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1 Month in a Day

How To Finish One Month of Work Today

Checklist

About

The “one month day” is a productivity technique that allows individuals to complete a month’s worth of work in a single day by leveraging flow states and strategic planning.

Big Picture

The concept of the “one month day” challenges traditional notions of productivity and work-life balance. By harnessing the power of flow states, individuals can achieve extraordinary levels of output in a compressed timeframe. This approach not only boosts productivity but also redefines what’s possible in terms of personal and professional achievement. The technique emphasizes the importance of intentional focus, optimal brain chemistry, and strategic recovery to maximize performance.

Tactics

1. Isolate the target:

  • Identify a significant task or project that would typically take a month to complete

  • Convert the outcome into clear, actionable goals

2. Clear the load:

  • Reduce allostatic load through active recovery protocols

  • Minimize cognitive load by planning ahead and eliminating distractions

  • Decrease life maintenance load by outsourcing or postponing non-essential tasks

3. Build a flow fortress:

  • Create a distraction-free environment

  • Eliminate all potential interruptions

  • Prepare a dedicated workspace

4. Wake up and flow:

  • Start working immediately upon waking

  • Leverage the brain’s natural transition from sleep to wakefulness

5. Treat each flow block as an event:

  • Approach work sessions with heightened focus and intensity

  • Use triggers to signal the start of each flow block

6. Cement the commitment:

  • Treat the one month day as sacred and non-negotiable

  • Create high stakes to maintain motivation

7. Follow the one month day schedule:

  • Alternate between intense flow blocks and recovery periods

  • Adjust timing based on personal chronotype

8. Implement recovery strategies:

  • Use non-stimulating activities during short breaks

  • Engage in active recovery during longer breaks

9. Supercharge creative rumination:

  • Leverage pre and post-work periods for idea incubation

10. Consider frequency options:

  • Acceleration mode: Once per month

  • Turbo mode: Once per week

  • Light speed mode: Five days per quarter

  • One-year month: 30-day intensive period annually

Notes

Flow proneness refers to your inherent tendency or likelihood to experience flow frequently and easily. Rather than leave this up to chance, we can intentionally clear everything that suppresses flow proneness in advance.

1. ISOLATE THE TARGET

If you could snap your fingers and have something done in a day that would normally take a month… what would it be? This is your clear goal–which is a flow trigger. Clear goals filter the noise and free you to focus.

  • [ ] Identify a clear goal that would normally take a
    month to complete.
  • [ ] Break down the goal into detailed actionable steps. (Halve the goal until it’s actionable)

2. CLEAR THE LOAD

Clear Your Cognitive Load: Cognitive load refers to the number of items
you’re carrying in working memory. Research has shown that flow triggers work by decreasing cognitive load.

  • [ ] Erase all possible decisions from the day

Prep your clothes, commute, and food the night before.

  • [ ] No open loops (obligations)

Go through all your texts, respond to everything as needed, ping whoever you need to ping, and wrap up any final dangling tasks.

Clear Your Allostatic Load: Allostatic Load is the wear-and-tear that your body and brain accumulate throughout the day. To clear your allostatic load:
Use active recovery protocols like…

  • Nature Immersion
  • Weight Lifting
  • Sauna
  • Massages
  • Aim for an HRV that’s above your usual range
  • [ ] Set your workspace up as a flow dojo

Make sure it’s uncluttered and everything is ready to be worked on the night before, so that you can get to work immediately upon waking.

  • [ ] Get 7-9 hours of sleep.

The key to getting successful sleep is to go to bed deaf, blind,
cold, and hungry.

  • [ ] Clear Your Life Maintenance Load

Life Maintenance Load is the stuff you do to run your life that is not your work.

  • Prep meals for the day.
  • Handle chores and errands beforehand.
  • Notify loved ones you’ll be offline. (optional)

3. Build a Flow Fortress