Is your body clock impacting daily productivity?

More and more workers are tailoring their days to suit peak productivity, tapping into their circadian rhythms to better understand when they’re at their best. And it makes sense as we all know a night owl who struggles in the morning and an early bird who fades out at 4pm. Yet the 9-5 workday isn’t really designed in a way that suits one or the other. 

So how can you reach your full potential based on when your mind’s the most active? By understanding what’s going on inside your body and recognising when you should tackle key tasks.

Understanding your circadian rhythm

• The circadian rhythm is your body’s natural 24-hour clock, responsible for regulating your sleep-wake cycle
• Physical, mental, emotional and behavioural changes are influenced by the cycle
• Your body clock is affected by internal genetic factors and external factors such as sunlight
• Circadian rhythms influence when hormones are released, feelings of hunger and tiredness

A considerable amount of research has been conducted on circadian rhythms to discover their true impact on individuals. Take the ageing process; we know teenagers have vastly different body clocks than adults and it’s hard to break the cycle of kids sleeping in until at least 11am on a Saturday.  

Everyone has a different time of the day when their energy levels peak. Normally, this happens several times per day rather than one big energy hit. Those peaks and troughs match up to one of three chronotypes: that is your expression of the circadian rhythm.

• There are evening types (night owls) who may start slowly but by midday, they’re on a roll! The afternoon is a blur of productivity with a late-night flourish to top it all off. 
• Morning types (early birds) confidently wake up around 5-6am to get their day started. Motivation is there from the get-go and most pressing tasks are often already completed by lunchtime. 
• Finally, intermediate types (in-between or hummingbirds) are more adaptable. 60% of the population fits under this category and there’s no true morning or evening burst of energy, although early afternoons are typically when energy levels dip.

How can you work out when you’re most productive?

Most of us probably have a vague idea of when we’re most productive. There’s always a certain time of day when motivation drops, or specific times attached to gym sessions or hobbies because it’s when we feel the most energised for the task at hand.

But are you truly working to a schedule that suits your circadian rhythm? First and foremost, you can take a quick test to confirm your chronotype. It’s a handy way to clarify your body clock cycle.

However, there’s another simple solution to finding out when you’re most productive: track it. Break down your day into hourly periods and write down what tasks you are working on and how you feel (emotionally, physically and mentally) as you work. Jot down when you feel motivated, distracted, energised, burnt out, etc, and even record external influences such as light conditions, room temperature and noise. 

If you can do this for a two-week period you will see trends form. You should also see consistency in your ultradian rhythm, which is a short-term energy cycle lasting roughly 90 minutes. There will be natural rises and falls throughout the day, and by writing them down, you can plan ahead for the future. 

Matching schedules for everyone

The tricky part about circadian rhythms is most don’t line up and there’s no way to perfectly tailor a day to everyone. Unfortunately, the 9-5 isn’t really going anywhere, although it can be shifted an hour or two each way (shiftwork is obviously the exception). So how can you make sure everyone is set up for success?

• Mornings are best for tasks that require focus, problem-solving and logic. This is when workers should be at their most productive and focused with few distractions. Get the most important tasks done early.
• Late morning and early afternoon is a transitional time. Consider booking essential meetings before and after lunch so you can capitalise on attentive brains while giving some time to rest in between. Otherwise, the middle of the day is perfect for collaboration, routine jobs or report writing.
• Most people hit their afternoon slump around 3-4pm. So late afternoon is when ongoing tasks should be finalised, quick meetings held and emails attended to. 
• Once you hit the wall, it’s hard to regain motivation at the end of the day. That’s why it always helps to finish up with creative jobs or brainstorming. Consider planning ahead for the next day, or tackling some routine tasks that aren’t too taxing.