Win at work and succeed at life

Constraints force you to make choices. We all have limited time, money, energy, and mental bandwidth. Embracing constraints leads to tremendous gains and fresh thinking. It may seem counterintuitive, but constraints actually foster productivity through creativity.

It's normal to dislike the constraints you face, like insufficient funds, time, energy, etc. Many think that by working harder now, they'll be rewarded with more relaxation time, money, and family time later. But there's no finish line to that race. Goals constantly move, and before you know it, years have gone by still chasing that pot of gold.

The solution is to create firm boundaries around your workday, workweek, and weekend. Work expands to fill the time allotted. But constraints cause work to contract to fit the permitted time. According to the overwork ideology, constraints limit productivity. However, as we’ll see, constraints actually boost productivity through creativity. This may seem counterintuitive, but constraints at work free and strengthen us, enabling us to excel not just at home, but especially at work.

You already have constraints, whether you accept it or not. No matter who you are or what you do, there are 24 hours in a day and 168 hours in a week. You'll have to sleep for a substantial portion of that time daily. You can't do everything, which is why deliberate constraints are such a powerful double win tool.

Achieving balance between work and personal life is possible, but it requires ongoing effort and adjustments. Balance is dynamic, not static. Rather than aiming for equal time in each domain, strive to appropriately weigh the different spheres and distribute demands evenly so you can thrive both at home and on the job.

Balance necessitates not shortchanging one area to feed another. It's about intentionality regarding how you spend time and making deliberate decisions to nurture every facet. Balance mandates constant recalibration as situations evolve. You must consciously make balance happen through purposeful choices and priority trade-offs.

When workweeks swell to 70 or 80 hours regularly, several facets of life suffer: health falters from lack of exercise and proper nutrition; relationships with family atrophy; friendships and community ties fray from lack of investment; personal growth and enrichment stall for want of time; and productivity eventually diminishes from unrelenting stress.

Finding time for creative pursuits, family activities, and personal hobbies is vital for leading a balanced life. Scheduling regular downtime pays tremendous dividends. In 1990, J.K. Rowling was traveling from Manchester to London when her train stopped unexpectedly for four hours due to a track blockage. Without a working pen, Rowling simply sat and imagined the details of a young bespectacled boy who discovers he is a wizard. This experience directly led to Harry Potter, one of the most successful book and film franchises ever created.

Like Rowling, we all need to disconnect periodically from work to allow original ideas to surface. As Michael Hyatt explains, "Our brains and bodies are not designed for constant work. We need periods of nonachievement." Achievement focuses on completed tasks and goals. Nonachievement activities like enjoying a glass of wine or laughing with friends have value in and of themselves. They give our task-oriented minds a rest and allow creativity to emerge.

According to Kellogg School of Management professor Adam Waytz, "By encouraging our minds to wander, leisure activities pull us out of our present reality, which in turn can improve our ability to generate novel ideas or ways of thinking." When we step away from work demands, we can approach problems with renewed mental clarity and inventiveness. The power of nonachievement is not just theoretical. A team of Verizon engineers produced a $10 million per year billing system innovation after being stuck at an airport for six hours with no wifi or power to work.

Google has instituted "20 percent time" to tap into this creative potential. Engineers can spend one day a week on any project that interests them. An estimated half of Google's multibillion-dollar revenue streams have come from these 20 percent time side projects. Even hugely successful companies like Twitter, Slack, and Groupon originated as 20 percent time efforts by Google engineers.

We live in an age that glorifies being constantly busy and productive. The most admired business leaders boast about getting little sleep while cramming in back-to-back meetings and tasks. It's tempting to try to copy their habits in hopes of achieving more. But this mindset is misguided and ultimately counterproductive.

As neuroscientist Penelope Lewis explains, "Sleep-deprived people come up with fewer original ideas and also tend to stick to old strategies that may not continue to be effective." In other words, lack of sleep dulls innovative thinking. To sustain success over the long run, adequate rest is essential. Rather than viewing sleep as an annoyance or distraction, it should be seen as the fuel that powers performance.

Specifically, sleep confers three key benefits:

First, sleep enhances cognitive function and learning. Well-rested brains have greater capacity to acquire and retain information. Numerous studies confirm sleep facilitates memory consolidation and integration. So if you want to operate at peak mental sharpness, don't skimp on shuteye.

Second, sleep regulates mood. Without enough sleep, people tend to feel more irritable, anxious, and depressed. These states obviously impede effectiveness. But after a good night's rest, improved outlook and emotional stability return.