The Three Spheres of

Productivity
Presented by: Mohammed Faris (aka Abu Productive),
Founder & CEO, Productive Muslim Ltd
Welcome
The Basics
Why do you need to be
Productive?
Productivity & Happiness

Man was created a Slave on this Earth

To Toil the Earth and be Allah’s Vicegerent (Khalifah)

We are happiest when we fulfill our Purpose on this Earth

Question: When do we rest?

“We take no pleasure in existence except when we are striving after something.”
How to develop an attitude of
Productivity?
The Four Senses...

•Sense of Purpose
•Sense of Urgency
Productive Attitude
•Sense of Gratitude
•Sense of Service
What is Productivity?
Our Definition of Productivity

Productivity =
Focus x Energy x Time
(towards maximising your reward in Akhira)
In other words...

A Productive Lifestyle is all about making

smart choices (continuously) with your
energy, focus, and time to maximize
your potential in each of your roles
What is NOT Productivity?
Misconceptions

•Productivity is NOT an Event, it’s a Process

•Productivity is NOT boring, it’s fun!
•Productivity is NOT being busy, it’s being organised

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The 3 Spheres of Productivity
3 Spheres of Productivity

Spiritual
Productivity

Social Physical
Productivity Productivity

Being Productive is a Lifestyle, not an Activity

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What you need to Implement the
3 Spheres?
Productivity Triangle

Intention

Action Discipline

“Have sincere Intentions and (consistently) Work Hard”

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How to develop Discipline?
Three Ingredients...

Higher Purpose
+
Practice, Practice, Practice
+
Self-Accountability

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The Basics
 Spiritual
Productivity
3 Spheres of Productivity

Spiritual
Productivity

Social Physical
Productivity Productivity

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The Concept of Barakah

“Barakah is the attachment of Divine goodness

to a thing, so if it occurs in something little, it
increases it. And if it occurs in something much,
it benefits. And the greatest fruits of Barakah in
all things is to use that barakah in the obedience
of Allah (Subahanahu Wa Ta’ala)”

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18 Sources of Barakah

2. Belief 3. Putting
1. Good 4. Reciting 5. Saying 6. Eating
and Piety in your trust in
Intentions Quran “Bismillah” with People
Allah Allah

9. Halal 10. 12. Giving

7. Honesty 11. Praying
8. Dua Income/ Following Thanks to
in Trade Istikhara
money the Sunnah Allah

14. Tying
15. Waking 16.
13. Charity Ties of 17. Salah 18. Istighfar
up early Marriage
Kinship
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What removes Barakah?

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Barakah Destroyers

Sins & Bad Deeds

are Barakah Destroyers

The Antidote: Istighfar + Tawbah

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7 Daily Spiritual Habits

1. Sunnah Prayers BEFORE/AFTER Salah

2. Remembrance of Allah after EVERY Salah
3. Morning/Evening Remembrance
4. Night Prayer
5. Duha Prayer
6. Always being in a state of Wudhu
7. Recite 30mins of Quran Each Day
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Summary Quiz!

1. Why do you need to be Productive?

2. How to develop a Productive Attitude?
3. What is Productivity?
4. What is NOT productivity?
5. What are the 3 Spheres of Productivity?
6. What is Barakah? Sources of Barakah?
7. Daily Spiritual Habits to develop?
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 Spiritual
Productivity
 Physical
Productivity
ProductiveMuslim Framework

Spiritual
Productivity

Social Physical
Productivity Productivity

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Body Hacks

Manage Sleep

Manage Nutrition Manage Fitness

Managing Your Body is KEY to managing Your Productivity

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Managing Sleep

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 The Importance of Sleep

• 1/3 of Your Life is Spent Sleeping!

• Cannot be resisted (the gentle tyrant)
• Important for health & well-being

If you can manage sleep,

you can manage your life

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How to Sleep?

