Tony Schwartz

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A 90-Minute Plan for Personal Effectiveness9:52 AM Monday January 24, 2011 | Comments ( 53)

For nearly a decade now, I've begun my workdays by focusing

for 90 minutes, uninterrupted, on the task I decide the night

before is the most important one I'll face the following day.

After 90 minutes, I take a break.

To make this possible, I turn off my email while I'm working,

close all windows on my computer, and let the phone go to

voicemail if it rings.

I typically get more work done during those 90 minutes, and

feel more satisfied with my output, than I do for any

comparable period of time the rest of the day. It can be tough

on some days to fully focus for 90 minutes, but I always have

a clear stopping time, which makes it easier.

I launched this practice because I long ago discovered that my

energy, my will, and my capacity for intense focus diminish as

the day wears on. Anything really challenging that I put off

tends not to get done, and it's the most difficult work that tends

to generate the greatest enduring value.

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I first made this discovery while writing a book. At the time, I'd

written three previous books. For each one, I'd dutifully sit

down at my desk at 7 a.m., and I'd often stay there until 7 p.m.

Looking back, I probably spent more time avoiding writing than

I did actually writing. Instead, I spent an inordinate amount of

time and energy making lists, responding to email, answering

the phone, and keeping my desk clean and my files incredibly

well organized.

There were days I never got to writing at all. It was incredibly

frustrating.

At the heart of making this work is to build highly precise,

deliberate practices, done at specific times, so they eventually

become automatic and don't require much expenditure of

energy or self-discipline, akin to brushing your teeth at night.

It's the crux of what I now do at my company, The Energy

Project.

It was this approach that I applied to the book I was writing,

and at other times to whatever I happen to be working on. The

effect on my efficiency has been staggering. I wrote my fourth

book in less than half the time I had invested in any of the

three previous ones.

When I'm not working on a book, I choose the next day's work the night before because I don't want

to squander energy thinking about what to do during the time I've set aside to actually do the work.

I define "important" as whatever it is I believe will add the most enduring the value if I get it done.

More often than not, that means a challenge that is "important but not urgent," to use Steven Covey's

language. These are precisely the activities we most often put off — in favor of those that are more

urgent, and easier to accomplish, and provide more immediate gratification.

I start at a very specific time, because I discovered early on that when I didn't hold myself to an exact

time, it became a license to procrastinate. "Oh wait," I'd tell myself, "I'm just going to answer this

email," Before I knew it, I'd have answered a dozen emails, and a half dozen more had arrived,

calling out for my attention.

Finding an excuse to avoid hard work isn't hard to do.

I work for 90 minutes because that's what the research suggests is the optimal human limit for

focusing intensely on any given task. This "ultradian rhythm," the researcher Peretz Lavie and others

have found, governs our energy levels (see page 51 for details).

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Over the course of 90 minutes, especially when we're maximally focused, we move from a relatively

high state of energy down into a physiological trough.

Many of us unwittingly train ourselves to ignore signals from our body that we need a rest — difficulty

concentrating, physical restlessness, irritability. Instead, we find ways to override this need with

caffeine, sugar, and our own stress hormones — adrenalin, noradrenalin, and cortisol — all of which

provide short bursts of energy but leave us overaroused.

By intentionally aligning with my body's natural rhythms, I've learned to listen to its signals. When I

notice them, it usually means I've hit the 90-minute mark. At that point, I take a break, even if I feel

I'm on a roll, because I've learned that if I don't, I'll pay the price later in the day.

I don't get it right every day, but this single practice has been life-changing for me.

Try it for one week. Come back and report here on what you discover. I think you'll be amazed.

More on: Managing yourself, Time management

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I like this philosophy. It is important work vs. urgent work. Doing an important project now insures that it does not become an urgent "fire" later on.

