Creating a baseline for yourself
So, who is this method best suited for? The short answer is: absolutely everyone! Whatever area of your life you want to improve in, this method will work with you to reach your goals and realise your dream. Your goals could be anything from learning a new language, reading more books, or starting a new business. It can also work for improving at something very active, like sports or fitness goals. Whatever your dream, The Quantum Method will work to break down your goals into smaller pieces that can be built upon during any part of your day. Over the next weeks, months, or years, you will see improvements. Some of these improvements may be difficult to visualise at first, but it is important to keep the bigger goal in mind and remain consistent with your hard work. This is why you will need to create a baseline for yourself; a series of questions and answers that help you to understand where you are in your journey and where you are going.
First, you must learn how to be as efficient as possible in this new system so you can maximise productivity with the bare minimum of change and sacrifice to your life. We do this by analysing your daily habits and schedule as they are today. It is for this very reason that The Quantum Method is so named, because it analyses the smallest components of your schedule to identify areas for improvement. These components are often overlooked in traditional methods, but they are the key to creating small but consistent gains over time. This method can work exceptionally well, but only when coupled with another component we will examine — time management. It is equally crucial to identify inefficiencies in our schedule early, because these are usually the best pockets of time to work on your goals.
How often have you organised your day with endless lists, only to be left feeling exhausted with an overbooked schedule? Or worse, you face the reality of not being able to complete everything in your schedule, so you cut time from somewhere else to make up for it.
The coupling of the analysis of your goals and schedule with time management is a powerful combination, and we will explore the scientific reasoning behind this and how we can use these strategies to work for us. But, as important as time management is, it should be noted that not all time throughout your day will be equally productive for you. Of course, there are always going to be times when you will just have to push forward despite feeling like you don’t want to work on your goals, but we will work to minimise these instances.
All the talking is now done and we are about to begin this process; now, we need to understand your preferred working styles. Below, you will be asked to take a look at your working habits and answer the following questions as honestly as possible. Even if there are some answers that you don’t like, please remember, there is little point in cheating here; after all, it is only you who will see the answers. Please think carefully about each question because it will determine how to integrate the methods into your own life. It is never easy to look at yourself introspectively and critique your best and worst habits affecting your productivity. But remember, it is necessary in order to understand how to get the most out of the following chapters.
“The goals you have are for yourself and nobody else, so you should dream as much as you want”
Write down the answers to the questions in your journal. If you are unsure of how to answer any of the questions, then feel free to take some time to write them. One way to do this would be to make notes throughout the day so that, by the end of the week, you will have a better idea of some of your answers. Don’t forget, you can continually update your answers after implementing some of the methods for yourself, tailoring them as you learn more throughout the process. Don’t worry if you are unsure about answering any of the questions: try your best to answer, continue reading through the book, and come back to them when you can. Reading through the remainder of the book will help you to have a better sense of the philosophy and approach we are taking. However, you will need to revisit the chapters once you have your answers to the following questions. Time to begin.
Question 1. When do you feel the most awake and alert during the day?
This is one of the most straightforward questions to answer as it will likely come to mind immediately. Rather than think of this time as simply the morning or evening, we are going to split up the daily hours during which you are awake, into two–hour blocks, ranking them from 1–8 (this could be more than 1–8 depending on how long you are typically awake for in a given day). Put a number 1 in the 2–hour block where you feel the most alert, and write the number 8 in the 2–hour block where all you think about is sleeping, and there would be little point in trying to get any work done here. The numbers between (2–7) should be written where appropriate. The bigger the number, the more likely it is that you want to stop and rest.
What is helpful about using the 2–hour blocks is that they can be placed in any order that you feel is right for you and can be viewed independently from each other, meaning they don’t have to follow a numerical order. For example, just because you feel awake and alert between 9–11 am and fill it with number 1, doesn’t mean that you won’t feel tired and sluggish from 11–1 pm, and put a number 6 there.