Spiritual Solutions

Physical Solutions Social Solutions

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How to Sleep?
(Spiritually)

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 Spiritual Significance of Sleep

• Sign of Allah’s Power (Ayatul Kursi)

• Realization of our Weakness
• Reminder of Death/Resurrection
• Rewards to those who overcome Sleep for Worship

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A Muslim’s Dilemma

Our bodies need 6-8 hours sleep

each night

vs.
Give up Sleep for Personal/
Spiritual Growth...
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A Muslim’s Dilemma

Sleeping for Dunya

vs.

Sleeping for Akhira

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Solving the Dilemma

Start with the right Intentions.

Remember Barakah & Productivity.

Don’t Fight Sleep but Manage Your Sleep.

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Practical Spiritual Solutions

Actions

• Wudhu
Before Sleep • Witr Prayer or Night Prayer
• Dua before Sleep

• Constant Remembrance
During Sleep • Dua if you wake up middle of the night
• Dua if you can’t sleep

After Sleep
• Dua upon waking up
• First actions
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How to Sleep?
(Physically)

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 Physical Preps Before Sleep

• Exercise to burn off stress

• Do not eat after 8.00pm*
• No caffeine in the evenings
• Stretch before going to bed
• Make the room as cool as possible
• Do light reading before bed/
• Avoid TV (or laptop, Screens..etc)
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How to actually Sleep?

Sleep Cycle:
Your Key to Quality Sleep

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 Understanding Sleep Cycles

•We’re not Machines

•Everything in our body Pulses Rhythmically
•Law of Allah in the Universe

Manage your sleep by working with

your natural pulse and not against it

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How Sleep Cycles Work

Stage 1:
Falling Asleep

Stage 5:
REM: Stage 2:
Dreaming Light Sleep
Stage
90-120 minutes

Stage 4: Stage 3:
Deep, slow- Deep, slow-
wave sleep wave sleep
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How Sleep Cycles Work

11.30pm 1.00am 2.30am 4.00am

10pm 5am
1 sleep 2 sleep 3 sleep 4 sleep
cycle cycles cycles cycles

(Assuming 90m Sleep Cycles)

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 Homework
Try to figure our your Sleep Cycle over the next 3 days. Try
sleep cycles of 90 minutes, 100 minutes, and 120 minutes and
see which one works best for you.

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Q. What if I’m still tired?
A. Power Naps

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 The Power of Power Naps!

• A Nap of 90mins improves alertness by 10 hrs!

• Naps make you smarter, healthier, & safer.
• Why we need to nap?
•Our bodies are programmed for 2 periods of intense sleep. (2am - 4am, and
1pm - 3pm)

• When’s the best time to Nap?

• 3 Types of Naps:
•Cat Nap (20m), Action Nap (40m), Long Nap (90m).
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How to Sleep?
(Socially)

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 Social Solutions to Sleep

• Having a ‘Clean’ Heart before going to bed by:

• Forgiving those who wronged you
• Resolving Conflicts/Emotional Issues
• Do NOT sleep whilst angry
• If it’s too late to talk to people, write it down!

Imagine you died that night

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 Spiritual Solutions

Physical Solutions Social Solutions

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 Action Points

1. Learn the ‘Before Sleep Duas. Practice daily.

2. Measure Your Sleep Cycle (Involve friends/family)

3. Build a Habit of Napping into your routine

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Early Rising

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 Early Rising

• Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said

“O Allah, make the early morning hours blessed for my nation.”

• Early Rising Starts the Night Before

• Effective Ways to Wake Up

Group Exercise:
Brainstorm Creative Solutions to Waking Up Early
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 The Importance of M.Routines

Early Mornings is when you have most:

1. Will Power
2. Control over your Life/Time

The most successful people use their mornings for these things:
1.Nurturing their careers
2.Nurturing their relationships
3.Nurturing themselves

“When you make over your mornings, you can make over your life. That is what the most
successful people know” - Laura Vanderkam, Author
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Develop Your NEW Routine

What your new Morning routine

Time (AM) What you do now
will be like?

