I'm so excited to talk to you today about a book I absolutely love called Two Awesome Hours. I'm so excited to tell you all about this amazing book I've been reading! It's called "Science-Based Strategies to Harness Your Best Time and Get Your Most Important Work Done," and it's all about time management.

Time management is always a popular topic, isn't it? We all know that other resources are scarce, but the good news is that most of them can be replaced or regenerated in an indirect way. Time is a bit different, though. It's the only resource that's absolutely rigid. We all have the same amount of time: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you can use your time more efficiently, you'll be able to achieve more, which is great! We all have the same amount of time in a day, and it's up to us to decide how we use it! Whether you're working, doing hobbies, entertaining, spending time with family, or pursuing your dreams, it all comes from the same fixed pool of time. You know, every time you take a spoonful, it's gone forever. So, how you share the water you scoop out is a really important question.

It's because we all have the same amount of time that so many different time management techniques have popped up! For example, most time management methods suggest that you get yourself a planner, list everything you need to do every day in order, and write down exactly what you need to do at what time. Then, you can use your amazing self-control to carry it out properly! It's a great idea to keep track of how long each task takes while you're doing it. I'd love to know if you think this method is effective! Absolutely! There's a wonderful book called "A Singular Life," and the author, Lyubichev, is an absolute master of this time management method.

From the tender age of 27, he always carried a time expenditure diary with him. He recorded the time spent on each task to the nearest second, and he was so diligent about it! He kept up this habit for 56 years, and by the time he passed away, he had achieved so much in his academic career. It was a truly unique life. This method of precise recording is really useful, but it's only going to work for you if you can do it. Even though we have super handy smartphones and lots of apps that make it easy to record time, very few of us can do it. If you don't believe me, I'd love for you to try recording the time you spend in a day using your mobile phone. I'm sure you'll agree that recording a day's worth of time is no easy task, let alone doing it for decades!

Another helpful tip for managing your time is to try not to fight against it. Instead, focus on the task at hand and see what works best for you! For instance, you can split your tasks into four groups: first, urgent and important tasks; second, urgent but unimportant tasks; third, unurgent but important tasks; and fourth, neither urgent nor important tasks. I know these four categories might sound a bit complicated at first, but I promise you they're actually quite easy to understand! They kindly suggest that we should first tackle those important tasks and not always be driven by urgent matters. Because the things that matter most to us will become even more important over time, it's really important that we make friends with time and do the things that will help us. This method also sounds really great in theory, but it's not very practical. We all have a lot on our plates! When you're doing your normal routine, whether it's something important or urgent, you still have to do it when it comes up. It's not always easy to escape these things, but we can do it!

So, you might be wondering, what makes this book so special? This book takes a totally new approach to the problem. It doesn't look at things from the perspective of time or importance. Instead, it focuses on something really important: physical effectiveness. It's all about how you can get your body into peak condition when facing a task, and thereby make the most of your time! So, the title of this book, "The Most Important 2 Hours of Every Day," doesn't mean that you should find the most important 2 hours of every day and the rest of the time is unimportant. It's all about how to get your body into peak condition when you need it most, so you can work efficiently and effectively. This time can be whatever works for you! It could be 30 minutes, 2 hours, or even more.

I'd like to introduce you to the author of this wonderful book, Josh Davis. He's got a PhD in psychology from Columbia University and specializes in neurology. In this book, he shares five simple strategies to help you improve your physical performance. Let's dive in and explore these five amazing methods together!

Part 1: Let's dive in and take a look at it together! The first thing to focus on is the pause point. Have you ever wondered what a pause point is? It's that little time gap after you've finished one thing and taken a moment to think about what to do next. Then you might be wondering, what makes it so special? Once you've finished one task, it's totally normal to take a little breather. There's no need to stress about it! Hey, don't underestimate this action! It's what makes experts stand out from the rest of us. A lot of us just ignore it, and before we know it, we're carried away by the inertia of work.

