Management tips:

International productivity clock and personal efficiency rhythm

Dr. K. Kuhathasan, CEO, Cenlead

A deeper understanding of the "International Productivity Clock" will help you to organise yourself and your work in a very pleasant and productive manner.

Industrial Psychologists classify a day into three time zones - "Alpha time," "Beta time" and "Delta time". Alpha time lasts only for about one hour from the time you getup from the bed early in the morning. Alpha time is further divided into two more time zones - "Most Productive Time" (MPT) and "Productive time" (PT). MPT lasts only for about ten minutes from the time you getup. The rest of the time is PT.

Dominant player

Your mind is the most dominant player during the alpha time. Your bring and the subconscious mind are secondary players.

It is, therefore, necessary to activate, alert and stimulate your mind at this time for maximum positive emotional energy that will energise you throughout the day.

Industrial psychologists recommends that this can be achieved by implanting, positive, healthy and creative emotions and feelings in your mind.

They also advocate that if you begin the day with positive, constructive dynamic thoughts and optimistic outlook, you will be active, alert, smart, happy, enthusiastic and productive throughout the whole day.

Therefore, cheerup yourself for a happy, healthy and productive day early in the morning. Fill your mind with nourishing thoughts and develop a healthy mental outlook.

On the otherhand, if you begin the day with negative feelings, negative thoughts and upsetting plans, you will be dull, lazy, unhappy and unproductive throughout the day.

Organising the day with a "Plan for the day" and visualising your activities for the day during the MPT will also help you to implement your plans and programmes very successfully.

Beta time

Beta time follows the alpha time. Your brain is the dominant player during beta time. Mind and the Subconscious mind are secondary players. Beta time works till about 8 p.m. Beta time is divided into four subtime zones - peak energy time, Prime time, low energy time and review time.

Peak energy time lasts till about 10.30 a.m. and it is the ideal time to complete all "Urgent and important" tasks. Prime time functions from 10.30 am till about 12.30 p.m. and all "not urgent but important" assignments can be completed during this time. Your intellectual energy can be maximised by adopting the above system.

Low energy time

Low energy time functions after lunch time upto about 3 p.m. All routine and repetitive as well as "not urgent and not important functions" can be completed during this time.

Delta time

Your renewal time functions until you complete the tasks for this day and it is during this period you can review your work and complete all the uncompleted assignments and tasks.

Delta time works from about 8 p.m. until the early hours of the next day. Your subconscious mind is the key player during this time.

By undertaking a "time audit", by "Planning your assignments for the following day and by undertaking a "self-motivation mental exercise" at this time, you can have access to the vast wealth of knowledge, stored in your subconscious mind and make use of them for your self-development and self improvement.

By undertaking the above three mental exercises, daily during the last few minutes before you retire to bed, you can develop your creative energy and your subconscious mind will offer you valuable suggestions, recommendations and ideas by way of intuition to make your work more productive.