For the best results, create numbered time blocks for each day of the week, rather than a general day. A recent report [1] suggested that our most productive times during the week are between Tuesday and Thursday, from 10:30 am to 3:00 pm. These values will vary daily because multiple factors contribute to our energy levels, such as our mealtime, exercise, workload, daylight, and stimulants like caffeine. To this end, if there is a particular time window when you have caffeine, exercise, or eat a meal, it may be worth jotting that down in the time window too. It will help to give you an idea as to the reasons you feel the way you do. For example, after carbohydrate–heavy meals, it is normal to feel tired and sluggish for an hour or two, and it is also normal to feel more alert after consuming caffeine (although not always, depending on your daily consumption and tolerance).
Question 2. When are you the most productive?
Although this question may appear very similar to question 1, the answers may not necessarily be the same. A scientific study looking at the productivity of people throughout the week reported fluctuations in cognitive function and productivity levels depending on the day. [2] In other words, there are many factors that can have an effect on our productivity and so we need to look at them individually.
For instance, you could feel awake and alert immediately after getting out of bed and taking a shower but have responsibilities that prevent you from working on your daily tasks and being productive. Perhaps there are children that need to get ready for school, a dog to walk, or a long commute into work. These are times when you cannot be productive (or so you think). It could also work in the opposite manner. For example, perhaps you finish work for the day and carve out an hour in the evening but are exhausted and ready for your bed. You can be productive during these hours because you compel yourself to work, despite feeling tired and needing to rest.
You can make another schedule for this question, again using 2–hour time blocks numbered 1–8, with number 1 placed in times where you are the most productive, and the number 8 in times when you are the least productive. Make sure to fill out all of the 2–hour time blocks with the remaining numbers. We will use both schedules from the first two questions to find the best time for you to be your most productive, but for now, separate the plans in your journal. In later chapters, we will look for overlap between the two numbering scales.
Question 3. How do you learn best?
From our experiences as children, most people assume that we learn because we watch someone stand at the front of a classroom and talk at us for hour upon tedious hour. For some, this can be a useful way to learn, especially for those of us who can listen attentively and leave with a newfound knowledge of a topic. For others, it can feel like white noise and a mind–numbing example of how not to learn. There is a wide variety of methods for people to learn new information and skills, and recent research is paving the way to explore these methods for individualised learning.
For this question, ask yourself about your preferred method of learning something new. For example, are you a visual learner? Meaning that images, videos, and diagrams integrate themselves into your memory better than a person explaining something or when you read from a book. Maybe you learn very quickly when you are actively doing something. This style may be suited for things like dancing or sports. Do you require visualisation and coaching before putting everything into practice to hit the ground running? This may require a slower and more methodical learning style, so you are absolutely clear on the task and expected outcomes before starting. There are many ways that you can learn something new, and taking a little time to understand what works best for you will pay off in the long–term, because whatever your goals are for your future, there will always be new and unfamiliar paths that you take. Like anything new, there will be a learning curve, and understanding how to get the best out of your time when learning them will improve your productivity in the long term.
Let’s shed a little more light on the different learning styles that you may want to have a think about. A verbal learner will respond well when ideas and concepts are explained to them, like in a classroom lecture or podcast, but also by reviewing written texts. The use of language will convey ideas more effectively compared to other methods.
Physical learning is one that occurs by actually doing something. A person who favours this type of learning might learn faster by performing the action themselves and figuring it out by trial and error.
Logical learning is typically associated with mathematical problems that need to be understood. The control and order of numbers and routines will appeal to the conventional logical learner.
Auditory learning is done by listening to information so it can be processed more clearly. This can range from audiobooks or podcasts to the typical musical notes of a song that a musician can understand and replicate often without the need for any written material.
Visual learners respond well to images, graphs, charts, and general illustrations that grab their attention to explain concepts. Mind maps are a common method that visual learners use, where all of the ideas and concepts are sketched out in front of them, making it easier to integrate the information and connected themes.
Social learning occurs best when information and ideas are communicated clearly between groups of people. This a common activity within classrooms or workshops where people are placed into groups who need to work together to solve a problem. Real estate, sales, and project management are professions that often attract social learners because teamwork and communication are natural methods for a person to learn more about their role and improve their abilities.
Solitary learners are more adept at taking their own time to work through any material that needs to be understood, because it allows them to find explanations themselves with few distractions. This is often done by reading through a manual or textbook, or simply working in a quiet space.
