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	<title>wpx_ooomf &#8211; Ooomf</title>
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		<title>Experience intense pleasure with the BAM MINI Rechargeable</title>
		<link>https://ooomf.com/blog/experience-intense-pleasure-with-the-bam-mini-rechargeable/</link>
					<comments>https://ooomf.com/blog/experience-intense-pleasure-with-the-bam-mini-rechargeable/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[wpx_ooomf]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 24 May 2026 04:21:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[ALL]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ooomf.com/?p=333</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[22 Best Intercourse Toys For Couples In 2024, Reviewed By Consultants It’s additionally necessary to point out the truth that quality performs a significant function, that means it’s important that you simply at all times make certain to put cash into a high-quality product or else you might jeopardize your health. Sure, yow will discover ... <a title="Experience intense pleasure with the BAM MINI Rechargeable" class="read-more" href="https://ooomf.com/blog/experience-intense-pleasure-with-the-bam-mini-rechargeable/" aria-label="More on Experience intense pleasure with the BAM MINI Rechargeable">Read more</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>22 Best Intercourse Toys For Couples In 2024, Reviewed By Consultants
</p>
<p>It’s additionally necessary to point out the truth that quality performs a significant function, that means it’s important that you simply at all times make certain to put cash into a high-quality product or else you might jeopardize your health. Sure, yow will discover some incredibly ingenious (and downright weird), homemade sex toys on Reddit, however your physique deserves the very best in modern intercourse tech. The greatest male sex toys can help you discover new sexual frontiers, and Mashable has put together this guide to essentially the most mind-blowing intercourse toys for males. All of these toys have been taken for a take a look at drive by someone on the Mashable group or come highly beneficial from sexual well being consultants.
</p>
<p>Just like the other stellar intercourse toys within the ROMP line, the ROMP SWITCH Clitoral Air Vibrator is an elevated, yet accessible take on a basic. Experience intense pleasure with the BAM MINI Rechargeable Bullet, designed to deliver powerful stimulation in a compact form. Knowing one of the best ways to wash and retailer sex toys might help hold them effective and last longer. “Sexual well being is a extremely essential consider your overall health and wellbeing from a physical, mental <a href=https://www.sextoystoreshopping.com/product/spider-hands-free-realistic-male-masturbator/>hands free mastabator</a> <a href=https://www.sextoystoreshopping.com/bondage-and-fetish/leather-pvc-bondage/spreader-bars/>spreader bdsm</a>, emotional and relational perspective,&#8221; says Zar.
</p>
<p>If your mantra is &#8220;by no means pay full worth,&#8221; take a look at PinkCherry. The retailer regularly has site-wide sales on greater than a million products, and frequent consumers can get deeper reductions by joining the free rewards program. PinkCherry has a variety of reasonably priced sex toys and sexual wellness merchandise, from vibrators and male masturbators to kegel instruments and dilators. If you are on the lookout for long-distance toys <a href=https://www.sextoystoreshopping.com/bondage-and-fetish/leather-pvc-bondage/spreader-bars/>bondage spreader</a>, they have a wide range of We-Vibe merchandise, including the popular We-Vibe Chorus.
</p>
<p>The distant really works, in contrast to some of these “wireless” toys that disconnect at the worst attainable moment. The vibrations aren’t earth-shattering, however they’re deep and rumbly sufficient to get the job accomplished. Bonus points for not looking like a intercourse toy, which suggests it could sit on my nightstand without scandalizing my cleaning lady. Trojan’s Dual Pleasure Wand combines a classic vibrating wand with a flexible, insertable extension for maximum versatility. The exterior head is broad and powerful, whereas the internal arm supplies targeted G-spot stimulation. It’s the perfect toy for individuals who like both however don’t need to choose.
</p>
<p>For occasion, some people love penetration while others are all about clit stimulation. Others enjoy the feeling of having their clit teased while they&#8217;re being penetrated, anal stimulation <a href=https://www.sextoystoreshopping.com/product/sliver-male-chastity-cage-cb6000-cb6000s/>cb6000</a>, or keeping the attention some place else on the body, just like the nipples. Thinking about what sensations you like may help information you towards the perfect toy. If you&#8217;re shopping for a toy to use with a associate, take into consideration what sensations you realize they like as well. Just saying, wanting via this listing together could be its personal form of foreplay. And if you have not ever masturbated or had intercourse <a href=https://www.sextoystoreshopping.com/product/venom-9-4-love-machine-dildo/>venom dildo</a>, don&#8217;t stress—kickstart your journey of self-discovery with these easy-to-use toys.
