Happy Hump Hour!

“Hump Day” Wednesday is the day of the week which denotes halfway completion of the work week. By Wednesday, we are rejuvenated from the past weekend, get more accomplished, and are ready for the upcoming weekend only to start over again the following week. But what part of the day is your “hump hour?” This is the time of day when you are most productive and focused. It could be after you have a cup of coffee or two, had a bagel, or after the team meeting. You may have focal points that occur several times throughout the day. Here are a few ways to be productive when your “hump hour” arrives.

Schedule appointments or meetings.
Since this is the most productive time for you, use it to your advantage. This is the best time to schedule appointments and meetings because you will be focused and alert and will be able to approach the discussions more effectively. Most importantly you will be able to take good notes.

For those who manage their boss’ calendar, realize what time of the day is your boss is most productive. If your boss sees clients throughout the day, try to schedule the most “pressing” meetings during his or her “hump hour.” Be mindful to give your boss time to breathe between meetings so that they can take a break, read emails, or just relax to gather their thoughts for the next meeting.

Work on high priority, high importance tasks
John Maxwell, author of Leadership 101, suggests that high priority and high importance tasks should be tackled first. So why not work on them when you are at your peak. You will get a lot done and maybe even complete the project or two.

Update your To-Do /Task List
For some people, their hump hour is at the end of time when it’s time to go home. If this is you, this is the perfect time to update your task list while your mind is fresh and alert. You will be able to think clearly about what needs to be done in the future. Wherever possible, set deadlines because since you are more energized at the end of the day, you will need a clear list with deadlines of when items need to be done. Plus you will feel a sense of accomplishment when you cross of items on the list.

Recognize the time of the day when you are most focused and coherent. You will accomplish a lot and then just as the new work week begins, you will be prepared to do it all over again.