How Acting Like a Cheetah Can Make You More Productive

Cheetah running Stephen Belcher/Getty Images/Minden Pictures RM

By CHERYL STRAUSS EINHORN May 10, 2017

The Leadership Insiders network is an online community where the most thoughtful
and in uential people in business contribute answers to timely questions about
careers and leadership. Today’s answer to the question, “What’s your morning
routine before going to work?” is written by Cheryl Strauss Einhorn, founder of CSE
Consulting, adjunct professor at Columbia Business School, and author of Problem
Solved, a Powerful System for Making Complex Decisions with Con dence &
Conviction.

My morning routine actually starts the day before, while still in my of ce. Before I
leave my desk and shut off the of ce lights, I check my calendar, list new and current
projects, and arrange my to-dos in order of importance. That’s what enables my
morning peace of mind. Often we’re in such a rush to resolve each little problem—
answering emails late at night and waking to urgent texts—that we don’t actually
take time to think. But in work, and for our future, we deserve and need time to
re ect. Insight doesn’t come from collecting information alone; it comes from
brainwork.

I love to get up early, when it’s still quiet. Over coffee, I review the plan I made at the
end of work day yesterday—the to-do list of new things, the current projects—then
take a strategic pause. It’s the rst of many I take every day: They enable me to
chunk my learning and work more effectively. I lace up my running shoes, and head
out for three and a half miles around the neighborhood. While running, part of my
mind is on the job, even though I’m not consciously thinking about it. Running gets
rid of some of my restless energy so I can sit at my desk—and yes, be able to eat
cookies later in the day.

I call these intentional stops in my day “cheetah pauses.” What makes cheetahs such
remarkable hunters is not their speed, but their ability to slow down quickly. They
not only reach 60 miles per hour running down their prey, but they can cut their
speed by nine miles per hour in a single stride. This gives them an incredible
advantage, enabling them to turn sharply, jump sideways, and change directions in
an instant. As researcher Alan Wilson explained in a New York Times article, “The
hunt is much more about maneuvering, about acceleration, about ducking and diving
to capture the prey.”

Just like cheetahs, we can develop that kind of maneuverability—and better capture
each day. By taking calculated pauses, slowing down, and consolidating knowledge,
we’re more effective when we’re back up to speed. We bene t more from being
exible and creative than just rushing non-stop.

So in the morning, I check the pending hierarchy of to-dos and the time each task
should take. I tend to place time codes next to each item. I know when I’ll be able to
check emails, eat lunch, and slot in phone calls. But this isn’t just about
organization: My pacing allows me to consider my own natural rhythm, those ebbs
and ows of energy that impact each of us differently throughout a given day. For
me, the best time to tackle the heavy thinking tasks is when I rst get into the of ce.
I already have that on the top of the list.
Placing my to-dos into a hierarchy and using time codes not only keeps me on track,
but keeps me from feeling overwhelmed and disappointed that I didn’t do more. We
tend to operate under a planning fallacy: We underestimate the time tasks require.
By using the time-code system, I’ve come to better understand how I work, and how
long a task should take.

These techniques are what enable me to get a good night’s sleep and start the
morning calm and settled. I already know I’ll have pockets of time for concentrating
on what’s important, as I’ve programmed them right into the schedule. I know what’s
on tap if all goes as planned. If not, I’ll be able to use one of my cheetah pauses to
regroup and still conquer the day.

After I nish up my morning’s run and shower, I go wake my kids. Having taken care
of myself rst, now I’m ready to take care of them, and get on with the rest of the
day.