You collect the data. And then... what?

You start tracking yourself: HRV, sleep, stress, energy levels, recovery. You collect data. And then… what?

Data alone doesn’t change anything. The shift happens when you notice patterns.

For me, it started with running. I’d push myself to run at 7am cause it felt productive and disciplined. But the runs were hard. And afterward, I’d have less energy for the day (though I felt proud for being “that person who runs at 7am”).

Then I tried paying attention. Morning runs? My body often wasn’t ready actually. But midday runs (between calls) turned out to be different. I’d unload everything from my head, recharge, come back with better focus. Like a second wind.

At first, it felt wrong. Running in the middle of the workday seemed like an indulgence. But the data was clear: I worked more productive, sparked with more good ideas, ran with more joy, had more energy overall.

Second pattern: by Thursday, I was consistently low on energy. Friday? Barely any focus left.

Turns out neuroscience explains this well: after 2-3 days of intense cognitive work, you need a lighter day. I started redistributing tasks across the week and limiting deep work blocks. The result? More energy throughout the entire week.

Felt counterintuitive. But when I actually tried it, turned out way easier than pushing through ever was.