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What Are 'Performance Requirements'?

Your body has Performance Requirements. If you don't give your body what it needs to run, you'll stop functioning before you reach your goals.

You need nutrition, rest and exercise to be productive. Here are some tips:

• Eat high-quality food.
• Exercise regularly.
• Get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
• Get enough sun, but not too much.
• Feed your brain the raw materials it needs to run. You may need to get some of these in supplement forms.

It's a good idea to Experiment to see what works for you to improve your energy, productivity and mood.

Josh Kaufman Explains 'Performance Requirements'

Pounding Red Bull and pulling all-nighters can only take you so far.

If you want to do good work, taking care of yourself isn't optional. If you don't give your body what it needs to run, you'll run out of gas long before you reach your goals.

Your mind is first and foremost a physical system. Oftentimes, what we experience as mental fatigue or emotional distress is simply a signal from our body that we're not getting enough of something we physically need: nutrients, exercise, or rest.

If you want to get things done, you can’t run on “empty”—the human body has Performance Requirements. Just as a car can’t run with an empty gas tank or a broken spark plug, your body can’t operate for long without a few necessary inputs.

When you have a lot of work to do, it's common to think that taking care of yourself is a secondary concern. It's not-taking care of yourself should be your primary concern if you want to get important things done without burning out.

Nutrition, exercise, and rest are the inputs your body converts into productive energy. Poor (or too little) input inevitably reduces the quantity and quality of your output.

Here are a few basic guidelines to help you get the most of each day:

Eat high quality food.

Garbage In, Garbage Out-pay attention to what you put into your body. If you eat meat, eggs, or dairy, avoid sources that contain antibiotics or hormones.

Also avoid refined sugar and processed foods as much as possible-if your great- grandparents wouldn't immediately recognize it as food, don't eat it.

Eating a small snack or meal every 2.5 hours or so helps keep your blood sugar stable, so you don't crash during the day. I'm the kind of guy who sometimes forgets to eat, so I try to keep things simple-a handful of almonds or a piece of fruit work best for me.

Use caffeine in moderation-herbal tea is a good substitute for soda, and carrying a water bottle makes it much easier to stay hydrated.

Exercise regularly.

According to Brain Rules by John Medina, even low-intensity physical activity increases energy, improves mental performance, and enhances your ability to focus.

Going for a walk or run, jumping rope, or doing a bit of yoga can help clear the cobwebs in your mind and give you more energy for the rest of the day. I often swing around a 14 pound sledgehammer to get my blood pumping-it's a cheap and effective weightlifting tool that doesn't take up much space. (Just don't hit anything.)

Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Sleep helps consolidate the results of Pattern Matching and Mental Simulation, as well as reverses the effects of Willpower Depletion (all discussed later)-don't skimp on rest.

I find it useful to set an alarm to remind me to go to bed, giving me enough time to wind down before retiring for the night.

Going to bed early helps you get up early, which is very useful if you do creative work-I find it's best to write or do other creative tasks before the day begins, so you don't get distracted and run out of time.

Get enough sun, but not too much.

Vitamin D is an important part of many chemical reactions in your body, and your body can only synthesize it if your skin is exposed to direct, non-filtered sunlight. (Light through windows doesn't count.) Just don't get too much-sunburns and skin cancer aren't fun.

Light helps set your circadian rhythm, which affects your sleeping patterns. I regularly use a light therapy device to ensure I'm getting enough light, particularly in the winter months. As little as ten minutes of sunlight in the morning is a very easy way to improve both your sleep and your mood.

Feed your brain the raw materials it needs to run.

If you've ever felt angry, sad, apathetic, or lethargic for no reason, your body may not be getting enough of the raw materials necessary to build the neurotransmitters responsible for making you feel good.

In The Mood Cure, Julia Ross explains that your brain needs certain compounds to produce critical mood-altering neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.

Without the materials necessary to build these mood-altering chemicals, you'll feel off, even if everything in your world is going just fine.

Changes in our modern diet make it necessary to get some of these substances in supplement form. A good multivitamin supplement, fish oil, magnesium, and essential amino acids can go a long way to ensure your brain has what it needs to function effectively. Just make sure whatever you buy is highly bioavailable-supplements won't help you if they pass through your body undigested.

I constantly Experiment with new ways to improve my energy, productivity, and mood-I recommend you do the same.

Guiding Structure can help make these lifestyle changes much easier-changing the structure of my environment has helped me make many changes almost effortlessly, including three years on a vegan diet. (No animal products.) Don't be afraid to try something new to see if you notice an improvement-just be safe.

When in doubt, consider how your ancient ancestors lived, and act accordingly.

Questions About 'Performance Requirements'

• How are you treating your body? Are all of your physical needs being met?
• What can you do to make taking care of yourself a bigger priority?

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"Now no joy but lacks salt, / That is not dashed with pain / And weariness and fault..."

Robert Frost, poet

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