The author describes it like this: We all start our days following a certain routine, don't we? Like getting up in the morning, getting dressed, washing our faces and brushing our teeth before heading off to work. These are all just part and parcel of our everyday lives. Once you get to work, it's easy to get caught up in a whirlwind of tasks, one after the other. By the time the day is over, you're feeling a bit overwhelmed, aren't you? When I think back, I realize I never got around to doing some of the important things I'd always wanted to do. Like, I never made a point of staying in touch with friends I haven't seen in a while. And I never really made an effort to develop skills that would help me in the long term. And I never really took the time to learn new things in a particular field. These are all things that aren't urgent but are really important to you. It's only by doing these things consistently that life can keep on changing for the better!

You know, all masters have this wonderful quality of being able to control their actions. Take O'Sullivan, for instance. When he plays billiards, he crouches down and takes a moment to aim. If he feels like he can't control the shot and doesn't have a good feeling about it, he'll stop, get up, and adjust before playing again. But regular folks usually just crouch down and play the shot as soon as they play. I know it can be tricky to see the difference between this shot and the last one. There's no difference at all! That's just inefficient repetition, which we can all do without!

There's a wonderful book called "Deliberate Practice" that I'd like to mention to you. The wonderful thing about deliberate practice is that you can actually choose to control the object of your practice. It's so important to take a moment after you finish an action to think about what you could have done better and how you can do better next time. This is called effective practice, and it's the only way to keep making progress and improving your level! It's so important to make sure you're not practicing incorrectly. We all make mistakes, but it's how we learn!

Many folks also find themselves in this situation when it's time to plan their careers. After leaving one company, they often rush to find a job at the next one. It seems like they're being really diligent, but in reality, the job they're looking for is pretty similar to the last one. It's the same old story: the salary, the work, and the same abilities used. This is actually repeating, my friend. Experienced people will often say, "Hey, don't rush to find a job! Give yourself three months to think about what your next step is, what abilities you need to find a better job, what kind of work can combine with your talents and interests, and think clearly about where you really want to go before taking action." I know it might seem like a waste of three months, but it'll save you so much time compared to finding another job that's the same and quitting again after half a year!

And you know what? This same thing applies to our lives too! We all do the same things over and over again without even thinking about it. It's so important to stop and break away from automatic mode every now and then! Once you've finished a new task, take a moment to enjoy it before moving on to the next one. Take a moment to stop, have a refreshing glass of water, take a quick break, step back, and think for a while. Then, choose the next thing to do with a conscious, thoughtful approach. I promise you, this will save you more time! The first step to effective time management is finding a little pause in your day.

Part 2

Let's take a look at it again together: managing mental energy. We all know that our physical energy can ebb and flow from one moment to the next. Let's say you've just climbed 20 floors. You might not want to move a muscle when you sit down in a chair! It's totally normal to feel like it takes a little while to recover. It's true! Mental energy fluctuates just like physical energy. But, we usually don't feel it very much. This is mainly because mental energy consumption is not as obvious as physical energy consumption. When you use up physical energy, your body lets you know! You'll sweat, your heart will beat faster, and your limbs will feel weak. These are all pretty obvious signs, right? When you use up mental energy, you might feel a bit sluggish, dazed, and your attention might wander a little. It's tough to think deeply when you're feeling a bit sluggish, isn't it? And if you don't have a sharp awareness, it's not easy to notice these things. It's totally understandable why most people don't pay much attention to these signs. They're not very obvious, and it's not easy to distinguish them from other things that happen in our lives. They always think that their mental energy can remain at the same level of agility all day long, bless their hearts!

It's also worth noting that mental ability can fluctuate over time. As a general rule, you'll find you're at your most energetic and your mind is at its most active when you first wake up in the morning. You can keep this level of energy up for about two and a half hours, and then it's not so easy to concentrate again. After lunch, your body will start to digest food, which means your brain will feel a little drowsy due to a lack of oxygen. If you take a quick 10-to-20-minute power nap at this time, your energy will be restored and you can maintain your energy level for another two and a half hours! This can change a bit depending on what time of day it is. Another thing to think about is how hard the task is.