</p>
<p>Justin Lehmiller, PhD, a Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute, performed a survey that discovered simply 23.6% of males used a toy whereas masturbating <a href=https://www.sextoystoreshopping.com/bondage-and-fetish/leather-pvc-bondage/armbinders/>arm binder bdsm</a>, compared to sixty five.7% of non-binary individuals and fifty two.9% of ladies. &#8220;One of crucial issues to look for when buying a intercourse toy is its materials,&#8221; says Lehmiller. Simply, you need one thing made from a non-porous and body-safe material, to have the ability to minimize the possibilities of any type of skin reaction or an infection threat, he says. There are several supplies that fall on this camp <a href=https://www.sextoystoreshopping.com/games-party-gifts/electric-shock-sex-toy/>shocking sex toys</a>0, similar to silicone, chrome steel <a href=https://www.sextoystoreshopping.com/product/lcd-heating-silicone-rabbit-vibe/>silicone rabbit vibe</a>, ABS-plastic, and glass! When choosing which body-safe material to opt for, you should contemplate how you’re going to be utilizing it and the sensations you want. &#8220;Silicone is going to be a bit softer and have somewhat give to it, whereas steel, glass, and ABS plastic are going to be very agency,&#8221; says Lehmiller.
</p>
<p>We chatted with a number of intercourse experts and educators to find the 15 greatest intercourse toys price your money (at an array of prices, including high-end intercourse toys). We’ve also pulled collectively skilled ideas for cleansing your toys, deciding on a private lubricant and the means to finest introduce intercourse toys into partnered play. Wearable vibrators are toys specifically designed and marketed to stay in place throughout solo or partnered intercourse. And of the wearable vibrators that WH editors tested, our staff discovered Dame’s Eva to be the finest option for many who want a hands-free expertise.
</p>
<p>These toys can control the motion of different Lovense toys, or be controlled themselves. This vibrator has enhanced my love life and may also be used throughout penetration if you wish to double the action. She makes certain all product round-ups are up-to-date, shares offers taking place everywhere in the web, and critiques various gizmos and gadgets. We tried out as many toys as we may, but we additionally wished some enter from sexperts so that they may share their recommendations for you. We all the time ship our orders in plain, unmarked packaging, so no one will know what’s inside &#8211; a shiny new pocket pussy or massive black dildo, for example. Billing statements are also discreet, guaranteeing a hassle-free experience.
</p>
<p>The website explains the founder was devoted to offering sex toys that weren&#8217;t created from cheap supplies. Instead <a href=https://www.sextoystoreshopping.com/product/lovehoney-advanced-strap-on/>lovehoney strap on</a>, they developed a higher-grade silicone that is secure for the environment and the physique. This is the most fitted choice for the typical individual or couple looking for intercourse toys and lingerie. After all <a href=https://www.sextoystoreshopping.com/games-party-gifts/electric-shock-sex-toy/>shocking sex toys</a>, it is a retailer with long history and you know you&#8217;re getting high-quality products every time. Many of the most effective retailers have blogs the place you can find further details on matters such as the best body-safe lubes or the ins and outs of strap-ons. “I think if a store has a lot of education, it appears to me like they’ve carried out some analysis and try to sell high-quality sex toys,” says Schubert.</p>
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		<title>How to Mine Your Help Desk Data for SEO Insights</title>
		<link>https://ooomf.com/blog/how-to-mine-your-help-desk-data-for-seo-insights/</link>
					<comments>https://ooomf.com/blog/how-to-mine-your-help-desk-data-for-seo-insights/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[wpx_ooomf]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Jun 2019 12:40:16 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ooomf.com/?p=195</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[our help desk is a treasure trove of customer insights that your marketing, sales, and customer service teams can all learn from. Depending on the size of your business and the sophistication of your customer, you likely have a collection of tools to allow customers to: Submit support tickets, search your knowledge base (support articles). ... <a title="How to Mine Your Help Desk Data for SEO Insights" class="read-more" href="https://ooomf.com/blog/how-to-mine-your-help-desk-data-for-seo-insights/" aria-label="More on How to Mine Your Help Desk Data for SEO Insights">Read more</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>our help desk is a treasure trove of customer insights that your marketing, sales, and customer service teams can all learn from.</p>



