Alright so today I wanted to figure out this whole “Raddoppio del giorno” thing. I kept hearing about it for getting more stuff done, but nobody really explained how to actually do it. I found three main methods people talk about, and I decided to test them all myself, one after the other.
Starting with the Basic Time Blocking Method
First up was the simple time blocking method. I grabbed my notebook and just split my day into chunks. I figured I’d work for 90 minutes, then take a 20-minute break. Seemed straightforward. I set a timer and got to work on some writing.
What happened? The first block was great. I was focused. But after the break, getting back into it was tough. My brain was already thinking about the next break. By the third block, I was just watching the clock. It felt rigid, like I was in a cage I built myself. The breaks started to feel like interruptions instead of refreshers.
Moving on to the “Task Pyramid” Thing
Okay, scratch that. Next day, I tried the second method, the so-called “Task Pyramid.” The idea is you start with a tiny, easy task at the top. Then you do a slightly bigger one, and you keep going down, building momentum.
- First, I cleared my email inbox. Easy win.
- Then, I wrote a project outline. Still felt good.
- But then I had to tackle the big one: a full project proposal.
My take? It started strong, I’ll give it that. Checking off those small tasks felt rewarding. But the jump to the big, complex task was brutal. All that momentum just crashed. It was like running fast and then hitting a brick wall. I ended up procrastinating on the big task because the switch was too sudden.
Finally, the “Energy Cycle” Approach
At this point, I was getting frustrated. The third method was about matching tasks to your energy levels. You’re supposed to figure out when you’re sharpest and do your hardest work then.
I know I’m a morning person, so I scheduled my creative work for the first two hours after I woke up. After lunch, when I usually feel sluggish, I put all the boring, administrative stuff—filling out forms, replying to simple emails.
This was the winner. Seriously. It felt natural, not forced. I wasn’t fighting my own body clock. The hard stuff got done when I had the brainpower for it, and the easy stuff filled in the gaps when I was tired. I didn’t feel guilty for being slow in the afternoon because I was doing tasks that suited that slower pace. The whole day just flowed better.
So, Which One Actually Works?
After trying all three, it’s clear to me that the “Energy Cycle” method is the most efficient, at least for how my brain works. The other two are too mechanical. They try to force you into a box. The time blocking method ignores your natural energy dips and peaks, and the pyramid method sets you up for a nasty crash.
The key isn’t some clever trick or a strict schedule. It’s just about paying attention to yourself and working with your own rhythm, not against it. I’m sticking with the energy-based approach from now on. It just makes sense.