--- title: The Science of Improving Your Performance at Almost Anything description: Avoid multi-tasking and rather work in chunks canonical: https://time.com/3704914/improving-performance/ author: Shane Parrish article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-02-11T19:26:44.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:49:38.141Z article:section: Ideas og:title: The Science of Improving Your Performance at Almost Anything og:description: Avoid multi-tasking and rather work in chunks og:url: https://time.com/3704914/improving-performance/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcb4ee1f6ff64b4e8/69877ea2524fc0fdcddec6bc/86528495-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5649 og:image:height: 3178 og:image:alt: soccer-player-soccer-ball og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Science of Improving Your Performance at Almost Anything twitter:description: Avoid multi-tasking and rather work in chunks twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcb4ee1f6ff64b4e8/69877ea2524fc0fdcddec6bc/86528495-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Science of Improving Your Performance at Almost Anything > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ## Video: Giorgio Moroder Describes the Perfect Pop Dance Song [Watch (HLS stream): Giorgio Moroder Describes the Perfect Pop Dance Song](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/J4PWndMR.m3u8) (1:15)  _Published 2015-02-06. At the age of 74, electronic music producer Giorgio Moroder is releasing his first album in three decades._ by [Shane Parrish](https://time.com/author/shane-parrish/) ## Shane Parrish Feb 11, 2015 7:26 PM UTC  Soccer player kicking soccer ball Soccer player kicking soccer ball Getty Images by [Shane Parrish](https://time.com/author/shane-parrish/) ## Shane Parrish Feb 11, 2015 7:26 PM UTC Improving our performance is something we all seek to do. Given that we spend a lot of time doing things that we never get better at, I thought I’d share my “developing world class performance” file with you. \*\*\* Joshua Foer [writes](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2011/02/us-memory-champ-joshua-foer-what-differentiates-amateurs-and-top-achievers/): --- > “” --- There is so much to [**how we practice**](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2012/07/what-is-deliberate-practice/) **and who we practice against**: --- > “” --- **Feedback loops** in practice play an incredibly important role, which explains why we tend to stop getting better at things at work. In [Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591842948/farnamstreet-20), Geoff Colvin writes: --- > “” --- You should **work in** [**chunks or pulses**](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2014/05/work-in-pulses/). (And don’t multi-task) Deliberate practice should be so hard that you can’t sustain it for very long. From [Talent is Overrated](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591842948/farnamstreet-20): --- > “” --- When practicing and playing there is **a** [**different mindset** between average and top performers](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2011/01/how-do-excellent-performers-differ-from-the-average/). From [Talent is Overrated](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591842948/farnamstreet-20): --- > “” --- Aside from practice, [**sleep** is the next most important thing](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2011/03/sleep-is-more-important-than-food/). --- > “” --- \*\*\* So all of that is great for technical skills (like chess and music) but **how can we develop the softer skills?** **Speed things up.** The way [that Brazil develops its soccer players](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2012/10/how-does-brazil-develop-its-soccer-players/) is fascinating. They use a game called futebol de salão, which creates a laboratory of improvisation. From [The Little Book of Talent: 52 Tips for Improving Your Skills](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/034553025X/farnamstreet-20): --- > “” --- \*\*\* We can also improve our writing. Ben Franklin [intuitively grasped the concept of deliberate practice](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2012/07/what-is-deliberate-practice/). As a teenager Ben received a letter from his father saying his writing was inferior: “in elegance of expression, in method and in perspicuity, of which he convinced me by several instances,” as Franklin recalled. From [Talent is Overrated](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591842948/farnamstreet-20): --- > “” --- \*\*\* Here is a subsection I call **the science of everyday performance**. To do our best work we need to [**focus**](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2013/10/he-science-of-high-performance/)**.** From [Your Brain At Work — Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0061771295/farnamstreet-20): --- > “” --- We all need [**routines or rituals**](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2013/10/he-science-of-high-performance/), in part to make sure our decision-making energy goes toward the hard things, not what we’re ordering at Starbucks. From [Maximize Your Potential: Grow Your Expertise, Take Bold Risks & Build an Incredible Career](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1477800891/farnamstreet-20): --- > “” --- The energy saved from routines and rituals gives us more energy to make better decisions. Some companies, like Google, [take this very seriously.](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2009/12/david-rock-your-brain-at-work-google-talk/) From [Your Brain At Work:](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0061771295/farnamstreet-20) --- > “” --- Mark McGuinness argues that you should [**move your creative or mentally intensive work to the start of your day**](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2013/05/the-single-most-important-change-you-can-make-in-your-working-habits/)**.** From [Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00B77UE4W/farnamstreet-20): --- > “” --- We also shouldn’t forget [**the importance of leisure**](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2014/04/the-art-and-science-of-doing-nothing/). This, in addition to health benefits, makes us more creative. From [Autopilot: The Art and Science of Doing Nothing](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00EA6QHNY/farnamstreet-20): --- > “” --- Oh, and you should [**exercise**](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2013/03/brain-rules-12-things-we-know-about-how-the-brain-works/)**.** From [Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving At Work, Home, and School](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/098326337X/farnamstreet-20): --- > “” --- Some philosophers [walked to think and others walked to escape](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2014/05/a-philosophy-of-walking/). Kant combined walking and habit. From [A Philosophy of Walking](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1781682704/farnamstreet-20): --- > “” --- \*\*\* **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Farnam Street_**](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/)**_._** **Join over 50,000 readers and get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/newsletter/)**.** ## Transcript To be honest, [ MUSIC ] for me to get a chance to do a record at my age, that's a something you have to take. You cannot say no. [ MUSIC ] It's quite different. Now it's, it's all, every single now has a manager, a producer, a vocal producer which we never had. It's a lot of involvement of a lot of people for every song, so. And the, that's I think one of the reasons it takes so long, to, to, to record and to finish. I'd like to do hopefully perfect dance of songs. Maybe the next album if there is an album maybe if there's another sound or another direction. But for this one I definitely want to have some pop. The hook has to be great, the lyrics. The rhythm, the voice. [ MUSIC ] And then the timing, you know, to have a success, if the timing is wrong, it's almost impossible. 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