Let's say you've just finished writing a plan that's really made your brain work overtime. Then, you jump right into the next task that requires a lot of mental effort, like memorizing a passage of text. It can be pretty tough! It's totally normal to have to repeat a short passage a few times before you can remember it. Our brains are amazing, but they do need a bit of attention and creativity to remember things. The author's advice for managing mental energy is to choose tasks that match the state of your brain. Mornings are great for getting things done! When you're full of energy, tackle the more challenging tasks first. Then, you can move on to some simple, repetitive work.

You might think this is easy, but it's not as simple as it seems! How many of us go to the office in the morning and first browse Moments for a while, then read the news for a while, and then reply to a few emails? By the time they really get into work mode, a third of their energy has already been used up. I know, it's crazy how quickly it goes! You might not realize it, but this is actually the type of mental energy consumption we talked about earlier. It might not be super obvious, but it will keep on consuming. Some folks are really mindful about cutting down on this kind of mental energy consumption.

The author gave a great example. If one of his friends has an important meeting the next day, he'll make sure he's in the right frame of mind by getting as few choices as possible out of the way the night before. That way, he can focus on the meeting and not worry about what to wear or what to have for breakfast. He'll prepare in advance so he's ready to go. Of course, he'll also try not to look at his phone as much as possible. He'll let his mind work through the content of the meeting and think about it over and over. He's usually in a great mood the next day, giving off a confident and energetic vibe. It's all thanks to these simple little tricks of mental energy management. His friends don't seem too busy either, but they're worth billions! This is the wonderful result of smart people using clever techniques!

As a matter of fact, these key moments don't need to be long. I bet you can get the most important things done in just two hours a day! So, mental energy management is the key technique that allows you to perform at your best in critical moments. You've got this!

Part 3

Let's take another peek together! This time, we'll explore the wonderful world of understanding your attention. I know it can be a bit confusing, so let me explain why it's called "understanding your attention." We often think that we're not very good at concentrating for long periods of time, and we tend to blame ourselves when we get distracted, don't we? The author says that, actually, our brains just aren't wired to concentrate for long periods of time. It's a natural part of our evolution! Just picture a primitive man in the wilderness. If he couldn't keep his eyes and ears open, he would have been eaten by other animals a long time ago! So, your brain is designed to give some of your attention to the world around you. It's just our brain's way of protecting us! So the first thing you need to understand is that when you get distracted, don't be too hard on yourself. It's perfectly normal! Then you might say, "I have to stay focused to get the job done." We've all been there! It's not quite right to say that thoughts flying around are normal.

The author has some great suggestions for how to deal with being distracted. Another great way to deal with distractions is to let yourself get distracted actively. This just means that after you've been concentrating for a while, say 20 minutes, you consciously do something else for a while to refresh your mind. For instance, you could get up and take a little walk around the room, take a peek out the window, give your desk a quick tidy, or listen to some music. These tasks are pretty easy on the brain! It's probably best not to do things that require working memory, such as reading the news, replying to emails, or preparing a PowerPoint presentation. If you do these things, it's not switching your mind, it's still work, but you're doing it by switching tasks. Don't worry, you've got this! Unfortunately, this doesn't help you get more done, but it does make it harder to get back into the task at hand. So, choose something simple to do in between tasks. It'll help you work for longer! Another great tip is to be aware of your concentration. This just means letting your thoughts wander without trying to control them or pull them back. Instead, try to be more aware of where your thoughts are going. Then, you can consciously find thoughts that are related to what you are doing.

