How to optimize your day through smarter planning

In Hyperefficient: Optimize your brain to change the way you workAuthor and neuroscientist Dr. Mithu Storoni argues that understanding how your brain works best and reorganizing your schedule accordingly can improve your concentration and productivity. She found that brain concentration peaks between about 9 or 10 a.m. and 1 or 2 p.m., and then again between 3 or 4 p.m. and 8 or 10 p.m. Those are the best times to do tasks that require a lot of attention, Storoni says.

To take advantage of these times of optimal focus, she recommends a structured workday with 90-minute blocks and 10- to 20-minute breaks in between to clear your head and re-center yourself. She recommends putting the most difficult task at the beginning of each block so you come back to it with a fresh and rested mind. Work on the more difficult task for 20 to 30 minutes before moving on to easier tasks that you can complete in the remaining time.

“As soon as you get tired, your mind falls out of that optimal mental state required for knowledge work. By working in [blocked segments]Don’t force your brain to work at a high level so that it gets tired and leaves that zone,” Storoni said. “That way you can stay in an optimal zone and work for 90 minutes at a time.”

Although Storoni advises breaks between each block, people who feel like they’re in a rut can also take a shorter 10 minutes to keep momentum going. If they can afford a longer break, she suggests 20 minutes. For those who feel “mentally tired and not amped up,” she recommends a mindless task like cleaning up, taking a walk in the fresh air, or just doing nothing. You can also engage in “active mental detachment” by doing a crossword puzzle, playing a game, or stretching your body and doing some yoga.

When you eat lunch during Storoni’s optimized day is up to you. You may find that 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. is a natural time to take a break. But beware of the “midday slump,” a general feeling of sleepiness that many people experience after eating. During this time, when you may be feeling tired but haven’t yet returned to work, Storoni suggests something that’s still rare but is slowly becoming more common – a short nap.

“If you schedule 20-minute naps, you’re essentially regenerating the entire configuration of your brain and maintaining the mental stamina to do quality work in the second half of the day,” says Storoni.

After lunch, between 1 and 3 p.m., when people often feel a little sluggish, she recommends scheduling meetings instead of focusing on more analytical work that requires deeper concentration—the next peak comes later in the afternoon. These meetings should last between five and 20 minutes to keep everyone’s attention.

There’s a big caveat to this kind of structured workday, though: It can be difficult for someone who works creatively. More artistic pursuits require you to let your brain work at its own pace. Unlike simple blocks of concentration, creativity peaks typically start the day—from when you wake up until about 9 to 10 a.m., and then again from about 8 to 10 a.m. until you go to bed. Storoni suggests a more flexible schedule to take advantage of these peaks when working on a project.

“Maybe start your day earlier and end it later, but give yourself a longer break at lunchtime,” she says.

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