<p>Depending on the size of your business and the sophistication of your customer, you likely have a collection of tools to allow customers to:</p>



<ul><li>Submit support tickets, search your knowledge base (support articles).</li><li>Live chat with your employees (or bots).</li><li>Give you the ability to survey your customers’ NPS.</li></ul>



<p>Once your help desk is properly configured, here are seven SEO insights you can mine from your ticket log and help desk analytics.</p>
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		<title>How to Automate Intent Classification Using Deep Learning</title>
		<link>https://ooomf.com/blog/how-to-automate-intent-classification-using-deep-learning/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[wpx_ooomf]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Jun 2019 12:39:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ooomf.com/?p=192</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[There have been major changes in how search engines operate that should question our traditional take on SEO: Research keywords. Write content. Build links. Nowadays, search engines are able to match pages even if the keywords are not present. They are also getting better at directly answering questions.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>There have been major changes in how search engines operate that should question our traditional take on SEO:</p>



<ol><li>Research keywords.</li><li>Write content.</li><li>Build links.</li></ol>



<p>Nowadays, search engines are able to match pages even if the keywords are not present. They are also getting better at directly answering questions.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
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		<title>Google Search Console Removes Ability to Set a Preferred Domain</title>
		<link>https://ooomf.com/blog/google-search-console-removes-ability-to-set-a-preferred-domain/</link>
					<comments>https://ooomf.com/blog/google-search-console-removes-ability-to-set-a-preferred-domain/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[wpx_ooomf]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Jun 2019 12:38:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ooomf.com/?p=189</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Google is&#160;sunsetting&#160;the preferred domain setting in Search Console that allowed site owners to specify which URL to display in search results. Along with the deprecation of this setting, Google will no longer use any existing Search Console preferred domain configuration.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Google is&nbsp;<a href="https://webmasters.googleblog.com/2019/06/bye-bye-preferred-domain-setting.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sunsetting</a>&nbsp;the preferred domain setting in Search Console that allowed site owners to specify which URL to display in search results.</p>



<p>Along with the deprecation of this setting, Google will no longer use any existing Search Console preferred domain configuration.</p>
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		<title>5 Ways to Futureproof Your SEO Strategy From Google Algorithm Updates</title>
		<link>https://ooomf.com/blog/5-ways-to-futureproof-your-seo-strategy-from-google-algorithm-updates/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[wpx_ooomf]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Jun 2019 12:37:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ooomf.com/?p=186</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[On June 3, Google&#160;pre-announced&#160;the launch of a “broad core algorithm update” to be released the following day. The decision to pre-announce the update was presumably as much about Google’s PR team stopping Gary Illyes from naming another update as it was to save SEO pros from freaking out.]]></description>
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<p>On June 3, Google&nbsp;<a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-june-broad-core-update/310659/">pre-announced</a>&nbsp;the launch of a “<a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/june-broad-core-update-e-a-t/311937/">broad core algorithm update</a>” to be released the following day.</p>



<p>The decision to pre-announce the update was presumably as much about Google’s PR team stopping Gary Illyes from naming another update as it was to save SEO pros from freaking out.</p>
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		<title>Sea Hero Quest: how a video game is helping to diagnose dementia</title>
		<link>https://ooomf.com/blog/sea-hero-quest-how-a-video-game-is-helping-to-diagnose-dementia/</link>
					<comments>https://ooomf.com/blog/sea-hero-quest-how-a-video-game-is-helping-to-diagnose-dementia/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[wpx_ooomf]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Jun 2019 11:51:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Design]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ooomf.com/?p=172</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The University of East Anglia has delved into the “gamification of science” by developing an app and virtual reality game that gathers players’ spatial awareness data to help inform research into early-stage Alzheimer’s.]]></description>
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<p>

The University of East Anglia has delved into the “gamification of science” by developing an app and virtual reality game that gathers players’ spatial awareness data to help inform research into early-stage Alzheimer’s.