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stevenpofcher 1 week ago

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12 people liked this. Like

I agree how very important it is to decide what is important the night before. And to work without distraction at an appointed time. I need to work on that. I also like how you focus on the important, rather than just the urgent. I am reminded of the Pomodoro Technique http://www.pomodorotechnique.c.../ Same idea as Tony detailed, but they suggest you work in units of 25 minutes and break for 5 minutes. Use a timer and take a 15-30 minute break after 3 or 4 units. The advantage is that you start to measure your work in real units, instead of time that passes while distracted. Time slips away. But units are focused.

7 people liked this. Like

I'm aware of the Pomodoro technique and my issue with it is that I don't believe 25 minutes is typically enough to get deeply immersed in a difficult challenge. I also don't know any physiological reason why 25 minutes is particularly relevant. Having said that, I'm a fan of any approach that promotes the movement between periods of intense focus and intermittent rest.

12 people liked this. Like

Great thoughts, Tony. I think an additional hurdle for people is not knowing how to spend breaks. Knowing the difference between a break and a distraction allows for a true cycle to occur.

Richard Maybury and 3 more liked this Like

Couldn't agree more, Adam. We need first to value renewal in order to focus attention on it. And once we do, we need to train ourselves to renew the same way we'd build any skill -- diligently, deliberately. At the same time, something such as answering email isn't renewal -- or if it, it's a very thin form of renewal. We need to experiment with different forms of renewal to find which ones work best. It can be anything from working out (mental and emotional renewal) to breathing, to sharing a lunch with a good friend.

3 people liked this. Like

Thank you for this definition of renewal. I am good at focus (yay, me!) but not sure I have figured out the renewal part... talking to co-workers about work in a fun way it turns out is probably not renewal!

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Steve LeBlanc 1 week ago

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Nuz91 1 week ago in reply to Tony

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Yoga, guitar, piano, playing with the dogs. Something other-brained and non-work, that I can turn completely away from and get back to what still needs my attention. Those are real breaks. Talking with people about work is far too likely to wind up with more work on my plate, or being asked to do something that's at best a sidebar to what I was working on before I took the break. Good article. Thanks!

4 people liked this. Like

Excellent tip. I try to start with 10 minutes of focused work. That usually gets me in the groove to keep working longer. Best of all, if I only do 10 minutes of focused work before falling prey to Facebook or some other time-waster, I don't feel guilty because I achieved my humble 10 minute goal.

4 people liked this. Like

The time when we're most susceptible to the tyranny of the urgent is that moment when we begin work for the day. As you've suggested, making the decision about what to do first when you're least susceptible to these forces (the night before) makes a profound difference. Most of us have received some unintentionally bad advice somewhere along the way. Things not working the way you want? More self-discipline and working harder is the answer. As you point out, this seductive thinking sets us up for failure as we "unwittingly train ourselves to ignore signals". Thanks for the valuable insight and advice.

3 people liked this. Like

Brian Tracy has some great ideas on time managment...while at work/work; "chunking"; And the question: "Is this THE best use of my time right now?" Recently I came across some of Dave Lakhani's (The Power of an Hour) materials. He strongly suggests: 45/15, throughout the day. 45 minutes on/and a 15 break. It think that is reasonable for many things/and for differing tasks. Without a doubt/focus and concentration are the keys to productivity. It has been shown that when we come off a task/or are distracted/it can take a substantial amount of time to get back on task. You cannot really manage time, but you can manage yourself/and more so that you might initially think. Thanks much. Clearly we have all had similiar experiences of being distracted and ensuring that the work that must get done is handled well on a timely basis.

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2 people liked this. Like

For more on Tony's approach, check out my recent podcast interview with him at http://bit.ly/TS-1. The 90 minute sprint idea not only is helping me, it's helping my grade school daughter!

1 person liked this. Like

I'm definitely going to give this a go. As a student, I've been spending my first 90-minutes desperately making sure that I've got my act together for the coming onslaught, which isn't exactly the same thing. Often times, after 5 hours of classes, I know my productivity is shot as I head to the library to study. My new strategy will be to cram before bed, then do my more thoughtful study and work in the early morning hours.

