HOW TO LIVE YOUR LIFELIKE A GENIUS

Lessons on Productivityfrom Charles Dickens

SMALL BUSINESS OWNERSare often searching for ways to be more productive. If you’re looking for tips on how to whittle down your to-do list faster, there’s no better source of inspiration than the creative geniuses who have made mankind great.

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INFO WE TRUSTrecently unveiled an infographic detailing the daily

lives of some of history's most accomplished geniuses. The infographic shows us the diligent

routines that many creative greats followed in order to maximize their productivity.

Let’s take a look at a day in the life of Charles Dickens and talk about the lessons we can learn from how he

spent his time.

GET A GOOD NIGHT'S RESTCharles Dickens slept from midnight until seven in the morning every day, which is not far off from the commonly-cited figure of eight hours a night.

EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT SLEEP NEEDSbut many of us try to get by with less than our

bodies demand. Follow Dickens’ advice and sleepwell every night.

IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLEfiguring out how much sleep you need, a wearable tech device like UP from Jawbone can record your sleep cycles for you and tell you just how much of that essential REM sleep you’re actually getting.

WAKE UP NATURALLYIf you wake up groggy to the same alarm each

morning, this is likely doing your body a disservice. Waking up according to your body’s

natural rhythm is a great foundation for a productive day.

IF YOU NEED A LITTLE HELP GETTING UPat the right time, try an app like Sleep Cycle, which analyzes your sleeping patterns and wakes you up when you’re in the lightest stage of sleep.

MOST PEOPLE'S SCHEDULESdon’t allow them to wake up whenever they feel like it.

That’s why it is recommend to give yourself an hour like Dickens did, so that you have a little leeway to wake up

naturally without being late for work.

EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFASTDickens dedicated an hour each morning just to eat his breakfast. By turning off your phone and relaxing during breakfast, you’ll be making the rest of the work you do throughout the day way more productive.

SMALL TIP:You can make mealtimes less stressful

by planning your meals in advance.

WORK WHEN YOU'RE MOST PRODUCTIVEDickens was a morning person, working from nineto two every day, sequestered in his study “in absolute quiet.”

JUST LIKE DICKENS,it’s important to block out a specific time just for work

and also to determine the environment in which you work best in order to maximize productivity.

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FOR TIME BLOCKING,simply marking off a few hours in a calendar goes a long way. Close the door, turn off email, and get started with a small task to build up momentum.

EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISEOnly 1 in 3 American adults get the recommended

amount of weekly exercise. If Dickens can take three hours out of his day to exercise, you can spare at least

30 minutes for a brisk walk or light jog.

THE INCREASED BLOOD FLOW & ENDORPHINScan give you much more energy than any cup of coffee could and, in fact, one writer even found that his overall cognitive performance improved 12% after exercising but only 6% after a cup of coffee.

NEED SOME MORE MOTIVATION?There are several apps you can download on your phone

that will encourage you to exercise. GymPact is an app that gets you to pay up if you don’t work out.

TAKE BREAKS FROM YOUR WORKDickens not only took a full hour for dinner, he also dedicated five hours after dinner to friends and family. That down time allowed his brain to rest, so he was ready to go the next day.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISTAKES people make is trying to work all the time, but taking

breaks has actually been shown to improve both focus and productivity. That means you’ll spend less time

working and get more done.

IN CONCLUSION,time doesn’t have to be something you wish you had more of. Greater productivity is attainable with just a few small changes to your daily routine. Are you ready to give it a shot, Dickens style?

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