The 6pm Rule

Ever since I read Deep Work, I have stuck to one principle which I rarely break, unless of course a million dollar deal needs to be signed (which does not happen everyday)! I start my day at 8am and do not work beyond 6pm. I am sure you are telling yourself, “the dude is crazy! That really limits how much he can achieve!” Man are you wrong! It so happens that when you impose such constraints on yourself, the level of focus and productivity shoots off the roof. I put my phone on silent and get pretty pissed off if someone comes knocking. I need to meet that 6pm deadline so jumping into the zone to get shit done is easier. It’s actually a meaningful way of spending the majority of my waking hours because more often than not I end up feeling like I have made progress, which is what I am aiming for everyday.

Beyond 6pm, I do not check email unless it is an emergency (read: The Art of Letting Bad Things Happen) or if a million dollar deal can’t be signed during the day (yes I mentioned the money again because money is a very neutral way of judging whether you are doing any good in the world. It is unbiased. It doesn’t give a shit about who you are, who you know or what color your skin is. All it cares about is whether you have been able to create something that people want to exchange for their hard earned money).

Limitations are a great way of guiding you to focus on what is important. Try imposing a few on your life otherwise instead of being in control of your time, you will be pushed around like the football of uncontrollable circumstances.