Despite the learning styles mentioned, it is more likely that you will learn by utilising all the different styles depending on the circumstances and information that you want to learn. However, some styles will appeal to you much more than others, and understanding these categories can help facilitate the learning process for you in the future.
Question 4. What are your short, medium, and long–term goals?
This will be covered in more detail as we continue, but it is a good idea to have them in your mind throughout every chapter. After all, they are your reasons for reading this book and learning how to become more productive in the pursuit of your goals. I’m sure everyone has heard of these types of goals before, and so it is not about reinventing the wheel here. For this question, you just need to write down some of the main goals you have. Later in the book, we will explore the science behind goal setting and how to maximise your productivity by using a more nuanced approach to goal setting than you have seen before.
To start with, let’s take a look at the short–term goals. A short–term goal could look something like, “I need to finish reading this book by Friday for the book club I am going to this weekend”, or “I need to run 20 miles by the next weekend”. Something that needs to happen within the next few days or weeks would be categorised as a short–term goal.
A medium–term goal could be anywhere from a few weeks from now, to six months, and could look like, “I want to learn how to have a basic conversation in German”, or it could be, “I want to build a website and blog that will complement my social media account within six months”. Like with all of the questions here, try not to write the first thing that comes to mind. Dig through your thoughts and put effort into describing your goals. You can have as many or as few as you like, so don’t be afraid to be ambitious.
The long–term goals are something entirely different. Typically, they are anything from 6–12 months or longer. They are usually what we think of when we talk about our goals and dreams for the future. It could be something like, “I want to be financially stable by the time I start a family in the next five years”, or “I want to be world–famous for my art 20 years from now”. It could literally be anything you can imagine, no matter how strange or far away that idea may seem today. Remember, the goals you have are for yourself and nobody else, so you should dream as much as you want without the fear of how others may perceive it.
With that in mind, although you are under no obligation to tell anybody your goals and dreams, there are benefits to letting others participate in them. This can be done to hold yourself more accountable or to simply share the joy you find in working towards your passion. A large research study that combined the data from over 140 smaller studies with a total of 16,500 people found that goal setting had a significant ability to change a person’s behaviour and improve performance and productivity.10 What’s more, goal setting became more effective when the goals were difficult, facilitated group work, or were shared publicly. Therefore, the benefits of sharing your goals with others around you and updating them on your progress has been demonstrated to be significantly beneficial to your goals.
Question 5. What motivates you best?
I encourage you to have a long think about this one. As always, remember that there are no wrong answers here. Knowing where our motivation really comes from can take some personal digging to find out. We might never have thought about this question before and found motivation naturally and without any effort. Motivation can come from anywhere and doesn’t necessarily need to be in one place or make any statement about your character. For example, you could be motivated by money, but not by greed, because you want a higher quality of life. Or you could be motivated by the attention and praise you receive for your hard work because it makes you feel good about yourself and validates your efforts. Perhaps you are motivated by short–term rewards and gifts like new clothes, video games, or vacations. Another common motivation is a person’s family, and how the extra work they do can eventually lead to improved circumstances for them. Ultimately, if something encourages you to work harder and put in the extra effort required, then it is a perfect motivator for you. It is the end result we want, so feel free to write down anything that comes to mind. This would be a good moment to think back to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and how you began to create your own idea of what you need. Feel free to update and refine your hierarchy, and indeed, any answers to these questions, as you read further.
Motivation is great at the start of your journey and once you learn more about your own motivation, it becomes easier to develop. Still, it is unlikely you will have a continuous stream throughout your progress. You should also think about how you will be motivated six months or five years down the line. One way to think about this part is to ask the question: If you achieve milestones along the way, how will you celebrate? Are you the type of person to celebrate the small victories and progress you make, or are you a person who prefers to keep moving forwards toward their next goal? Motivation may be different to the feeling of being successful or appearing successful to your peers. Instead, it might be that you are motivated by metrics of improvement, like the amount of weight lost in a diet and exercise goal, or the amount of money earned each quarter, for a specific sales goal. For this person, it would be better to take a more analytical approach to your goals and achievements, which could be one aspect of the motivation in itself.
