Performance Routines That Happen During Working Hours

Seven practices to help you stay energised and focused

There’s traditionally been a lot of focus on morning routines (what you do right after you wake up) and evening routines (what you do before bed) as ways to increase your performance

But my most powerful routines typically occur during the day. Here are some examples:

1) Lunchtime workouts

I work out Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, around lunchtime, and I have a large protein-rich meal for my lunch. I tend to do my best thinking after a workout.

2) Ad-hoc journaling

If I feel myself becoming overwhelmed or angry, I open my Remarkable journal and write for about 10 minutes. I start with the words, ‘I’m feeling . . .’ and let it flow. This practice quickly brings me back into balance and clarifies my next steps.

3) Park walks

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I take 30-minute walks around the park — without headphones. I’m a voracious reader but this provides me with time to give my brain a break from external information.

4) Morning socials

I’m a night owl and I do my best work in the second part of the day. So I reserve one hour (2 x 30 minutes) each morning to catch up with people in my network.

5) EOD reports

At the end of each day, I’ll write out what I’ve achieved in a Slack channel. This gives me a sense of accomplishment and allows me to look back on how I actually spend my time.

6) Weekly retrospectives

Every Friday, I hold a retrospective with my team. We review the week — what went well and what didn’t — and commit to one improvement for the next week.

7) Learning accounting

Before finishing up on Fridays, I’ll review all my notes for the week and enter in a Notion table any new learnings. I tag the learning (e.g., recruiting, communication, etc.) and summarise it clearly so I can remember it later.

I’m curious — what are your daytime routines?

Originally published Apr 9, 2021, last updated Jun 1, 2021