
- Avoid excessive task switching to increase efficiency
- A 5-minute unstructured break is enough to regain your focus
- Schedule two hours every day for important work that doesn’t need to be completed immediately; this helps you become happier and more productive
- Creative tasks are best done while low on energy
- Spend a little attention on planning and organizing your tasks, but not more than necessary; then, get to work
- Try to get four hours of concentrated work into a workday, and never more than six
- Allow small tasks to accumulate until you can efficiently complete them in batches
- Morning productivity
