Most people treat time like a to-do list. The best treat it more like a their favorite band with a great rhythm section.

Years ago, I started noticing something simple but important: When my day had rhythm, I felt momentum and power. When it didn’t, I flailed, no matter how short or long my task list was.

And the more I learned about high-performance leaders and peak productivity research, the clearer this became.

Ever feel overloaded, over-caffeinated, frustrated, and deeply confused on why you still feel behind? You have a list and calendar and maybe a productivity system with all the boxes checked. But you’re tired. Foggy. Emotionally out of sync.

If so, step back and start rebuilding your day. Not as a list of tasks, but as a performance cycle. Like an athlete. Or a musician. Or a leader.

Try this. Find your rhythm.

Morning. Midday. Night.

What do you need to touch every day – personally, physically, relationally, and professionally – to build a meaningful, high-performing life?

Not once a week. Not when you feel like it. Every. Single. Day.

Here’s the pattern I’ve found works for me and that I help my team with:

1. Movement

Your body is the ignition key to everything else. Move it with intent. Not just workouts: walks, stretches, sprints, anything that builds energy instead of draining it. Hell, just stand up every hour or so and stretch or pace around a bit on a phone call.

2. Hydration + Nutrition

You don’t need 100 rules. You need to get this right 2–3 times a day: Water. Protein. Greens. Clean fuel. What you put in = what you put out.

3. Relational Check-Ins

Every day, connect with at least one important person professionally and one important person personally. This can be quick,but it has to be real. Encouragement. Listening. Reconnection.

4. Stewardship + Work Blocks

Protect enough time for the deep work. Marketing. Strategy. Creation. Delegation. Hit your work blocks with a full tank and a clear mind. I like 90 minutes block, but whatever works for you.

How Top Performers See Time

Let’s layer in some wisdom:

Ed Mylett: 3 Days in 1

Mylett breaks his day into three 6-hour blocks:

• 6am–12pm
• 12pm–6pm
• 6pm–12am

Each block is a chance to reset, re-engage, and execute again. No “lost days”—just micro-turnarounds. It’s a mindset that trains resilience.

I’ve tried this and it didn’t work well for me, but I may try again and it’s an idea you might want to experiment with as well.

David Allen: Time Isn’t the Issue. Clarity Is.

Allen, creator of Getting Things Done, argues most people don’t lack time. They lack clarity about what matters most, and an external system to keep track of it.

There’s a lot I could say here as I’ve used and applied most of Allen’s wisdom over the years and find it extremely helpful.

The Power of Full Engagement (Schwartz & Loehr)

They argue: Energy, not time, is the fundamental currency of high performance. You manage energy in waves, not straight lines.

Peak performers sprint and recover, focus and disengage and they ritualize those rhythms across the day.

I’ve had success with this perspective off and on. I’d say I’m successful with this approach about half the time and that’s when I’m on a clear and disciplined program like LiveHard.

The Time Paradox (Zimbardo & Boyd)

How you perceive time affects your behavior more than the clock.

If you’re future-focused, you plan and invest. If you’re present-hedonistic, you chase dopamine and drift. If you’re past-negative, you self-sabotage.

The best rhythm combines all three wisely: learning from the past, being intentional in the present, and building toward the future.

Stephen Covey: First Things First

Covey reframed time management as life leadership.

Don’t prioritize your schedule. Schedule your priorities.

Personally, I get this one right more often that I used to, but clarifying and executing on priorities is an ongoing challenge. At this point in my life it’s better than ever, but I have a ton of room to improve.

Why This Matters Now

We live in an era of everything, everyone, all the time. Always-on notifications. Meeting creep. Drained energy. Fragmented focus.

The answer isn’t just better tech. It’s returning to ancient rhythm: Morning. Midday. Night. Every day. Repeated with intention.

Without rhythm, we burn out. Without rhythm, we lose clarity. Without rhythm, we forget what matters.

Your Challenge This Week

Build your daily rhythm. Don’t complicate it. Just set the beat and start moving.

• Morning: Hydrate. Move. Check in with someone.
• Midday: Regroup. Fuel. Execute.
• Night: Reflect. Connect. Reset.

Try this for 5 straight days and monitor how it changes your clarity, your performance, and your emotional baseline.

What works for you? Optimize and repeat.

What isn’t serving you? Let it go and try something else.

This isn’t time management. It’s rhythm management: Daily Rhythm = Daily Power.

See you next Saturday.