</p>
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			<slash:comments>113</slash:comments>
		
		
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		<title>NHS lets people take their own blood at home with new kit</title>
		<link>https://ooomf.com/blog/nhs-lets-people-take-their-own-blood-at-home-with-new-kit/</link>
					<comments>https://ooomf.com/blog/nhs-lets-people-take-their-own-blood-at-home-with-new-kit/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[wpx_ooomf]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Jun 2019 11:50:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Design]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ooomf.com/?p=168</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Monitor My Health is a new paid-for venture from the NHS that allows patients to take blood at their convenience, send it to a lab for testing, then keep track of their health via an online profile.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>

Monitor My Health is a new paid-for venture from the NHS that allows patients to take blood at their convenience, send it to a lab for testing, then keep track of their health via an online profile.

</p>
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			<slash:comments>470</slash:comments>
		
		
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		<title>Firefox focuses on fire and drops the fox in new branding</title>
		<link>https://ooomf.com/blog/firefox-focuses-on-fire-and-drops-the-fox-in-new-branding/</link>
					<comments>https://ooomf.com/blog/firefox-focuses-on-fire-and-drops-the-fox-in-new-branding/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[wpx_ooomf]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Jun 2019 11:47:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Design]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ooomf.com/?p=165</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The internet browser has launched a new visual identity, which looks to reflect how it has expanded into other online services such as file-sharing, password protection and email checks for data breaches.]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>

The internet browser has launched a new visual identity, which looks to reflect how it has expanded into other online services such as file-sharing, password protection and email checks for data breaches.

</p>
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			<slash:comments>29</slash:comments>
		
		
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		<title>Design inspiration: the best studio projects from May and June</title>
		<link>https://ooomf.com/blog/design-inspiration-the-best-studio-projects-from-may-and-june/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[wpx_ooomf]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Jun 2019 11:45:48 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Design]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ooomf.com/?p=162</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[]]></description>
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		<title>The surprising reason we have a 40-hour work week (and why we should re-think it)</title>
		<link>https://ooomf.com/blog/the-surprising-reason-we-have-a-40-hour-work-week-and-why-we-should-re-think-it-2/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[wpx_ooomf]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Jun 2019 10:37:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ooomf.com/?p=70</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[‘As long as you get your eight hours in.’ I used to hear this phrase a lot. The thinking is that as long as you put in a set amount of time working (usually at least eight hours or more) you will do well at your job and be successful. We learned that eight hours ... <a title="The surprising reason we have a 40-hour work week (and why we should re-think it)" class="read-more" href="https://ooomf.com/blog/the-surprising-reason-we-have-a-40-hour-work-week-and-why-we-should-re-think-it-2/" aria-label="More on The surprising reason we have a 40-hour work week (and why we should re-think it)">Read more</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>‘As long as you get your eight hours in.’</p>



<p>I used to hear this phrase a lot.</p>



<p>The thinking is that as long as you put in a set amount of time working (usually at least eight hours or more) you will do well at your job and be successful.</p>



<p>We learned that eight hours of work a day is what we’re supposed to do almost as soon as we step foot into a classroom. School days are eight hours long and classes are usually structured by slots of time rather than what is accomplished in that time.</p>



<p>When you get a job, usually part or all of your pay is based on hours worked.</p>



<p>Since starting&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://ooomf.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ooomf</a>, I’ve made huge strides in how I approach my day to be more productive, but sometimes, I still catch myself looking at the clock, calculating how much time I should be working rather than focusing on what I’m getting done in that time.</p>



<p>On days where I put in less than eight or ten hours of work, I feel a bit guilty, like I’m not pushing hard enough. But,&nbsp;<strong>this is the wrong way to think</strong>.</p>



<p>At ooomf, we don’t work set hours.</p>



<p>Two of my co-founders prefer to work late into the night while I enjoy starting work early in the day.</p>



<p>Because we have different energy levels at different times, it would be counterproductive for my co-founders to work at 9AM (just like it would be inefficient for me to be working at 2AM).</p>



