Why do traditional workdays feel so draining? What if there was a better way to structure your time for maximum impact with less effort?
In their book 10x Is Easier Than 2x, Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy revolutionize time management and productivity concepts by challenging the conventional 9-to-5 workday model. They focus on strategic time blocking and intentional rest periods to achieve extraordinary results while working fewer hours.
Find out how restructuring your schedule can transform your productivity.
Manage Your Time for Productivity
Sullivan and Hardy argue that the traditional 9-to-5 workday is poorly suited for high productivity in our modern, knowledge-based economy. They contend that this outdated model, designed for early 20th-century factory systems, prioritizes busywork over creativity and innovation. To achieve transformative growth, you must focus on the value and impact of time management and productivity rather than the number of hours you work. By prioritizing high-impact activities and recovery time, you can dramatically increase your productivity and creativity.
(Shortform note: In Deep Work, Cal Newport also recommends you focus on high-value activities over simply putting in hours. He explains that deep work that creates real value (like strategic planning or creative problem-solving) requires intense focus. Most people can only handle about one to four hours of deep work per day, even with practice, so you need to intentionally schedule deep work time and protect it from distractions.)
Schedule Tasks to Maximize Productivity
Sullivan and Hardy write that if you want to perform at a 10x level, you must give yourself big blocks of uninterrupted time to do your best work. You can do this by grouping similar tasks on specific days. The authors explain that switching between different tasks like creative work and administrative tasks disrupts your focus and makes you less efficient. If you have a meeting scheduled in the middle of your creative work time, you’ll keep thinking about that upcoming meeting and struggle to focus on the task at hand.
Sullivan and Hardy suggest segmenting your time into three types of days:
1) Rest days: Disconnect completely from work and engage in activities that help you relax and feel good—such as exercise, hobbies, or spending time with loved ones.
2) Prep days: Focus on preparing for your high-value tasks and staying organized. You might use these days for team meetings, planning sessions, or administrative tasks that set you up for success on your achievement days.
3) Achievement days: Do deep, uninterrupted work on your most important tasks. These are the days when you perform at your peak, doing the work that directly contributes to your 10x growth. For example, if you’re a consultant, you might use these days for client meetings and delivering presentations.
Additionally, Sullivan and Hardy suggest you tackle no more than three key objectives each day. Having too many items on your to-do list leads to shallow work instead of going deep on what matters most. These objectives should be clear, specific, and slightly beyond your current skill level to promote growth and flow—a state of high performance.
Maximize Rest
Sullivan and Hardy recommend scheduling at least 150 free days per year before anything else. They argue that time away from work makes you more engaged, creative, and productive when you return.
The authors note that as your success grows, you’ll need more recovery time since higher-stakes decisions require more mental energy and deeper thinking. You need space for your mind to wander and make unexpected connections. Your best ideas might come while taking a leisurely walk or engaging in a recreational activity, rather than while sitting in your office.
(Shortform note: In The Nature Fix, Florence Williams specifically recommends spending your recovery time in nature. She writes that our brains have two types of attention: directed attention (which we use for focused work tasks) and soft fascination (which engages when we observe beautiful or interesting things in nature). When you work too long without breaks, you become mentally tired and lose concentration and the ability to solve problems creatively. Soft fascination helps reduce stress, improve cognitive function, boost creativity, and even treat mild depression. So the next time you schedule a free day, consider spending it surrounded by trees, water, and birdsong to maximize the restorative power of your time off.)
In addition to having rest days, the authors encourage you to completely disconnect from work when you’re done with your daily tasks. Don’t work longer than necessary and avoid thinking about work once your day is complete. Instead, optimize your evening routine for high-quality sleep because the final hour of your day significantly impacts your sleep quality and performance the following day. Sullivan and Hardy suggest you put your phone on airplane mode 30-60 minutes before bed, journal about your daily wins, and plan for tomorrow. This practice helps frame each day positively and sets you up for success the following day.
(Shortform note: People who don’t disconnect from work like Sullivan and Hardy suggest often engage in revenge bedtime procrastination—staying up late and sacrificing sleep to reclaim some personal time they lost during the work day. But this attempt to gain more time comes at a cost: Chronic sleep deprivation doesn’t just hurt your next-day performance—it can lead to long-term health problems like cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s. If you’re guilty of revenge bedtime procrastination, disconnecting completely from work and establishing a healthy evening routine can help you carve out some much-needed “me time” without sacrificing your rest.)
