A Time for Everything
The Simple Model that Revolutionised Productivity for Me
This is the third in a series on Embodying Productivity.
1. The Antidote to Stress
2. 4 Ways to Become More Productive
“At the heart of each of us, whatever our imperfections, there exists a silent pulse of perfect rhythm, a complex of wave forms and resonances, which is absolutely individual and unique, and yet which connects us to everything in the universe.”
One of the biggest productivity myths out there is that we are meant to, or even be able to, be productive all the time.
I’ve got news for you. We’re not.
We’re living, breathing human beings, not machines. And human beings aren’t meant to operate like machines — at high speeds, continuously, for long periods. We have natural rhythms that are constantly influencing our energy.
Everything about you and your natural environment is based on a cycle. Your body is a beautifully complex interaction of rhythms: from your breathing to your heart beat, your sleep, hormonal changes, every bodily system is dancing the rhythm of you. The world around you flows and pulses - just look out of the window and see the pattern of the seasons or the moon waxing and waning.
The conveniences of modern life have made it dangerously easy to ignore these cycles. The world around you is designed to be on all the time. Artificial lights change night into day. Your devices operate continuously with the expectation that you can do the same. You override the urge to rest or wake with stimulants, depressants and stress. All the time, ignoring the natural cycles that make people healthy, happy and sustainably productive.
At its most simple, this is a cycle of turning on - being on - turning off - being off. From the basic activity-rest cycle, your circadian rhythm, a project, the menstrual cycle, the seasons, to the stages of life, you are living these cycles in every moment. These cycles are fractal - cycles within cycles within cycles.
To make this tangible, let’s use this model: reflect + restore (winter = off) - purpose + planning (spring = turning on) - connect + create (summer = on) - contain + complete (autumn = turning off)
Most likely, you have a preference for some parts of the cycle over others. I discovered recently - through the simple act of noticing - that I have a strong preference for summer. I like doing things. I love the expansive energy, feeling powerful and unstoppable. So I tend to jump straight into things, often many things at the same time, and I try to stay there until sheer exhaustion forces me to collapse and rest for just long enough to get going again.
Maybe you’re more of a winter person, luxuriating in stillness and the pause between things, never quite getting started on anything. Perhaps you love the start of projects and relationships, feeling the tingly excitement of something new, or you’re a finisher, never being happy until everything last i is dotted and every t crossed, the last person to leave the meeting or the party.
I want to emphasise that there is nothing wrong with any of these patterns or with you. We’re adaptive creatures - you will have developed patterns to help you maintain your sense of safety, belonging and dignity in the world. Most of us, though, would benefit from learning to stay a little longer in some places of the cycle to harness that power and perhaps be a little less attached to the parts we really like.
Each phase of the cycle is important. Crucial, in fact. A fulfilled and meaningful life is built on being able to fully embody each phase.
What is your relationship with cycles, noting that this may change in different contexts and situations?
Which of these is most true for you?
I prefer the excitement of beginnings (spring).
I prefer it when everything is expressed fully and going full speed ahead (summer).
I prefer wrapping things up (autumn).
I prefer the rest at the end of activity (winter).
What is the cost for you of skipping over some of the other areas?
And then how can you apply this to your life? What could you do to bring a little more spring in, or not linger so long in autumn? Find one small tangible action that you can commit to for at least 2 weeks’ practice and see what happens.
For more on using cycles for productivity and creativity, check out these other articles:
The 30-Day Sprint Productivity Method
Productivity and Periods
Learn how to find more alignment with your cycles and dance to your own rhythm with my free Rebel Guide to Getting Started with Cycles.