TFTD: Thought For The Day

I had an unusually productive day today. It was nice. I was able to concentrate on my work better than usual. I even put in a big chunk of time on my blog (to assemble the playfair post, which was quite an educational process for me). I suppose there are a lot of possible reasons why I am productive some days and unproductive others. But there is one difference today that may have a connection. I slept a little less than usual last night, because I woke up earlier than usual this morning. I've noticed in the past that this often precedes a productive day.

It's possible that the subconscious mental state that leads to the heightened productivity is also the cause of the reduced sleep/earlier awakening. But it's not impossible, I think, that it's the other way around, that I actually derive benefit from this. It's even rationalizable (not sure that's actually a word), though as with all my rationalizations it's a bit of a stretch. I'm a somewhat nervous (maybe edgy or jumpy or intense are better words) person by nature, and I think that this temperament functions as a powerful distractor, keeping me from wanting to focus on one thing for long. The reduced sleep could serve as a sort of sedative, preventing me from having the energy to be restless. I'm sure this is pure bogus, and even if it were real, regular exercise should have the same effect. But it's fun to think about.