I know that sounds a bit abstract, but I'm here to help! Let's say you're reading a book and after a while your thoughts wander off and all sorts of random thoughts start to pop into your head. That's totally normal! All you need to do is pay attention to those thoughts. It's totally normal for your mind to wander! Chances are, one of those thoughts will be related to the problem you're working on. And that thought might just be the source of your creativity in solving the problem! You know, creativity is all about combining different ideas in new ways. It's like a jigsaw puzzle, where each piece helps you see the picture in a new light. It's true that people who are too focused aren't very creative. Even geniuses like Einstein and Mozart had trouble focusing. But they made up for it by letting their imaginations run wild! So don't be afraid of distraction! It's actually a great way to bring creativity into your life.

If you understand meditation, you'll find that this method is what you do during meditation. Many folks think meditation is just sitting there and not thinking about anything. It might sound surprising, but meditation is really just about observing your thoughts. It might seem quiet, but it's actually a really active thing that's going on in your brain! It might take a little practice, but you can absolutely do it! You'll get better at observing your thoughts with time. As long as you can take a step back and observe your thoughts, you can capture the inspiration that distractions bring you. You've got this! Don't worry, distractions aren't all bad! If your attention starts to wander, don't fret! You can use this feature to bring you inspiration instead of blaming yourself.

Part 4:

Next, let's chat about how to make the most of your diet and exercise routine. I'm sure you'll understand this easily. We won't go into the wonderful influence of exercise on one's thinking today, but it's definitely something we can chat about another time! If you're in good physical shape, it's a no-brainer that you'll think clearly and work efficiently! If you stay up all night and go to work normally the next day, your brain will definitely take a little break.

Let's chat about why so many of us find it tough to stick to a workout routine. It's okay, we all do it! It's because we have such high expectations of exercise. When it comes to exercise, many of us picture lifting dumbbells and sweating profusely. But that's actually overtraining! If you're looking to lose weight or build muscle, exercises of that intensity are great! But if you just want to stay healthy and keep a clear mind, and to perform better at work, you'll find that lighter exercises, such as brisk walking or other aerobic exercises, are a great choice. These lighter exercises won't tire you out, and you may just feel a slight warmth in your body after doing them, which is very comfortable. If you push yourself too hard every time, it's only natural that your body will start to resist. You don't have a clear purpose, like an actor who needs to stay in shape for work. If you don't have a strong motivation to train at a high intensity, it's only a matter of time before you give up. We all need a little encouragement sometimes! It's so important to do light exercise to keep your body in top condition! This way, your body won't compete with your brain for energy, which is really beneficial for achieving a highly efficient working state.

Another really important thing to remember is to eat in a way that works for you. We all know that the brain's main source of energy is glucose, so it's only natural to think that eating more sugar will keep the brain's energy supply up. Actually, that's not quite right. I know it might seem like a good idea to eat lots of sugar, but unfortunately, that can actually make you feel sluggish. If you eat sugar directly, it may make you feel full of energy within 15 minutes, which is great! But after 15 minutes, the glucose level will suddenly drop, and you might feel dizzy and exhausted. So, if you want to keep your brain working its best, it's super important to keep your glucose levels nice and steady. So, how can you keep it nice and stable? There are two simple ways to keep your glucose levels stable: eat less, but more often, and eat half as much at a time, throughout the day. Another great tip is to avoid foods high in carbohydrates, like desserts, bread, and fries. If you're looking to maintain 15 minutes of efficient concentration, it's probably best to avoid these as much as possible.

We've chatted about how exercise and diet can help keep our brains in tip-top shape. You might be thinking, "Oh, I already know all this." And you'd be right! The most important thing is not whether the information is new or not, but whether you can pay attention to it. It's so true that the impact of exercise and diet is often subtle and can't always be felt intuitively. For example, you may not usually be able to feel what kind of reaction your brain will have after eating a bunch of fries. And you also cannot feel that your brain will become more sensitive after doing aerobic exercise once. It's so easy to overlook something when you don't notice the feeling. These details are often overlooked, but they're actually the key to helping you perform at your best! It's so important to remember that we're all in this together! The gap between us isn't as big as we think, and it's these little details that make all the difference. If you're looking to make the most of those two precious hours, a little bit of exercise and a smart approach to eating are your best friends. They'll help you work smarter, not harder!

