I rarely read books, but if I do read one, it must be the awesome-kind-of-book. One of the books that I recently read is Two Awesome Hours by Josh Davis, Ph.D.
When I was recommended this book, I was intrigued, simply because it’s a science-based strategic approach to discovering the two hours of your work days in which you work at peak performance. Interestingly, the scientific aspects are mentioned in an easy-to-understand, everyday language.
This book helps me to understand one issue that I’ve always having a problem with: I feel that there’s not enough hours in a day.
My problem…
Running an online business from home with the target markets that are 6 to 12 hours in timezone difference, I often find myself working around the clock.
Here’s what it’s like having a client with 12-hour timezone difference: When I need to deliver a project before 3 PM, that would mean that I need to burn the midnight oil and deliver it before 3 AM. Quite often, the deadline is simply too tight, that I need to work until 3 AM – or else, I’ll be late in delivering the project – something that I avoid at all cost.
The problem with my seemingly busy business life is not because I have both of my hands full. It’s actually because I don’t strategize well enough, considering many factors, such as my physical and emotional toll working on the business tasks, poorly prioritizing my work, and work on the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Rushing to work and meeting, pursuing deadlines, multi-tasking, responding to the plenty of emails in your inbox, going back and forth with multiple clients with your phone calls, text messages and other so-called “productivity” apps – all contribute to draining mental and emotional energy, which eventually will cause you to be ineffective and inefficient in your work.
…solved
Fortunately, there’s a solution for my (seemingly) too busy and too intense business life: Raise your self-awareness and respond to your daily business activities with the right action.
In Two Awesome Hours, Mr. Davis offers five practical strategies to guide you on how to structure your day around how to have your very own two awesome hours. To recap – without giving away the tips and tricks (if you want them, buy the book!) – the five strategies include:
1. Recognize your decision points
We are very much like drones – we tend to do work on autopilot. An example would be answering to emails. That’s why time is passing quickly – and quite often, so does your productivity. Mr. Davis will show you how to recognize your decision points (read: what matters most with your work that needs your decision in order to progress – prioritize accordingly and do the most important ones at your two awesome hours.
2. Manage your mental energy
As I mentioned above, many of your tasks drains your mental energy, causing you mental fatigue. That’s why you need to manage yours better. In this book, you’ll learn how to choose when to work on what, and when to step back and recharge.
3. Deal with distractions
Distractions are part of our daily work life. Chatty colleagues, email notifications, social update notifications, multiple decisions to make, add kids and house chores when you work at home… all seem competing with each other on who can annoy you the most.
Mr. Davis using a science-based approach that can be very interesting, even if you are not a science buff, show you how to deal with distractions by not fighting them.
4. Leverage your mind-body connection
Your mind and body are connected. When you treat your body well, your mind will feel the impact. Mr. Davis offers tips on how to take care of your body so that your mind is ready for two awesome hours.
5. Make your workspace works
In the book, Mr. Davis shows you how your work environment affects your overall performance and helps you identify things that can help you work at your best. Managing noises (ranging from using white noise to help you focus or working at a crowded space to boost your creativity), lights, and so on can prime your brain for better productivity.
Takeaway
Instead of being productive by doing more things faster, the Two Awesome Hours will guide you on how to have a two ultra-productive hours of your day, so that you can finally put your “not enough hours on a day” to an end.
So, if you are like me, who is always struggling on how to better-manage my day, I strongly recommend this book to you. The strategies outlined have helped me in developing my two awesome hours, and I’m sure this book will help you too.
For more information, go to TwoAwesomeHours.com
Enjoy!