<p>Granted, there are times when scheduling a time to meet during the day to discuss important matters is needed (and there are many days when we all work through the night), but the importance is our work schedules are rarely managed by a set number of hours; rather,&nbsp;<strong>they are guided by our energy levels</strong>.</p>



<p>Most importantly, we’ve seen the results of working without a set schedule in the quality of our work, our productivity, and our health.</p>



<p>But, working set hours is typically the norm for full-time professionals, so I wondered where this 40-hour work schedule came from and if there’s any scientific backing as to why we’ve been working this way for almost a century.</p>



<h2><strong>How the 40-hour work week came to be</strong></h2>



<p>During the Industrial Revolution, factories needed to be running around the clock so employees during this era frequently worked between 10-16 hour days.</p>



<p>In the 1920s however, it was&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Ford" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Henry Ford</a>, founder of Ford Motor Company, that established the 5-day, 40-hour work week.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307im_/https://d233eq3e3p3cv0.cloudfront.net/max/2560/0*VqIC8okmzzsNKm_s.jpeg" alt=""/></figure></div>



<p><em><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://makered.org/2013/02/tinker-hack-invent-at-the-henry-ford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Henry Ford next to a 1921 Model-T</a></em></p>



<p>Surprisingly, Ford didn’t do it for scientific reasons (or solely for the&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ford-factory-workers-get-40-hour-week" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health of his employees</a>). Rather, one of the main reasons he came up with the idea to reduce the working hours of his staff was&nbsp;<strong>so employees would have enough free time to go out and realize they needed to buy stuff</strong>.</p>



<p>In an interview&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://www.scribd.com/doc/97358938/Henry-Ford-on-the-Economic-Value-of-Leisure" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a>&nbsp;in World’s Work magazine in 1926, Ford explains why he switched his workers from a 6-day, 48-hour workweek to a 5-day, 40-hour workweek but still paid employees the same wages:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>Leisure is an indispensable ingredient in a growing consumer market because working people need to have enough free time to find uses for consumer products, including automobiles.?’?Henry Ford</p></blockquote>



<p>So the 8-hour work day, 5-day workweek wasn’t chosen as the way to work for scientific reasons; instead, it was partly driven by the goal of increasing consumption.</p>



<h2><strong>Night owls vs. early birds</strong></h2>



<p>Your body keeps track of time in a section in your brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (or SCN).</p>



<p>This part of the brain is located behind your eye, where the optic nerve fibers cross, which allows your brain to use cues from light in your environment to help you keep track of time:</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307im_/https://d233eq3e3p3cv0.cloudfront.net/max/700/0*Sd8yTGOVFqkKZHJP.png" alt=""/></figure></div>



<p><em>Source:&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suprachiasmatic_nucleus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wikipedia</a></em></p>



<p><strong>Light and genetics are the two main factors</strong>&nbsp;that help your body tell time, establishing a natural a cycle of energy levels (a circadian rhythm) throughout your day.</p>



<p>Here’s a few of the main events that happen in your body as part of a typical 24-hour biological clock:</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307im_/https://d233eq3e3p3cv0.cloudfront.net/max/800/0*zAuJMvJbLu7O3u8E.png" alt=""/></figure></div>



<p>Source:&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wikipedia</a></p>



<p>The length of your 24-hour cycle may be longer or shorter due to genetics.</p>



<p>If your cycle is a bit longer, you would be considered a night owl but if yours is a bit shorter, you’re most likely an early riser,&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/early-bird-night-owl" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">says</a>&nbsp;Katherine Sharkey, MD, PhD, associate director of the Sleep for Science Research Lab.</p>



<p>Researchers have even&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://www.cell.com/current-biology/retrieve/pii/S096098220700992X" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pinpointed</a>&nbsp;that the length of a particular gene called Period 3 or ‘clock gene,’ could be largely responsible for your sleep-wake cycle.</p>



<h3>Night owls outlast early birds</h3>



<p>A typical workday for most of us usually starts at 7AM and ends around 5PM. This lifestyle design really only works well for one type of person. The early riser.</p>