1 person liked this. Like

Tony, Sometimes applying Sence of Urgency is the only way to get things done. 90 minutes is quite a long time without any kind of interuptions or tentations. Most times we only do it when the target is tomorrow or realy close. We should never procastinate, but not always we are able to not follows this impulse. But one thing is for sure and we need to put it in mind always: Never do self-sabotage! Tks, Gabriel Casals www.gabrielmanagementschool.bl...

1 person liked this. Like

As a long-time fan of your ideas I have benefitted from creating a prime time-based cocoon of time when I write each day (first thing in day after making coffee) - buttressed by reward I plan for right after that time. I have a secondary prime time in early afternoon for a major task to tackle. This too has a reward attached. Child like as this is it feels like jumping across the pond in my day while enabling me to savor both parts - the very focussed work - reward - the sort of focussed task - reward are a daily habit. Thank you for your actionable ideas Tony.

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andy_kaufman 4 days ago

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KareAnderson 11 hours ago

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Vince Skolny 15 hours ago

Page 6 of 16

Very good article. I've spent the 12-hour days you describe, chewed myself out for it when the day was through, and repeated it the next. Entirely frustrating. I've found strict scheduling is a big help and like this approach. Question: Do you think the approach would work as well with a firm time commitment later in the day-- or is morning vital?

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Enjoyed the article and the comments. Thanks for creating a discussion point that explores a practical way to reconcile importance and urgency at the habit and routine level. I'm going to speak with my entire small business team about this idea. It's a gooder.

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This does work....and you just reminded me to get back on track with it.

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I'm a big fan of you & this idea, Tony. Thanks for sharing! Chris Crouch, Getting Organized author, teaches something similar...although he relates the time to Pareto's Principle. He proposes if 20% of an 8-hour day is 96 minutes...and the 80/20 theory suggests 80% of our output comes from 20% of our input...then if you devote the first part of the day accomplishing the most important things, this will propel you through the rest of the day. My Monday morning sprint is a review of all that needs to be accomplished. During this review, I schedule at least three other sprints for the week.

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Great article - I would also highly recommend reading "The War of Art" by Pressfield. The entire book is about Resistance - what it is, how it insidiously affects us, and what to do about it. Fight Resistance. Peter

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Brent Hay 2 days ago

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Page 7 of 16

Peter, Love the "War of Art", as you do. I found it very inspiring. Tony

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Tony, great ideas here! I couldn't agree more about the 90 minute or even 60 minute high effective, output blocks. 3 or 4 hours of great, focused work is really much more productive than 5-6 hours of disjointed work.I also finished my book the last 4 months of 2010 and I had to get focused and committed to writing daily. The breaks are so important and nourishing yourself with real energy boosters not fake ones, which we all do to some extent, is also so important. Some days are better than others. I also like to clean out the detractors, toxics and distractors too!

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Tony, Do you have any thoughts on how the 90 minute practice applies to a management role where your direct reports are seeking your time at the beginning of the day? I guess it would be possible to institute such a practice and inform your people that you are not available from 8:30 to 10:00, but my fear is that the contact with your people first thing in the morning helps to keep them productive by providing guidance and addressing any road blocks. Some may argue that your people are usually reading email during that time anyway, but quite often this can be valuable coaching time, important in itself. Have you found yourself in this position, and what arrangements did you make?

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Great question. I've made the decision that the most important thing for me in the morning tends to be to focus on writing and strategic thinking and the like. Coaching is something I can do at other times during the day, and doesn't require the same sort of fierce focus (a softer focus may even be better). When folks in my group have something truly urgent, they're welcome to call me (I usually start the day at home), but in practice, that rarely happens, because most things can wait 90 minutes! Cheers!

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Wonderful article...... but I have a question.....Many times I tried this method, but I feel that when I am not internally motivated to do something then keeping concentration for 90 min looks tough and mind finds some escaping techniques to procrastinate that task where as if something is really interesting then I like to do it

Tony 3 days ago in reply to Peter Gallant

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T Diwaker 4 days ago

Page 8 of 16

immediately.... I mean the resistance to procrastinate or take the job is dependent on type of task and consequently the amount of time I can keep concentration.... So do you have any method to train the mind so that mind act as neutral for any task and I can maintain my concentration for any task irrespective of what it is?

