Work With Your Brain, Not Against It

• David Kadavy flips the productivity script. Instead of obsessing over managing time, he argues we should manage our mind — tapping into our mental energy, creativity, and rhythms to do meaningful work.
• If your to-do list feels endless and your energy inconsistent, this one’s for you.

1. Honor Your Creative Rhythms

👉 Your energy fluctuates. Plan around it.

• Notice when your brain feels sharpest — morning deep work? Afternoon brainstorms?
• Don’t force creative work when you’re drained. Use low-energy times for admin tasks.
• Feeling inspired? Drop everything (when you can) and ride the wave — creative flow is rare and precious.

💡 Try this:

Create a weekly template: “Mornings = Deep Work, Afternoons = Light Work.”

Let your brain dictate the schedule — not the clock.

2. Think in Terms of Energy, Not Time

👉 Not all hours are equal.

• Two hours of high-focus creativity > six hours of distracted effort.
• Instead of budgeting time, ask: “What kind of energy do I have right now?”
• Match tasks to energy: high-focus work (writing, problem-solving) during peak hours; low-focus work (emails, errands) during dips.

💡 Try this:

Create an “Energy Menu” of tasks:

🔋 High: brainstorming, building, writing

🔌 Medium: editing, planning

🪫 Low: admin, emails, cleaning