Ever feel like you’ve worked hard all day, but got nothing done? You’re not alone. Many highly competent people end the day feeling completely underwhelmed by their performance. Of course, this doesn’t mean they were unproductive. Events, disruptions and even minor hiccups can profoundly influence the average workday.

Still, there must be a way to achieve more with less stress.

This is where the “Best 4” concept comes in. These are the four hours of the day during which you are the most productive, creative and energised; when you can accomplish your most urgent and challenging tasks and upgrade your work and life.

But how do you find your best 4? And how do you leverage them in real time?

Finding your best 4

The first step is to understand your chronotype, or natural preference, for when you feel most alert and active during the day. According to the science of circadian rhythms, there are three main chronotypes:

1.   Morning “larks”: Early risers who tend to wake up before sunrise, go to bed early, and feel most energetic and productive in the mornings

2.   Night “owls”: Late sleepers who stay up past midnight, struggle to wake up early, and feel most energetic and productive in the evenings

3.   Intermediate: People who fall somewhere in between; who can adapt to different schedules depending on the situation

It is likely that you immediately identified with one of these chronotypes (and, unfortunately, it is also likely that your partner is the opposite). If you can’t relate to any of them, try observing your natural sleep patterns when you aren’t influenced by external factors like alarms, deadlines or social obligations.

Once you know your chronotype, you can identify your peak performance hours. These are usually in the first half of the day for morning larks, in the second half for night owls, and around midday for intermediate types.

Leveraging your best 4

Once you’ve established your best 4, try to schedule your most important and challenging tasks for this period of time. These may be writing, problem-solving, decision-making or learning – depending on your work. Aligning your to-dos with your natural rhythm will help boost your productivity, creativity and well-being.

But this is only the first step.

To really elevate your best 4, you must create the optimal work conditions. Try to:

·        Safeguard: Switch off your phone, email and social media notifications, and tell your colleagues, clients, and family that you’re MIA during this time. Work in a quiet, comfortable space where you can focus and avoid distractions.

·        Prioritise: Don’t waste your best 4 on trivial tasks that can be done at any time of day. Instead, use them for tasks requiring the most mental energy, creativity and concentration. These tasks will move the needle closer to your goals and make you feel accomplished and satisfied.

·        Prepare: There’s no point taking up valuable focus time on prep, so ensure that everything is ready for your success before you start your best 4. Set up your tools, materials, information and checklist. Even better, try to exercise before you start to warm up your body and brain.

·        Celebrate: At the end of your best 4, reflect and pat yourself on the back. Reward yourself with something that makes you happy: a break, a slice of cake, a walk. This will motivate you to keep it up.