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I would suggest that you consider some attention-training -- meaning a meditative practice. Try breathing in to a count of 3, out to a count of six, with your eyes closed. Do it for two minutes at first, and then go longer as your capacity to stay focused increases. Make this a renewal break after periods where you've been working (even if you've gotten distracted while you've been working). Attentional practice is critical to building the capacity for focus.

1 person liked this. Like

Thanks a lot... hope it works....

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I love the distinction between 'effectiveness' and 'efficiency'. There's plenty of advice out there about increasing efficiency, and I prefer the embodied wisdom of this approach. As an overachiever who sometimes finds it difficult to remember about acknowledging physical signals, renewal, and energy management, I greatly appreciate your approach. Looking forward to hearing you at Wisdom 2.0 too!

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Now I know the difference between a break and an distraction. And I know how long I should focus to something. But how long is a good break?

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You can get real renewal in just a minute or two. The best method that we at The Energy Project have found for renewing quickly is simply taking some deep breaths. This video at http://theenergyproject.com/ab... demonstrates the technique. However, the length of the break you need depends on how much energy you have before you start, as well as how depleting your work activity was. You should have a number of options that you can do based on what you need in the moment. This can be getting up and moving (if you've been sitting), grabbing a bite to eat, getting a

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Emily Pines 5 days ago in reply to Matti

Page 9 of 16

drink, listening to music, or going outside for fresh air and sunlight. Other than lunch, you shouldn't need a break of more than 10 minutes.

KareAnderson liked this Like

What's most important is how well you renew not how long you renew. If you get really good at renewal, you'll renew faster. Having said that, the greater the intensity of the work demand you've just experienced, the greater the need for renewal. I've found that under ordinary circumstances 10 or 15 minutes is fine. But a great form of renewal at midday, for example, is to work out, and obviously that takes longer. Experiment! There is no fixed answer.

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Having a definite timeslot which you cannot go over for a particular task is a great idea. If you give yourself a deadline and know that you cannot extend it forces you to focus your energy and gives you clarity of thought knowing that after the 90 minutes passes - time's up and you have to stop working on a problem. Very helpful in eliminating procrastination. I use a similar technique where I give myself 60 - 120 minutes to focus on a single task at any time of day, not just the morning. This is especially helpful if you have several competing priorities and need to focus on one at a time. Thanks for the article, always good to be reminded on how to focus.

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Another simple exercise from Tony that can change the way we do tasks for the better.

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Deciding on what is the most important objective to achieve tomorrow is clearly good practice. Working on the most important work during High Energy periods is certainly helpful. For many people this is first thing in the morning - for others it is another time. I have experimented with both approaches. I now prefer to block out early high energy time for key tasks, rather than do them first thing. I have found that it does require more discipline to get in the 'High energy/high value' zone than it does in simply getting down to important work first thing in the morning - but I am more motivated and do get more done in that selected time. Whilst I recognise the impact of cycles like Ultradian rhythms, I have never experimented with a full 90 minute ‘High energy/High value’ session – my usual limit is about 50 minutes.....

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Tony 5 days ago in reply to Matti

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Gorjan 6 days ago

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Vijeet Rathi 6 days ago

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Richard Maybury 6 days ago

Page 10 of 16

So ....... thanks again Tony for another thought provoking post and thanks Adam Pearce (and Tony again) for your contributions on what I call 'Real Renewal'.

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Thank you for your comments on this article, and in particular this note acknowledging that morning may not be the best time for this focused effort. I am one of those people whose creativity/productivity increase as the day wears on; an ideal window for me would be late afternoon/early evening. I echo the comments about the importance of "real" renewal...

