We behave in a particular way and then we say “I am like this….”, when in fact we’ve just created habits, which may be good ones or bad ones, but not impossible to change, if wished. Confession: “I am an evening person”, is nothing but a habit I’ve created for myself, believing my own gospel that I am at my most creative and productive at that time.
Some weeks ago I listened to a talk on ‘The Perfect Day Plan’ by Jost Sauer. The day plan is based on centuries of wisdom contained within Chinese medicine, which looks upon our universe as made of energy. During the 20th century science, quantum energy, has started to explain how this works.
For the hard core skeptics and closed minds, just because we cannot explain some things through our science does not mean it does not exist, right. We understand that, otherwise we’d know it all and scientific research would be unnecessary. In fact it is fascinating to read some of the comments people make when they watch and listen to key scientists on this topic. I think my ‘favorite’ out the bunch is this “I don’t know much about quantum theory, but I do know a load of shit when I smell it”.
I like to err on the side of learning and curiosity, putting puzzles together, which bring something to my existence. Creating wholes, which explain and connect and which seem to shine light to dark unexplained areas of how it all comes together.
The Perfect Day Plan draws from an understanding of our energy and of the cycles, which make up our time on earth and the way our universe revolves. It proposes that there is the ‘right’ time to do certain things in a day. The idea is not that one slavishly follows this every day as things happen which take us off course. However after following the rhythm proposed, when one veers of it, a bit of a ‘hangover’ ensues.
Some simple things to do, all of which make perfect practical sense and yet we don’t do it:
1. 7-9am: Be good to your body, exercise and good breakfast, preferably porridge and some protein. If you do your exercise here it will translate to your body all through the day, if you do it at night you will halt the benefit at sleep time…
2. 9am-1pm: Best time for heavy duty thinking and acting as well as creating
3. 1-3pm: Lunch, no sandwiches please, and lighter work
4. 3-5pm: Go with the flow
5. 5-7pm: Transition time, best time for sex :-), I know some men will object as it is their sleeping pill….but there are good reasons to do in this time slot
6. 7-9pm: Dinner and play time, @home and safe, being yourself, relaxed
7. 9-11pm: Falling asleep, no TV, computer or even reading in bed (the other ‘rules’ are fine but no reading… whoa hang-on a sec)
8. 11pm-5am: Sleep
9. 5-7am: Wake up and meditate or otherwise welcome the new day
One funny thing Jost spoke about during his talk was – if we must go to the gym during transition time 5-7pm or even later, the best thing we can do is take a bottle of wine, glass and walk around the gym chatting about the day, venting the bad and celebrating the good. So the pub hour makes perfect sense.
The other thing proposed is that if he could ban some foods out of a diet he’d get rid of wheat and sugar, sugary cereals in particular. It is in fact really hard to avoid sugar as so many things have sugar as a preservative. Our modern processed world is making us sick! Lunch should be the major meal. Contrary to some suggestions three good meals a day is the best way to eat, not eating ‘a little’ all day long. Our system needs to know what it is supposed to be doing and be given time to do that well.
Over the last few weeks I have put Jost’s Perfect Day Plan for the most part to practice to see and feel the difference it might make in my energy and ability to stick to my plans for a day.
I have noticed the following:
1. I have less trouble getting up earlier, not quite 5am but within the wake up window
2. As I am an entrepreneur and set my own schedules for the most part, it is good to have a schedule
3. I don’t usually have much trouble sleeping. Now it would seem that I wake up with dreams a lot more, what ever that means
4. I don’t need cups of tea or coffee to keep going
5. Exercise in the morning used to be a ‘no-way Jose’ for me, no longer the case
6. I spend less pointless time at my computer
7. I read more 🙂
I believe one of the psychological reasons why I stayed up late, and still do at times, is that I try to extend my life by stretching the day. Well it just does not work, does it? I did not gain time. That’s the one big leveler, we all got the same 24 hours in a day.
One final point however. Apparently if one follows this rhythm one needs less sleep, which is a great thing for me, this is the big reward, I do gain time. So far the jury is still out on that one, but I have seen a difference when I’ve followed this daily rhythm as close as possible for a few days in a row. A few weeks does not a habit make, so let’s see where I will be in about six weeks time.
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