<p>If you&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://www.mindthesciencegap.org/2013/02/19/zombie-by-day-owl-by-night-why-sleeping-preference-may-be-problematic-for-your-waistline/#sthash.l56b3J85.dpuf)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prefer working nights</a>&nbsp;(like 44% of women and 37% of men do), then you’re often stuck slugging away at a time when your energy levels are low and your work ultimately suffers.</p>



<p>Because night owls wake up later, they sometimes get a reputation for being lazy because they’re asleep while the rest of the world is hustling.</p>



<p>But,&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/conditions/want-to-get-ahead-sleep-in/article572722/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recent research</a>&nbsp;from the University of Brussels suggests that&nbsp;<strong>night owls may beat out early birds</strong>&nbsp;in the length of time they can stay awake and alert without becoming mentally fatigued.</p>



<p>Researchers conducted a study with ‘extreme’ early or late risers. Early risers awoke between 5AM-6AM while late risers awoke at noon.</p>



<p>The participants spent two nights in a sleep lab where the researchers measured their brain activity, looking at alertness and ability to concentrate.</p>



<p><strong>After ten hours of being awake, the early risers showed reduced activity</strong>in areas of the brain associated with attention span and completed tasks more slowly than late risers.</p>



<p>‘It’s the late risers who have the advantage, and can outperform the early birds,’ said Philippe Peigneux, one of the publishers of the study.</p>



<p><strong>Forcing someone to work early (or late) doesn’t necessarily lead to better results</strong>.</p>



<p>A night owl can be just as productive (if not more) than an early riser, they’re simply more productive at a different time.</p>



<h2><strong>The importance of taking a breather</strong></h2>



<p>Because&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/https://ooomf.com/blog/waste-time-with-the-ones-you-love/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our bodies were designed to work in rhythms</a>, not for endless hours on end, breaks are often just as important as the work we do.</p>



<p>Research discussed in the landmark book&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/02/st_essay_distraction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Creativity and the Mind</a>&nbsp;showed that&nbsp;<strong>regular breaks significantly enhance problem-solving skills</strong>, partly by making it easier for you to go through your memories to find clues.</p>



<p>Focusing only on your work for four or five hours straight&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/https://ooomf.com/blog/waste-time-with-the-ones-you-love/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">limits your chances</a>&nbsp;to make new, insightful neural connections, which won’t help you when you need to be creative.</p>



<p>A few companies have embraced this need to remove work to improve production and creativity.</p>



<p>In&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://www.ted.com/talks/stefan_sagmeister_the_power_of_time_off.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">his TED talk</a>, graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister explains the importance of time off and why he shuts down his design studio for a year. Sagmeister says this removal of work allows him and his colleagues to gain new perspectives and refresh, ultimately producing better work.</p>



<p>Quirky, a web company is working on an experiment to shut down operations for four weeks every year. Here’s an excerpt from an email Quirky CEO, Ben Kaufman sent to Quirky staff (<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://www.quirky.com/blog/post/2012/12/january-1st-6th-quirky-takes-a-breather/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">full email here</a>):</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>We are going to shut down the entire machine for 4 weeks next year. Instead of running for 52, it will run for 48.</p></blockquote>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>This is a full, mandatory shutdown of all internal activities. Lights out. Deep breath’</p></blockquote>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>Our thesis is centered around the fact that this will lead to better work, more beautiful products, and an emotionally balanced team.</p></blockquote>



<h3>Take a breather not just for creativity (but for your health)</h3>



<p>Giving yourself a break not only can benefit your creative juices but also your health.</p>



<p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/https://twitter.com/BlueZones" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dan Buettner</a>, a writer for National Geographic recently assembled a team of researchers to look at three communities around the world that have the longest, healthiest lives on the planet.</p>



<p>In his TED talk,&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_buettner_how_to_live_to_be_100.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How to live to be 100+</a>, Buettner showcases one of these communities, the Seventh-Day Adventists in California.</p>



<p>The members of the Seventh-Day Adventists must take one day off a week from work completely, no matter how busy they may be.</p>



<p>Buettner points out this opportunity to reconnect with people and the world around them relieves stress and is likely part of the equation for why the Seventh-Day Adventists have five times the number of people who live to be over a hundred than the rest of the country.</p>



