Big Idea Daily | When
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The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timingby Daniel H. Pink |
“If you even have modest control over your schedule, try to nudge your most important work, which usually requires vigilance and clear thinking, into the peak and push your second-most important work, or tasks that benefit from disinhibition, into the rebound period. Whatever you do, do not let mundane tasks creep into your peak period.”DANIEL H. PINK |
BIG IDEA
The Hidden Pattern Of Everyday Life
FROM THE BOOK“Across continents and time zones, as predictable as the ocean tides, was the same daily oscillation—a peak, a trough, and a rebound.
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Beneath the surface of our everyday life is a hidden pattern: crucial, unexpected, and revealing.
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Since de Mairan’s discovery nearly three centuries ago, scientists have established that nearly all living things—from single-cell organisms that lurk in ponds to multicellular organisms that drive minivans—have biological clocks. These internal timekeepers play an essential role in proper functioning. They govern a collection of what are called circadian rhythms (from the Latin circa [around] and diem [day]) that set the daily backbeat of every creature’s life. (Indeed, from de Mairan’s potted plant eventually bloomed an entirely new science of biological rhythms known as chronobiology.)
For you and me, the biological Big Ben is the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN, a cluster of some 20,000 cells the size of a grain of rice in the hypothalamus, which sits in the lower center of the brain. The SCN controls the rise and fall of our body temperature, regulates our hormones, and helps us fall asleep at night and awaken in the morning.” |
Brian's Notes
That’s from chapter 1 in which we study a little chronobiology, meet our suprachiasmatic nucleus (or SCN) and discover “The Hidden Pattern of Everyday Life.”
Get this: You can track the mood of people’s Twitter posts and what you’ll find is that “People feel increasingly happy throughout the morning, less happy in the afternoon, and happier again in the evening.” (Good news: It’s not just you. lol.)
Dan walks us through a bunch of studies that show us a consistent “peak, a trough, and rebound.” Across all continents and time zones. As predictable as the ocean waves…
We all oscillate. The first section of the book is all about helping us understand these rhythms and, of course, optimize them. Let’s take a deeper look.
(btw: If you haven’t already: check out Masterpiece Days 101 for more ideas on the subject!)
Big Ideas
01: THE HIDDEN PATTERN
02: BREAKS
03: NAPPUCCINO
04: BEGINNINGS
05: MIDPOINTS
“Time isn’t the main thing. It’s the only thing.”MILES DAVIS |
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