In the Hunt for Jack Reacher Series, FBI Special Agents Kim Otto and Carlos Gaspar drink a lot of coffee. I mean a LOT. So much that in Get Back Jack, we find Otto measuring intake not by the cup, but by the pot.
“Kim took one last mental tour through her plan and a quick look around the room. She ordered a third pot of coffee and pastries to soak up the acid in her stomach.”
Will coffee actually make Otto and Gaspar more effective on their mission? If you’re a coffee fanatic, you know the answer is, “Of course!” But if you’re a coffee skeptic, consider these ideas about coffee as a mechanism toward success:
- Sometimes, the act of brewing coffee alone can make you more focused. It has to do with routine and intentionality. CEO Matt Galligan credits coffee with some of his success — but it’s not all about the caffeine. He believes that the concentration he puts into brewing the perfect cup of coffee helps create a focused mindset for the whole day.
- Caffeine is one way to combat low levels of cortisol. That’s why, for most people, studies show the most effective time to drink coffee is not right when you wake up, but rather, between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. When you wake up, you naturally have high levels of cortisol, which means you’re probably already pretty alert. But by 9:30 a.m., cortisol levels might start to taper off. Commence the coffee drinking!
- If your coffee consumption is part of a routine, that’s another step toward productivity. William James, the founder of modern psychology, put it this way: Schedules “free our minds to advance to really interesting fields of action.” I already told you about how it’s important for Kim Otto and Carlos Gaspar to think creatively. Using coffee as a part of their routine should help pave the way.
- Caffeine keeps you from getting tired by blocking adenosine from adenosine receptors. But that’s not all. It also causes your dopamine levels to swell, giving you a jolt of energy. Jolt of energy + Not being tired = More productivity on the job!
Even Lee Child supports java. You know what he says about my books, right?
“Intricate and ingenious – make some coffee, because you’ll read all night.” – Lee Child
Very good comments this morning. enjoyed it very much.