<h2><strong>4 steps to work-life bliss</strong></h2>



<p>I’ve experimented a lot with different techniques to improve the way I work. A couple weeks ago, I tried to not look at a clock for a day and instead, just rely on my energy levels to tell me what I should do (I found it nearly impossible and failed within the first couple hours).</p>



<p>Through trial and failure however, I’ve found a system that has worked wonders for me.</p>



<p>I will continue to try more things to constantly improve the way I work and report my findings, but here’s what I’ve figured out so far that has produced the best work of my career.</p>



<h3>1. Write a realistic to-do list</h3>



<p>Make a to-do list for the day that has 3-4 major tasks that you want to get done.</p>



<p>Because your days will naturally fill up with other things, David Heinemeier Hansson of 37signals,&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://www.slideshare.net/egarbugli/26-time-management-hacks-i-wish-id-known-at-20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recommends</a>,</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>‘Plan for 4-5 hours of real work per day.’</p></blockquote>



<p>Laying out your daily tasks knowing this, helps you&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/https://ooomf.com/blog/important-how-to-write-a-to-do-list/">create a to-do list that you can consistently complete</a>, rather than one that has too many items and leaves you feeling bad, like you’re constantly falling behind.</p>



<h3><strong>2. Create cycles with your work</strong></h3>



<p>You probably have lots of different types of tasks to worry about.</p>



<p>To accomplish more of the important things while maintaing balance in your energy levels so you don’t burnout, try breaking your day up like this:</p>



<ul><li><strong>A creative task</strong>. Starting with your most creative or important task before that urgent email pops up will help you feel accomplished. For me, I usually wake up and work a 90-minute session on my most creative task before I feel my brain and concentration start to fatigue.</li><li><strong>An un-timed break</strong>.Your break could be 20-minute run, a nap, lunch,or simply doing nothing for a few minutes. This gives you a chance to refresh and regain mental power before starting your next task. By keeping it un-timed, you’re using your energy levels as a guide to when you should start work again, rather than a rigid set amount of time.</li><li><strong>A mundane task</strong>. By bulking your mundane tasks together and doing them all at once, you’ll save time. Check all your emails or try to schedule multiple phone calls in a row. This way, when you switch back to a creative task, you won’t have the cloud of a hundred emails hovering over your head.</li><li><strong>Another un-timed break.</strong></li><li><strong>Repeat</strong>. Try going through this cycle 3-4 times in a day.</li></ul>



<h3>3. One day with no work</h3>



<p>Steve Blank, the pioneer of the Lean Startup Movement&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140212015307/http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/12/opinion/switch-off-work-dorf/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">uses</a>&nbsp;a Date Night every week to remove from work completely. My fiance and I do this same thing.</p>



<p>One night a week, we have a planned time where we spend time not talking about any work (no checking of iThings allowed).</p>



<p>Try removing work completely for a day.</p>



<p>When you return to work the next day, you’ll probably feel inspired and driven, helping to keep distractions at bay.</p>



<h3><strong>4. Find a true metric to measure your tasks</strong></h3>



<p>It’s easy to count hours but not so easy to figure out another way to measure the work you do that encompasses the true goal of what you’re producing.</p>



<p>For example, it’s easy to measure how many hours you wrote today but what is the goal of your writing?</p>



<p>Is it to simply get your thoughts down? Then maybe you should be measuring how many days in a row you are writing.</p>



<p>Is it to grow your audience so people purchase what you’re selling? Then maybe you should track the sales that result from each blog post you write rather than the number of posts you write.</p>



<p>Track your progress using one of these metrics and your mindset may shift from ‘I worked x hours to do this thing’ to ‘I did this thing and it produced x results.’</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<p>This system is hard to maintain because a lot of things in the world are designed to steal your attention and I’ve found myself falling into the busy trap once in a while.</p>



<p>But, if you give it a shot (even just for a day or a few hours), you may uncover one of the most productive ways you’ve ever worked, like I did.</p>



<p>If you work at a company that requires you to be there for a set number of hours I’m not saying you should quit or that it’s a bad gig.</p>



<p>The important thing to remember is it’s not about the amount of hours you work, but what you do in those hours that counts.</p>
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