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The key is to finding a solution that best fits you and the way you work. If we can decide the night before what our focus will be the next day, then we're one step (or many) ahead! I like the philosophy behind the 90-minute stretch. It's so easy to get distracted and pulled into another direction, and therefore getting derailed from what we really need to working on. This is right along the lines of stopping the multi-tasking. Thanks! Michelle Poteet

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Well...it's a wonderful plan. But what do you do when you have a schedule of 8 hours at the office and then have to attend meetings or work on tasks for your free-time activity (eg: an NGO). You suggest to work for 90 minutes, then take a break, then another 90 minutes and so on? Thank you, hope you are more focused then ever!:)

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I do strongly encourage you to work in 90 minutes sprints, and then take a break! Will make it possible for you to be a lot more sustainable working long hours. Cheers!

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ededit 6 days ago in reply to Richard Maybury

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Rene Power 1 week ago

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Great post. I think all too often we find ourselves on Twitter, reading inspiring blog posts like this, having meetings, administering our inboxes or reading sector press, when we should be focusing on the important, if difficult task in hand.

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Tony, How many sessions of 90 minutes did you take during the day when you wrote your fourth book in less that half the time you invested in any of the first three?

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Jens, I did three 90 minutes "sprints" a day -- total of 4 1/2 hours, started at 7 am, ended by 1 pm, went running during one of the renewal breaks. That compares to the 12 hours of "writing" I did at my desk for previous books. The great researcher Anders Ericsson believes that 4 1/2 hours a day is the natural human limits for fully focused work. In my case, I spent the afternoon of work activities requiring less singular concentrations.

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Pardon the typos above. Let me restate without them: The great researcher Anders Ericsson believes that 4 1/2 hours a day is the natural human limit for fully focused work. In my case, I spent the afternoon on work activities requiring less singular concentration.

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I really like how Mr. Schwartz uses 90 minutes for intense concentration. However, instead of the 90-minute focusing time, I use 50-minute one and take a 10-minute break because that's how long the classes and breaks were when I was in high school (I am going to be a freshman in college few months later). I think schools have adopted what is best for their students and that's why I study now at home by myself just like how I used to in school. I will try using the 90-minute focusing time because it has been proven by a study. I am glad I got to know this information

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Jens Erik Pontoppidan Larsen 1 week ago

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notmd 1 week ago

Page 12 of 16

tony.. Tony.. you need to keep up with hrb blogs..the 90 minute routine has been laid out by prior writers..give us 10..

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I'd be interested to hear by what writers. I've written about the 90 minute Ultradian rhythm in other blogs on HBR, and first wrote about it in an HBR article in 2001 (The Making of The Corporate Athlete) and then in the book "The Power of Full Engagement." I do believe that my former colleague Jim Loehr and I helped introduce this concept, but correct me if I'm wrong and you're aware of something earlier.

3 people liked this. Like

Tony.. I must apologize..It was you.. "Why Companies Should Insist that Employees Take Naps".. I was probably in my Nap rhythm..

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Great post, again. I really like this strategy even though it might be a challenge some days :) I've tried to set up my days in these 90 min cycles with refuel times in between seeing my patients. This and the monthly brainstorming mornings are my favorites :) Regards, Vegard www.manuellterapi.org

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agree. put first things first. at least for 90 minutes!

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I think this seems to be a really good practice!

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Page 13 of 16

Even if people do not have time first thing in the morning to allocate to a project (class, work, etc...) it is a great habit to get into because it at least gets you in a mindset of needing to prioritize. Great post!

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Great tip-I will try it!

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I am a big believer in this principle. It's worked for me and has made a big difference in my productivity. Things like email, and social media keep us busy but not always productive. Spending 90 minutes in the morning is time that I intentionally use to get important strategic goals moving forward. One suggestion, if 90 minutes is too long try starting with 30. You can still get a lot accomplished.

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I have to agree that the 90min thing is a brilliant idea for people to work more efficiently.However the beginning of the 90minutes might be a problem for many people cuz we are not so motivated if the work hasn't to be done due to the following day...Tks anyway,I'll try that out when the new semester comes. ;-)

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I have to agree that the 90min thing is a brilliant idea for people to work more efficiently.However the beginning of the 90minutes might be a problem for many people cuz we are not so motivated if the work hasn't to be done due to the following day...Tks anyway,I'll try that out when the new semester comes. ;-)

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