Month: November 2021

There are two separate aspects to providing support to another.

First, you need to observe the behavior or acknowledge the circumstances. Has the person been under considerable stress? Do they seem in an uncharacteristically sour mood? Are there signs of the person being overwhelmed? Did a rough situation happen in their life?

Then, if you address the issue, you need to leave space for them to choose the response. Someone who has encountered tragedy at home may see their volunteer time as a welcome escape rather than an obligation. A person who has lost a loved one may prefer to be alone — or may be delighted by an invitation. Someone who is ill may wish to talk about their worries or may prefer to be distracted from them.

And the reverse may be true for them tomorrow.

It’s easy to see a gloomy behavior or hear about unfortunate circumstances and want to jump in with the best of intentions. But make your actions about them, rather than about you. State your observation but then ask what would be helpful rather than assuming you know. What constitutes support can only be determined by the recipient, not the giver.

While science can’t add more hours to our day, an understanding of human rhythms can help make us more efficient with our tasks, according to author Daniel Pink. His research into “when” highlighted that people go through stages during the day that impact both mood and performance and adjusting the type of work to the appropriate cycle can allow us to take advantage of the underlying pattern.

When we are at our peak (the morning hours for most people), the research says we will be most productive if we focus on analytical tasks or deep work that requires our full attention. When we hit a trough (afternoon hours for most), we are better suited to administrative tasks that are less intensive. Often overlooked is that most people experience a recovery phase (later in the evening) where we are most creative and have greater insights. Pink’s research was interesting to me because our normal stages don’t correspond to the typical 9-5 workday, with the prime time for reflection coming after hours.

How can you use science instead of chance to capitalize on the timing of your tasks? Consider when you schedule meetings or block out time for more concentrated work. Maybe more serious meetings are held in the morning and routine check-ins during the afternoon? Or I could stop staring at the computer trying to write dots in the afternoon and wait until the evening when juices are more likely to be flowing!

We’re all looking to make the most out of our day. Use Pink’s research to help you know not just how, but when to do that.

Source: Daniel Pink presentation: How to make time your ally, not your enemy at the Dream Bank Summit, 10/6/21 — also his book “When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing”, 2019