Music serves as a source of analogies for various topics.
In music:
You need to learn the theory
You need to learn an instrument
You need to practice
Over time, even improvisation becomes excellent
Similarly, in productivity:
You need to learn the theory
You need to learn how to use the tools
You need to practice
Over time, even deviating from the plan becomes productive
But there’s one point that is the foundation of music, and until now, there wasn’t a concept like this in productivity. This concept is related to the area of productivity where people struggle the most: time.
1, 2, 3, 4...
All music can be understood through time.
1, 2, 3, 4... 1, 2, 3, 4... 1, 2, 3, 4...
This is how we think about music, and this concept would be very useful in the field of productivity. Because this concept addresses the biggest problem with the current work rhythm: the lack of a structure that makes sense.
What’s the problem?
Generally, people start the week thinking of a long period of work, without clearly remembering what they did last week, or what the specific goal for this week is.
Some use the idea of a month as a reference, which is problematic because the idea of a month doesn’t make sense and is difficult to remember.
Moreover, the fact that months don’t make sense makes it impossible to plan the year strategically.
Even the view of the year in four quarters doesn’t help because it’s too long a period to have a truly strategic plan. In addition, the view of four quarters per year offers few opportunities for course correction throughout the year.
The result is long periods with seasonal surprises.
And that’s precisely why people often say:
The first semester is already halfway over
We’re already halfway through the year
The year is practically over
This happens because people have few opportunities to reflect on how they’re using their time, to think about their choices, to remember their goals...
People are practically swallowed by work, and the year flies by.
And that’s precisely why time is such a central topic in 9POS. We will address it in all its four dimensions in the future.
But first, let’s clarify the importance of Heat in this context.
What’s the best way to plan time, then?
One fact we have in hand, which seems almost forgotten by most people, is that a year has 52 weeks. We can start from there.
You’ll see in the 📅 9P Calendar how we plan the entire year.
But let’s address the smallest unit of time we have and how to compose a systemic and harmonious whole from it.
The Importance of Planning
I always talk about the importance of planning, and in the 📅 9P Calendar, you’ll discover that the first week of each season is dedicated to planning that season.
Similarly, the first day of each week is dedicated to planning the week.
It’s always like this: before engaging in an activity or project, it’s important to plan and objectively understand what will be done within that period.
In addition, it’s important to have stopping points. Moments where we can review our strategy and check if we’re heading in the direction and at the pace we desire.
And this is an important point: rhythm. There’s a lack of rhythm in current productivity, just as in music, we have: 1, 2, 3, 4, we can have rhythm in our week.
We could say that the planning day is the day that doesn’t count (it would be the silence in music), and we have a sequence of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4... 0, 1, 2, 3, 4... 0, 1, 2, 3, 4...
These are the five days of the week.
The same structure, a completely new way
Yes, we didn’t change the structure of the week at all. The week today has five days, and it continues to have five days; the difference is that now we use the first day of the week for planning.
52 Weeks = 52 Heats
Going back to the beginning of the text, we have 52 weeks in a year, just as we can have 52 heats per year.
Additionally, we have 52 days to plan what to do in those 52 heats.
Besides the obvious benefits of this approach...
There’s no more need for that anxiety on Monday.
Because Monday is a lighter day, a day for planning, reviewing what was done, planning the new week...
Summary: This text introduces the concept of "Heat" in productivity, drawing an analogy with music to emphasize the importance of rhythm and structure in managing time. It critiques the traditional methods of planning based on months or quarters, which often lead to a lack of strategic focus and few opportunities for course correction. Instead, the text proposes using the 52 weeks of the year as a foundation for planning, with the first day of each week dedicated to organizing and setting goals. This method aims to create a balanced and effective work rhythm, eliminating the stress often associated with the start of the week.
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Written by Vinícius P. Breves
👑 The New King of Productivity
🥷 Productivity Expert
⚫️ Founder of 9Pomodoros
✍️ Philosopher & Writer