And finally, let the environment work for you! The author has helpfully divided environmental factors into two types: the influence of noise and the influence of light.

We all know how hard it can be to concentrate in a noisy environment, don't we? I just want to clarify that when I say "noise," I don't mean the kind of sound that is constantly present in the environment, like the sound of a fan or the sound of a car passing by. Don't worry, these constant sounds don't have much of an effect. We all know that the kind of noise that can really get to us is the kind that isn't loud, but that happens now and then. Like when a train suddenly passes by, or your colleagues whispering to each other while you're trying to work nearby, or something suddenly being knocked over.

In a nutshell, any sound that pops up out of nowhere is what we call noise. How can you avoid it, my friend? If you're looking to get some creative work done, it's always a good idea to find a nice, quiet spot to work alone. It's not realistic to think you can use your willpower to fight the noise in your surroundings. As we mentioned before, our brains are wired to be drawn to the unexpected. So, trying to fight it is like trying to push water back with your hands — it's just not going to work! Find a cozy, quiet spot where you can get the most important work done, and then do the rest of your work in between. If you're aiming to be at your best for a specific period of time and want to make the most of those crucial two hours, it's a great idea to avoid letting too much noise distract you before that. This is like giving your brain a little refresh and letting it unwind, which will be really helpful for your performance!

Another great thing about light is that it really helps your brain to work more efficiently. The author's research found some pretty amazing things about blue-white light! It makes people feel really energized and helps them think more clearly and quickly. Blue-white light is just like the color of the sky on a clear day! Let's say you're trying to catch some Zs with the curtains open on a bright, sunny day. It's pretty tough to get comfortable when it's light out! Our bodies love this kind of light! So, if you always have trouble getting up in the morning, why not open the curtains early and let the sunlight wake you up? You can also try hanging a blue curtain in your workplace or setting your computer desktop background to blue. These little things will help keep your brain active and happy!

This is because bright blue-white light is really good for keeping our brains alert! Another great thing about dim lighting is that it's perfect for getting those creative juices flowing! People feel so relaxed and uninhibited under dim lighting! And their creativity really shines when they're in that environment. If you're doing some creative work, why not dim the lights or find a dim corner?

We can't always change our surroundings, but the good news is that we can adjust some key elements to make the environment work for us! It's amazing how much of a difference simple things like adjusting the light and controlling sound can make! It's so easy to do, and it can really help us work more efficiently. These are the little things we often miss, but the author helps us see how important they are. This book is a real gem! It helps us to focus on the details that are important but easily overlooked.

Let's take a moment to recap, shall we? This book, "Two Awesome Hours: The lovely book "Science-Based Strategies to Harness Your Best Time and Get Your Most Important Work Done" has five great tips for getting the most out of yourself when you need it. First, focus on pauses and choose your activities carefully. Second, manage mental energy and allocate your energy wisely. Third, understand the characteristics of We all have a lot on our plates! It's not always easy to focus our attention, and that's okay. The key is to learn to adapt to this characteristic.

It's also important to control diet and exercise. Keeping your glucose stable and doing light exercise is a great way to get in good shape. If we just take a moment to control these things that are often easily overlooked, we'll see our control over time improve in no time! It doesn't matter how you get the water from that big pool of time, just make sure you don't waste a single drop! This is time management from the perspective of physical efficiency.

The secret to time management is not to compete against the clock. That will actually make your life more and more tense, and people will not be able to bear it. The secret is to immerse yourself. It is a state of mind that respects what you are doing, enjoys what you are doing, and takes what you are doing seriously. It contains a love of life and a beautiful expectation of the future.