Humans are not machines.
The Ultradian Rhythm
- originated from “Basic Rest-Activity Cycle” by Nathan Kleitman
- is a recurrent period or cycle repeated throughout a 24-hour day.
- Ultradian = “many times a day”
- Circadian = “about a day” 1
- is a biological fact that we are optimized for focus and attention within these 90–120 minutes cycles.
在對的時間做對的事情 (Choose the right task at the right time / Put your time in the right places)
- Phase 1 (0-8 hours after waking up)
- optimal for analytic “hard” thinking and any work that you find particularly challenging
- 戰鬥時間 → 登峰造極時刻 (Deep Work)
- Phase 2 (9-16 hours after waking up)
- optimal for brainstorming and creative work
- 戰略時間
Productivity and creativity are two sides of the same coin (pendulum). They complement and enhance each other. Both should be balanced as excessive focus on either end of the spectrum can lead to diminishing returns.
Life has four speeds: 1) Rest, 2) Walk, 3) Sprint, and 4) Jog. Most of us default to “jog”—we work steadily, pushing through long hours at a moderate pace. To go further and faster, we should switch our default to either rest, walk, or sprint. The rhythm is simple: rest, walk, sprint, repeat. There’s no place for “jogging.”
Josh Waitzkin has this concept called the “Simmering Six”: Most people in high-stress, decision-making industries are always operating at this kind of simmering six, as opposed to the undulation between just deep relaxation and being at a 10. Being at a 10 is millions of times better than being at a 6. It’s just in a different universe.
See also:
Footnotes
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Circadian Rhythm: Every cell/organ in our body/brain is modulated or changes in a very regular and predictable rhythm across the 24-hour day. ↩