Each of us wants to achieve goals and make progress every day, to use every day to the full, to simply make something out of every day! But how can I be productive and how can I remain productive even in difficult, stressful phases in the mill of everyday life?

Being productive is different for everyone. An athlete has to organise his day differently and pay attention to different things than a factory or office worker or like me as a student. External and internal influences and pressures determine the structure of everyone's day differently.

However, one thing is pretty much the same for everyone. We are all subject to a so-called biorhythm. This, however, is slightly different for everyone. There are the early risers, the so-called larches among us, who get a full start first thing in the morning, or the so-called owls, who get a boost in the evening hours.

Regardless of whether you are a larch or an owl, in order to make something out of every day, to be productive and to stay productive, each of us should know and internalise the following points:

(1) Our biorhythms run in waves. In the morning and in the afternoon, for example, we have a high-concentration phase in which we are most productive. This is when you should accomplish the most important and difficult tasks of the day.

(2) After the concentration phase in the morning, we fall into a low at noon. You should use this time to eat and take a short breather. A short power walk in the fresh air after the meal will revive you and give you energy for the afternoon.

(3) Productive phases have a limit. After about 70 to 90 minutes, concentration begins to wane. Signs of an intermediate low are sudden hunger, thirst, repeated yawning and typically easy distractibility.

(4) Take a power nap of about 15 minutes in between. Sleeping at work? No longer a no-go today. For athletes it is obligatory, for everyone else it makes sense. It gives you new power, but should not last longer than 20 minutes, as the body then falls into a deep sleep and the day is over. Take your bunch of keys in your hand. During the power nap you will drop it before the deep sleep phase. For all coffee drinkers, here's a Formula Froböse tip: drink an espresso directly before the power nap. The effect of the caffeine sets in after about 20 minutes and makes you awake and fresh again.

(5) Regular and sufficient sleep according to a fixed rhythm is the most important basis for power in everyday life. Fixed bedtime and rising times are essential. Sleeping an extra hour at the weekend is okay. But it should not be more than that in order not to fall out of rhythm.

(6) Avoid alcohol and nicotine and make sure you eat a good, balanced diet with reduced sugar content.

If you want to learn more about this topic, then grab the book "Golden Rules" by Martin Krengel or the book by Prof. Dr. Ingo Froböse from the Sports University in Cologne "Die Formel Froböse - Der Wegweiser für ein vitales und gesundes Leben".