Think about how you can motivate yourself throughout all stages of your journey towards achieving your goals and keep updating them in your journal as you discover more.
Question 6. How will you monitor your progress?
The answer to this question, unsurprisingly, will be different for everyone and unique to yourself. It depends entirely on the goals and dreams that you are going to achieve.
For this question, it is recommended that you set monthly self–feedback sessions. Times where you review what you have achieved in the previous month and how far you have progressed. We will explore the scientific reasoning behind this feedback later in the book, but as this is an introductory questionnaire, it is best to not overload it with too much detail just yet. We want to build on the concepts as we read more and the best way to do that is to start with a more straightforward outline and add detail as we progress. The same is true for any answer you write down for these questions. Starting with a basic idea that you improve on later is a great way to begin if you are not sure how to answer them completely just yet.
It could be that your particular goals require a more extended period than a month to see progress, but for at least the first three months, you should hold these review sessions. They will be incredibly valuable for keeping your focus high and allowing you to identify any challenges and obstacles that may repeat themselves in the coming months. These sessions also help to visualise your path forward. It can be easy to look at the bigger picture and feel discouraged by the size of the task in front of you. When we stop to look at how far we have come and how we have progressed towards achieving our dream, it can be a powerful method to keep motivation elevated and remind ourselves that any time you work on achieving that dream, you are taking one step closer towards achieving them.
Over time, you can change the frequency of these review sessions and customise them to suit your schedule, but for now, try to use them at least once per month. In addition, think about every possible way you could monitor your progress and write them in your journal. Many of these chapters require you to test out what works best for you, and an excellent place to start is with multiple ideas, slowly honing in on what works for you. Of course, you can use any system that you feel comfortable with that will provide you with the most benefit. However you decide to monitor your progress, use this part of the book to write a list of around 15 ways to monitor your progress each month, and as the year goes by, reduce those 15 to a smaller number that is more helpful and meaningful to you.
Question 7. How will you know when you have achieved your goals, at precisely what point?
This question is the most fun to answer because you get to imagine yourself living your dream and visualise it in your mind. The precise moment when you achieve that dream could be anything. For example, if you want to buy a house, then it could be the act of signing the contract that is your final accomplishment and signal that you have reached your goal. Perhaps it will be turning the key in the front door and seeing it open for the first time. If you want to publish a book, finding it on the shelves in a bookstore will be worth visualising. If you want to improve in a sport, then perhaps signing up for a competition and placing in the top 10 would be the time, or better yet, winning it. You can dream as big as you want!
Whatever the event, you should try to be very specific. The exact moment that you will know. This is because you can visualise that moment in your head. Not only the event itself, but how you feel, who will be there next to you, or how you will share the news with your friends and family. Make it as real as you can. Picture everything and keep those moments safe in your mind. This picture will probably change as your journey evolves, but you should always have a precise moment in your head somewhere.
Question 8. What is your dream for your future?
Lastly, it is time to write your dream and goals down in your journal or notebook. Write as much or as little detail as you like, even one sentence will work. Write it in big bold letters to signal your intention. Sign a mental contract with yourself that no matter how long it takes, you will achieve it. You deserve it!
One more thing…..
There is one last point to note before we continue with the following chapters. The Quantum Method is a great tool to help you become more productive in your day, but it is just that, a tool. Without the person wielding it, this method alone will only take you so far unless used with consistency, dedication, and focus. Keep in mind, that in order to improve your productivity and work output, there are always some sacrifices to be made and a new level of focus. I will always encourage you to dream as big as possible, but we also need to be grounded by the level of hard work and consistency required. But that is why you are here. You already have the desire; we just need to focus it to maximise your effort. Let’s do this!
If you enjoyed this chapter, then why not check out the book?
The Quantum Method – the science of productivity (Mike Tranter PhD)
References:
1: Apollo Technical. (2022). www.apollotechnical.com. https://www.apollotechnical.com/working-from-home-productivity-statistics/
2: von Stumm, S. (2016). Is day-to-day variability in cognitive function coupled with day-to-day variability in affect? Intelligence; (55).