Day 30: Work smart

This tip is especially useful for those of you who are pursuing goals with a definite finish point; those events where there is some kind of final performance eg a race, a presentation, a pitch or a test.  (For others, your goals will be ongoing and require a level of continuing vigilence and practise.  For example, if your goal was to stop smoking or cease drinking, these require ongoing maintenance).

Tip 30:  Do the work, but taper before the big event.

The idea of 'tapering' comes from sports.  The basic concept is that over the weeks and months preceeding the athlete's key race, they put the work in, but in the couple of weeks immediately before the big day, they tend to cut back on the amount and type of training that they do.  This is to allow the body to recover and to be in a peak state of readiness on the day of the race.  The tapering process is just a way of keeping the body ready for performing without over-stressing it.  Of course, what makes this short, relatively light period of training effective is all the hours of harder training that the athlete put in earlier.  

The same applies for your own goals.  If you are preparing for a 'peak performance' on a particular date, plan your time so that you have all your preparation done early.  This will allow you time to relax and also cope with any unforeseen events that may crop up at the last minute.  It is not an excuse for finishing early - your taper is an important part of your preparation.  On the other hand if you find yourself still cramming the night before an exam, or stressing over your presentation an hour before you give it, you will probably not be in the best state of mind to give of your best.