Your First Three Hours of Work Will Make You Powerful or Will Break you in Pieces — 4 Crucial Aspects
How to maximize yourself for ultra-productivity
According to a study by psychologist Ron Friedman in Harvard Business Review, the first three hours of the day are the most precious and decisive — critical when seeking to maximize ultra-productivity.
If you realize it and try it for yourself, you will have a 3-hour window when we are very, really, very focused. We can do excellent planning, creation, development, and landing at that time. All this is in thinking, acting, communicating, and relating better.
This makes sense on different levels.
1. Sleep is Critical
Let’s start with sleep. Studies confirm that the brain, specifically the prefrontal cortex, is more creative right after waking up. Why? Your subconscious mind has been wandering freely while you were sleeping. And while that was happening, it was (your mind) generating contextual and temporal connections.
So, right after sleeping, your mind is much more active and prepared for insightful, deep, and delicate work.
That’s why your brain and energy levels are much more aligned at the beginning of the morning.
2. Use the first 3–4 hours to understand how to maximize your ultra-productivity
Consequently, the first three hours of the day are the best time to do your best work.
Valid case: I used to do intense and prolonged exercise first thing in the morning. Nevermore. I’ve discovered that the morning saps my energy, leaving me with less than when I started. That is why I follow Explosive Priming, which is necessary to get into the flow.
The first three or four hours will help you know how to maximize ultra-productivity
On the other hand, I have carried out several experiments, one of getting up at 3 in the morning for 32 days and another between 4 am and 4:45 am for another 30 days. Now I wake up at 5 am, even if I go to bed late because I know those three or four hours are the key, even if I haven’t slept much. So when I get up, I use an hour or, at most, an hour and a half for my Big Morning; I take 30 grams of alkaline protein within the first 30 minutes of waking up. And I’m going like a rocket for everything.
Donald Layman and Tim Ferriss recommend at least 30g of protein for breakfast. Protein-rich foods keep you full longer than other foods because they take longer to leave the stomach. In addition, protein regulates sugar levels, which prevents hunger peaks generated by a lack of glucose.
3. Do Work That Matters in the Morning
Within my epic morning, there is a moment when I get to cognitive work. I start with “Thought Dumping” and journaling for approximately 17 minutes. The goal is to gain clarity, direction and focus for the entire day. Then, for 10 minutes, I practice stoicism; this prepares me for anything that may happen.
Another exciting thing is the subconscious request to shape your dreams before sleeping. And journal about your dreams. Both practices will help you enter a state of high-performance.
The night before, I set my personal and professional goals. I call them the four triumphs, which I define in each plane. The night before, I also worked with the night diary of wisdom. After meditation, I recite my mantras and stoic prayer, verbalize the morning journal of wisdom, and give thanks. Then, once at work, I write down my thoughts and complete a visualization journal.
4. Maximum focus on the cognitive part
Then I have between two and three hours — except if I travel or I am hosting a program— where I work on the projects I am developing. Whether it be writing a book, a study you are developing, the online program you are launching soon, reports for clients, audits, marketing plans, work as a consultant, accounts or designing personalized training plans.
Starting to work early and very focused seems illogical, but I keep seeing how easy it is to work between 2 and 4 hours to death without distractions. My mind becomes a missile at that time. And I don’t take any stimulants, except for my superfood breakfast.
Around noon, my mind is ready for a break. That is when I go on a bike, run, swim, or do yoga. Although studies say fasting works better with food in your stomach, fasting works much better for me.
After sports activity, which is a tremendous mental, physical and emotional break, I practice a little stillness, walk and get ready to go. to get back on track.
To finish, it is necessary and worth mentioning that if your 2–4 (even 5) hours of work before sports practice were quality, you would only need to work a little more in the afternoon.
What others factors are crucial for making you and your day more powerful?
Ready to level up?
>>> Check my Holistic High-Performance training program 1:1 — and watch the Holistic High-Performance method Techstars talk here.
And only if it resonates, you might consider listening to my podcast, The 1% — Disrupt Everything, where I interview the 1% of world-class disruptors of all kinds (with alternate episodes in English and Spanish)
