WHEN: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

We all know that timing is everything. In his new book (WHEN: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing), Daniel Pink makes really clear that timing is really a science.  

Pink reveals in this book how to best live, work and succeed.

One of the cool practical exercises that Daniel Pink suggests in his book is helping you how to figure out your daily WHEN.  He recommends tracking your behaviour systematically for a week. Set your alarm every 90 minutes, every time it beeps answer these 3 questions:

1. What are you doing?
2. On a scale of 1 to 10, how mentally alert do you feel right now?
3. On a scale of 1 to 10, how physically energetic do you feel right now?

Daniel has created a pdf template that you can use.  Click here to download it.

I think this exercise is a very powerful reflection tool to help you understand your energy levels during the day.

It took me a little bit to get myself to do it, but I have to say that after doing this only for a couple of days I became aware of a LOT of time wasters, things I could change and my day became way more effective and intentional.

The Importance of Breaks

Breaks are not a sign of sloth but a sign of strength.

The researchers say that lunch breaks offer an important recovery setting to promote occupational health and well-being.  Firefighters say that eating together enhances team performance.

Making a break list 

Daniel encourages us to make a list of the breaks we are going to take during our day.

It’s important to define when you are taking them, how long they will be and what you will do during those breaks.

The Benefits of Napping

I am from Spain and I know how important napping is! 😉

Daniel says that naps are zambonies for our brains. They smooth out the nicks, scuffs, and scratches a typical day has left on our mental ice.

Many research has shown that alertness and performance increase after a nap. Napping also strengthens our immune system!

The ideal nap, the one that combines effectiveness with efficiency, is usually between ten and twenty minutes. 

Once the nap lasts beyond that, we can start experiencing “sleep inertia”, the confused and boggy feeling you experience upon waking.

It looks like napping is an art, and you need to find your happy balance. Enough to feel rested, but not too much to get into the sleep inertia.

Some majors companies (Uber, Zappos, Nike…) have created napping spaces for employees in their offices.

I do benefit from practicing this habit and every day I can and remember to do it, I enjoy a little time out in my favorite chair.

Coffee + Nap = Nappuccino

I have to say that I loved this coffee-then-nap formula that Daniel Pink introduces in his book!

It takes about 25 minutes for caffeine to enter the bloodstream. So… if you dring a cup of coffee, and then take a 25-minute nap, this is the ideal technique for staving off sleepiness and increasing performance.

The Perfect Nap

These are the 5 steps you can follow to enjoy the perfect nap:

1. Find your perfect time. Normally about 7 hours after waking.
2. Create a peaceful environment.
3. Down a cup of coffee.
4. Set a timer for twenty-five minutes.
5. Repeat consistently.

The Importance of Self-care

We are big believers of the importance of self-care, and this book proves how performance can be increased with healthy options like taking breaks.

Click here to learn more about why self-care is important and how self-care can help YOU find your own recipe for happiness.

A lack of understanding about your own personal self-care can lead you to feel depressed, anxious, and hopeless in how to feel well. 

Our Lifestyle Design Method

Our passion is to find fun and inspiring ways to make life better and more enjoyable. And Daniel’s book has great points. It fits really well with our personal lifestyle method that we share in our hardcover book.

What if you had the ability to live the life you’ve always wanted and there was a simple way to discover how to do it?

We’ve condensed our knowledge and experience about Minimalism, Self Care, and Organization into one book. And it’s locally made. 

Learn more about our book and watch how it’s made here.

Are you planning on testing any of these ideas? Please share the results!