manage your energy, not your time
It was a mystery to Jim: how did the best tennis players win their matches?
Jim, a performance psychologist, tried to find what differentiated the best tennis players from their lower-ranked competitors. Initially, he got frustrated. Jim could observe no big differences during points. Eventually though, he began to notice what the players did between points. That's when he spotted the difference.
It turned out the best tennis players recover better than their counterparts.
The best players had each built almost exactly the same set of routines between points. These included the way they walked back to the baseline after a point; how they held their head and shoulders; where they focused their eyes; the pattern of their breathing; and even the way they talked to themselves.
The top players had their heart rates drop by up to 20 points in between points, using efficient recovery routines. And during points, they experienced greater energy and focus.
Winston Churchill's inflexible rule
Historians consider Churchill one of the greatest British leaders.
You might wonder then. What did Churchill do during the Blitz, when the British were bombed for eight straight months?
Winston Churchill kept calm and napped.
Churchill’s valet, Frank Sawyers, later recalled, 'It was one of the inflexible rules of Mr. Churchill’s daily routine that he should not miss this rest.'
- Alex Pang
Even during the Blitz, Churchill took the time to retire, undress, and nap.
You must sleep sometime between lunch and dinner, and no halfway measures. Take off your clothes and get into bed. That's what I always do.
- Winston Churchill
I bring all this up to say: take breaks. Take naps. Recovery is as important as the work itself.
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