5.00
5.30
6.00
6.30
7.00
7.30
8.00
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Body Hacks

Manage Sleep

Manage Nutrition Manage Fitness

Managing Your Body is KEY to managing Your Productivity

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Managing Nutrition

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How to manage nutrition?

Spiritual Solutions

Physical Solutions Social Solutions

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 Manage Nutrition (Spiritually)

• Understanding the Source of our Food

• How to make food a Spiritual Exercise:
• Saying Bismillah/Al-Hamdulillah
• Eating with the right hand
• Eating what you need
• Incorporate habit of Fasting
Practical Tip:

Choose a meal and consciously contemplate 1/12

 Manage Nutrition (Physically)

• You are what you eat

• Appetite vs. Hunger
• Avoid Skipping Meals: Keep consistent energy level
• Plan your meals for the week
• Incorporate Habit of Fasting
Practical Tip:

Keep a food diary for 1-2 days, study & adjust your diet.
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 Manage Nutrition (Socially)

The Prophet said: “The food of two people is enough for three,
and the food of three people is enough for four.” (Sahîh Bukhârî, Sahîh Muslim)

Practical Tip:
Invite someone new to dinner tonight!
BONUS: Invite a Stranger!

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Managing Fitness

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Why you should exercise?

Don’t exercise for your Body;

Exercise for your Brain!

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3 Major Excuses

Excuse Excuse Buster!

I don’t have time!

I can’t afford it!

I can’t commit!

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 Daily Exercises

•Park further away from your destination.

•Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
•Break up your day by taking three 10-minute walks—morning, lunch, and afternoon.
•Play with your children/siblings for at least an hour each evening.

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How much exercise?

150 Minutes/week of Moderate Exercising

(50% - 70% of Maximum Heart Rate)
1Your breathing quickens, but you're not out of breath.
How to calculate your
2You develop a light sweat after about 10 minutes of activity.
3You can carry on a conversation, but you can't sing.
Maximum Heart Rate:

220 – age in years = MHR.

75 Minutes of Intense Exercising
(Above 70% of your Maximum Heart Rate)
1Your breathing is deep and rapid.
2You develop a sweat after a few minutes of activity.
3You can't say more than a few words without pausing for breath.
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 Spiritual Solutions

Physical Solutions Social Solutions

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Summary

3 x Essential Body Hacks

3 x Ways to Manage Sleep
3 x Ways to Manage Nutrition
3 x Major Excuses for Lack of Fitness
3 x Ways to Manage Emotions

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 Physical
Productivity
 Social
Productivity
 Social
Productivity
ProductiveMuslim Framework

Spiritual
Productivity

Social Physical
Productivity Productivity

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Social Productivity

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Why should you care?

Islam is a community-based religion,

not an individual-based religion

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Wherever Allah Plants you, be fruitful
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Where to Start?

Circle of
Concern

Circle of
Influence

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Where to Start?
Humanity

Ummah

Community
Neighbours/
Colleagues
Relatives

Family

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 How to Start

1. Find an area of interest

2. Learn/Develop in that area
3. Share/Teach/Volunteer

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How to Start

Resources you’ll
Area of Interest Timeline
need
Family
Relatives
Neighbours/
Colleagues
Community

Ummah

Humanity
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Question: How do I prioritize?

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Define your roles

Mandated Roles Elective Roles

Muslim Employee

Father/Mother Friend

Son/Daughter Boss

Brother/Sister Student

...etc ...etc

Exercise:
What are your mandatory roles/elective roles?
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Measure your performance

Minimum Performance Level Line

Performance

Father Son Husband Employee Muslim

Roles
 Summary

•Islam puts heavy influence on being Socially Productive

• Focus on Your Circle of Influence and Expand it to include
your circle of concern as you grow
• Balance Your Roles by maintaining at least a Minimum
Performance Level at each role.

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 Social
Productivity
Productivity After
Death
Productivity after Death

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said “Actions of

the son Adam ceased by death, except for three:
- A righteous son
- Continuous charity
- Useful knowledge “

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Productivity After
Death
Closing Session
Stay in Touch!

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