Seeking Sustainability

Sustainability isn’t just about keeping a steady pace. It’s about knowing when to hit the gas and when to pump the brakes. This allows you to do your best work over the long term without burning out.

Let’s explore three ways you can build a sustainable rhythm into your daily life:

1. Balance deep work and unstructured time.
2. Master your energy highs and lows.
3. Build resilience with intentional recovery.

Balance deep work and unstructured time.

To sustain productivity, you need to alternate between focused work and unstructured time. Deep work delivers cognitive breakthroughs, while unstructured exploration sparks creativity. They work in harmony.

Here are three ways to blend both:

1. The 90-30 Rule: Complete 90 minutes of focused work, then take 30 minutes to wander—journal, daydream, or walk outside. These pauses allow your brain to process ideas. Don’t skip them!
2. Morning Deep Work, Afternoon Wandering: Reserve mornings for uninterrupted deep work, then shift into exploration mode in the afternoon. This could be reading, brainstorming, or just walking to let new ideas emerge.
3. Scheduled Reflection Breaks: After each session of deep work, take 10-15 minutes to reflect. Jot down new ideas or just stare out the window—this reflection helps prevent burnout and fosters creativity.

Master your energy highs and lows.

Productivity isn’t about grinding through every task. It’s about matching your energy to your work, acknowledging when you’re drained, and seeking ways to restore your energy through activities that give it back.

Here are three ways to manage your energy:

1. Energy Mapping: Track your energy throughout the day. Schedule your most demanding tasks during peak energy, and save routine work for the dips.
2. Task Switching for Energy Management: Switch between energy-draining and energy-giving tasks. For example, if meetings drain you, recharge afterward with a short walk (or any other energy-giving activity).
3. Mini Energy Breaks: After energy-zapping work, take intentional, short breaks to recharge. This could be a walk, meditation, or stretching—whatever reboots your system. Find what works for you!

Build resilience with intentional recovery.

Resilience isn’t just bouncing back after a busy day—it’s building in recovery to prevent burnout before it hits. Just as athletes need rest days to stay in peak condition, so do you. And resilience is built through intentional recovery.

Here are three ways to build resilience:

1. Scheduled Downtime: Make time for rest. Take a long break away from your desk, have device-free evenings, or designate one full day each week to completely disconnect and recharge.
2. Mindful Transitions: Use small gaps between tasks to reset. At the end of a work session, take five minutes to meditate, stretch, or practice deep breathing before diving into the next block of work.
3. Active Recovery Days: Include low-effort but engaging activities—light exercise, creative hobbies, or reading for fun. These help you recover without disengaging completely.

Sustainability isn’t about pushing through or maintaining a constant pace—it’s about rhythm and balance. It’s knowing when to focus and when to let your mind wander. It’s knowing when to tap into your energy and when to recover.

When you find sustainability, you’ll not only protect yourself from burnout, but you’ll also create space for your best ideas to emerge. Sustainability is a marathon, not a sprint. Take what resonates, experiment for yourself, and find your balance.