I was asked a question this week, which I found very flattering -
How come you seem to manage to get so much done?
It's all to do with times of day, and which is the best for you - as the picture I've used illustrates.
When I started writing novels, about 15 years ago now, I often struggled to find the words.
Not good for an aspiring author. Terminal, in fact.
But I was determined to at least get some form of a book done, so I stepped back and thought about why.
The answer didn't take much finding.
I was a News Correspondent for the BBC. The day started around eight, went on until after seven, and in the evening when I was trying to write...
Surprise, surprise.
I was tired out and my sulky brain didn't want to know.
So I tried a simple experiment, one which has had a profound and wonderful impact on life ever since.
Instead of going to bed around 10.30, and waking, groaning with the alarm...
I tried getting to sleep, and rising, much earlier.
Which meant I could begin writing soon after six in the morning, and...
Bingo! It worked an instant treat.
The words flowed, and I really enjoyed the solitary moments of thought and inspiration before the onslaught of the day.
The treasuring of my most creative time of day has been a foundation of my life ever since.
If I've got a problem to solve - for a business, in my teaching, or writing - I pretty much just roll out of bed, grab my notebook and pen...
And the answers invariably come.
It's a simple, but highly effective trick for powering your productivity -
Find your special time of day - whether morning, night, or whenever - and work out a way to harvest it to the max.
In fact, as I'm writing this early in the morning, a potential slogan has just popped into mind -
Identify - adapt - adopt
And you'll never go back.