A nap is a better way of working

Schedule it in. Sometime between 2-4pm and for between 10-20 mins. 

Go to the same place, lie down, close your eyes … and nap!

Workdays. 

It’s like a coffee break but don’t drink the coffee. 

I find I can have a nap maybe 1-2 days a week, but wondering about making it a regular work day thing. 

Don’t do this if you have insomnia. 

And I imagine anyone who’s diary is ‘packed’, ‘slammed’ or ‘back-to-back’ may not see how this is even possible. 

Start scheduling some time. 

Even if you don’t nap at first, but just stop, take a break, empty your cognitive load, move, think differently, get some fresh air, talk to a human in person, or reprioritise your to-do list … they’re good things too. 

Keep looking for better ways of working for they will become better ways of living. 

Do you nap? Read more in this article 

Do you do too much work

What is too much? And how do we know what enough is? 

When we push on working longer hours, it can have less than good effects on us. 

The consequences of stress, overload and that feeling of ‘it’s all too much’ can become the beast that is burnout. 

And it’s not a good place to be. 

Check off the five things to do to outsmart the overwhelm of too much work. 

It’s in an article by …. me 😀 in CEOWORLD magazine. 

New productivity apps

Check through the apps in this Fast Company article to see if they’re the kind of thing you use, and how they might save you some time, effort, energy and attention. 

They’re not just about calendars or to do lists. 

They include mail, reading articles, background noise, reminders to move your body, notepads, photo editors… and plenty more. 

Might be worth bookmarking to read through, follow the links and check each one for suitability and relevance. 

What does it sound like

Awkward silence. 
Deserted office. 
Difficult to focus. 

Each of these quiet situations can potentially benefit from the beauty that is music. And so can we. 

No, not just the radio or those poppy head banging louder tunes. 

Think more like ambient music … it’s music you may not recognize and barely notice. 

But it’s there. And it’s been shown to help with distraction and focus management, productivity, creativity … and community. 

Could your space do with some music? Might your headspace benefit? Do you know the impacts it could have on you? 

I’m writing this post listening to an Apple music station, ‘Spa’. It’s like I’m waiting for the massage therapist to come in for my relaxation massage. 😃 It’s a great way to start the day. 

During the workday when I need to focus, I’ll play the ‘Chill’ station. 

I write more about the benefits of music, white noise and ambient noise in my book ‘Argh! Too much information, not enough brain’. It’s a practical guide to outsmarting overwhelm.

And this great article talks about how music might help us work better in this new and changing hybrid world. 

I think I’d edit the title to say ‘your LIFE probably needs more ambient music’. 

Press ‘play’ more often. 

Do this simple thing to make your brain work better

For all the hours we’re intensely focusing, working, pushing for deadlines and trying to be productive, there are times when we need something … softer. 

How about this : do you like the idea of ‘soft fascination’?

It sounds a little dreamy, a little curious, and as it turns out, highly recharging and refreshing. 

Overworking our attention wears it out. There isn’t a never ending supply. We have to recharge. Frequently. 

Some of the research suggests that we have about 4 hours of sustained effort in us before we need a recharge. 

So when you do recharge, try some ‘soft fascination’. It’s where we let our eyes relax, drift and go here and there. 

It’s different to sustained focus. And different to white wall boredom. 

Nature is the best place for us to enjoy in this activity of soft fascination. 

You don’t even have to go into nature for it to work. Looking out the window at nature will do. 

I love getting into nature whenever I can for this exact purpose. Walks. Beaches. Sunsets. Trees. Flowers. Weather. 

It’s all a vital part of helping make our brains work better.

Read more about it in this article in Inc. Magazine by Jessica Stillman.