May 11th, day one of the productivity heat mapping experiment.

It started off in a bit of shock, I got nearly 6 hours of sleep because I neglected to set my alarm properly (PM instead of AM). I usually aim for 4 to 5 hours max – its part of a different Life Experiment.

This was an amazing day for me, energetically. I felt in flow almost the entire day, and the “productive sensation” was on – I was outside my head, focused not only on what I was doing but on how cool it all was!

My level 4 periods weren’t even for my own projects, they were while I was delivering carpet for my father’s business. Even though I know thats not going to be my life path, I was pumped to do it because I knew it was what was best in that moment, and that in the evening I’d be writing and reading furiously!

I was listening to David Allen’s “Getting Things Done” in the car and voice recording key points to my cell phone. That evening I wrote down all these key points in a new word document.

May 12th, the second day of experimentation. 

This time I got a bit over two hours of sleep. I knew that I got a bunch the night before (on my terms, anyway), and I wanted to see hwo well I could roll on two hours.

I realize while teaching Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class that I feel more engaged and productive when I am teaching relatively new material or unique concepts. If it interests me more, or if I can learn from it, I feel more “on.”

In the night I talked to my friends about something we’re doing this summer called the Summer FunBoys, a group we made up for fun to serve and engage the community in fun ways. It was an awesome conversation. At the time, I think I did this time a disservice by calling it a 2 (yellow), it was an awesome talk. 

I notice something on this night (something that continues since the inclusion of my “Sleep Less” Life Experiment). Each night I aim to recap 3 great things that happened during that day. Lately when I hit the bed, I’m out like a light every single time, and I’m unable to savor those little magic moments.

May 13th, still a pretty phenomenally productive day despite my accumulated 6 hours of sleep total in the last 48 hours.

I woke up with no initial big BLAST to accomplish, I had no immediate goals in mind though my project list was as full as ever – I just didn’t set anything juicy for myself in the morning. 

While doing some writing in the green (1) zone, and in the yellow (2) and orange (3) zones, I realize that my higher productivity / emotional state times are when I am focused specifically on how AWESOME it will be to complete these goals, and the grand vision I have – in addition to building something interesting in the present.