The most productive time of the year

For years I noticed a burst of productivity around the holidays. stuff that had been hanging over my head for months would suddenly get done. New ideas would suddenly pop into my head. 

I attributed it to things like the psychology of the calendar, or just having fewer emails to answer, or more unstructured time... But the recipe is simple:

Eat well. Sleep well. Stay connected to loved ones. Get some exercise.

That's it. That's all it really takes to complete projects, tackle nebulous fears, and poke the box.