How to Become More Productive Than 97 Percent of People?

The art of ultra-productivity is about knowing how to work with 100 percent effort, then rest with 100 percent effort.

This is what human performance psychologist Anders Ericsson meant when he said, “100 percent when you’re on, 100 percent when you’re off.” This ebb-and-flow is what defines ultra-productive performers, allowing them to consistently enter flow states and accomplish far more than the average person in a fraction of the time. If you want to maximize your energy output, you have to learn how to maximize your recharging when you’re done.

The quality of your best work depends on the quality of your deepest rest.

LeBron James just won his fourth NBA title as the best player on his championship team, a feat many pundits considered impossible at 35 years old.

LeBron has credited his seemingly-superhuman abilities and consistency to a daily, hyper-strict rejuvenation process. When he’s not performing at world-class levels on the court, his rest time includes a “staggering amount of sleep,” sometimes getting 12 hours of sleep a night. He even takes naps in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, which he takes with him as he travels for games across the country.

This is not how most people operate. Many people are in a constant state of readiness, poised to answer an email, go to a meeting, or drop whatever they’re doing on the whims of their boss/colleagues.

But this constant state of readiness is exhausting, leaving minimal energy to actually put in quality work. Their ability to be productive diminishes with each minute they’re waiting for “the call” to work on whatever needs their attention. They aren’t able to produce quality work, preventing them from creating a body of work that separates them from the rest of the pack.

Fortunately, you can position yourself to start maximizing your work and rest with just a few simple tweaks, allowing you to become more productive than 97 percent of people.

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