Optimize for sleep above other activities, especially during demanding life phases, because you cannot function effectively without it.
When facing rejection or failure, rebut self-talk by questioning if the setback is truly personal, pervasive, or permanent to gain perspective and maintain buoyancy.
Schedule work requiring heads-down focus, attention, and vigilance (e.g., legal briefs, data analysis, strategy) during your daily peak period, which is typically the morning for most individuals.
Reserve routine tasks like answering emails or filling out reports for your daily trough period (early to mid-afternoon), as this time is less suitable for complex cognitive work.
Utilize your recovery period (late afternoon/early evening) for creative tasks such as brainstorming or iterative work, as mood improves and vigilance decreases, fostering a looser mindset.
Cultivate abilities like design, storytelling, inventiveness, synthetic thinking, and empathy, as these are becoming increasingly crucial in an economy where routine tasks are easily outsourced or automated.
Actively work to understand others’ points of view and feelings by getting out of your own head and asking ‘how is this person feeling?’, as empathy is vital in all human interactions.
When facing a dilemma or unsure how to react, gain clarifying perspective by asking yourself what advice you would give your best friend in the same situation.
Look for roles or situations that offer control over your work, a sense of purpose, and the ability to be your authentic self, as these are fundamental human drives for job satisfaction.
Develop resilience to stay afloat when facing frequent rejection in persuasion or other aspects of life, recognizing that rejection is a common part of human interaction.
In a world of information parity, shift your focus from merely accessing information to curating it, separating signal from noise, and providing clarity to others.
Evolve beyond just solving known problems; instead, identify hidden or future problems for clients and colleagues, as problem-solving itself is becoming commoditized.
When scheduling meetings, consider the type of meeting, what you want to achieve, and who will be there, using availability as the last criterion, not the only one.
If your goals are to establish a consistent exercise habit, lose weight, or experience an enduring mood boost throughout the day, work out in the morning.
Opt for late afternoon or early evening workouts if you aim to avoid injury (due to higher body temperature), enjoy the exercise more, or potentially achieve peak physical performance.
Avoid scheduling hospital visits or crucial doctor’s appointments in the afternoon, as research indicates a higher likelihood of errors and reduced vigilance from healthcare professionals later in the day.
During your most productive ‘peak’ time, actively eliminate distractions like emails and phone calls to maintain focused, heads-down attention on your most important analytical tasks.
Schedule meetings requiring keen analytic thinking (e.g., strategy reviews) in the morning, and meetings for brainstorming or creative problem-solving later in the day, to leverage natural cognitive rhythms.
If you’re in a demanding life phase, prioritize short meditations (1-4 minutes) over longer sessions, acknowledging that intense meditation may not be feasible right now.
When sleep-deprived as a parent, sneak in naps to ensure you can be the kind of parent you want to be with your children.
When trying to increase an existing habit, approach it with a spirit of experimentation, being willing to try different approaches and accept ‘failure’ as part of the learning process.
If an initial attempt to expand a habit doesn’t stick, experiment with different times of day, frequencies, or resources to find what works best for you.
Understand that being distracted or even dozing off during meditation is a normal part of the process, and simply noticing these occurrences is a form of successful meditation.
Acknowledge and celebrate even brief moments of focus or ‘holding the meditative stance’ (e.g., half a second or four seconds) as victories in your meditation practice.
Approach meditation by taking ’little nibbles at the apple,’ meaning engage in short, manageable sessions rather than aiming for extended, perfect states.
In any job, intentionally look for and engage in small actions that provide a sense of contribution or help to colleagues or customers, even in routine or low-paid roles.
Recognize that the security of traditional jobs is diminishing, making the risk of working for oneself or changing jobs less daunting, and consider moving between corporate and independent work throughout your career.
For those creating content, marry well-researched big ideas with practical, actionable advice, as these elements reinforce each other and help people both understand the world and change their lives.