We all have different techniques when it comes to productivity. Take studying for example: maybe you listen to voice memos and podcasts, maybe you read content from a textbook, maybe you write out your study notes, or maybe you’re a last-ditch slide the textbook under the pillow kinda learner.
Whatever method you use, many of us fall into the camp of simply being productive “when we feel like it”. Sometimes we genuinely feel like getting work done, other times we’re motivated by external forces (like due dates). However, just because we feel like it doesn’t mean it’s actually our best time to get something accomplished. So how do you know when to buckle down? And can we schedule our tasks during optimal times to get more done?
We all feel motivated and energized at different times of the day. Some of us are morning people, some of us are night owls, and some of us are only productive in the afternoon. That’s okay! We’re all different. The way to find your ideal time is just to experiment. Once you know what works for you, start organizing your work into your schedule accordingly.
You might be a morning productivity person if you naturally wake up early and feel energized by the first rays of sunshine and the fresh morning air. The nice thing about being productive in the morning is feeling refreshed after a good night’s sleep. If you’re a coffee drinker, your morning also likely benefits from that extra shot of energy you take first thing!
By the time you’ve had lunch and the caffeine has worn off, you may want to think about scheduling tasks that require less focus or brain power. For example, try taking meetings or replying to emails in the afternoon to give yourself as much productive time as possible in the AM.
If you’re not a morning person, you’re in good company—it turns out only about 25% of people actually gravitate towards mornings. (Another quarter of the population are night owls, while the rest of us land somewhere in between.)
Afternoons for many of us can be the most productive time of day. The sun is high in the sky and streaming in through our home and office windows, people are up and active (which can really make a difference if you’re someone who finds that white noise and having people mill about you helps you focus), and we’re feeling re-energized after a nice lunch break. Afternoons are also often our longest uninterrupted work period, making them a good time to work on a big project.
If you prefer to get your work or studying done in the afternoon, try clearing your schedule of meetings and other distractions and blocking time in your calendar for whatever it is you want to work on to make the most out of that productive boost.
Now if you’re a nighttime studier, learner, or worker, you’ll likely benefit from fewer distractions and less noise overall when you go to get something done. After all, most people are done for the day.
You also won’t have to worry about any meetings breaking your rhythm, and you may find you’re more focused simply because your head is clear. You’ve done all your activities for the day and now it’s just you, your tasks, and the moonlight.
The downside to being a night owl can be the effect that staying up can have on your sleep schedule. For example, if you find you get more done at night but have to be in the office or in class by 8 AM next morning, you’re more likely to tucker yourself out over the long term than someone who finds their productivity groove during regular daytime hours.
If you can manage to keep your sleep schedule under control and you find nighttime productivity is working for you, go for it!
Knowing when you’re most productive can help you plan your days properly so that you get the most amount of work or learning done. Try hammering out a paper, a work project, or doing some reading at different times of the day to find out what time seems to work best for you. Then, use time blocking to schedule work sessions in your calendar that line up with your most productive times. That’s it! Now go get some work done.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
We all have different techniques when it comes to productivity. Take studying for example: maybe you listen to voice memos and podcasts, maybe you read content from a textbook, maybe you write out your study notes, or maybe you’re a last-ditch slide the textbook under the pillow kinda learner.
Whatever method you use, many of us fall into the camp of simply being productive “when we feel like it”. Sometimes we genuinely feel like getting work done, other times we’re motivated by external forces (like due dates). However, just because we feel like it doesn’t mean it’s actually our best time to get something accomplished. So how do you know when to buckle down? And can we schedule our tasks during optimal times to get more done?
We all feel motivated and energized at different times of the day. Some of us are morning people, some of us are night owls, and some of us are only productive in the afternoon. That’s okay! We’re all different. The way to find your ideal time is just to experiment. Once you know what works for you, start organizing your work into your schedule accordingly.
You might be a morning productivity person if you naturally wake up early and feel energized by the first rays of sunshine and the fresh morning air. The nice thing about being productive in the morning is feeling refreshed after a good night’s sleep. If you’re a coffee drinker, your morning also likely benefits from that extra shot of energy you take first thing!
By the time you’ve had lunch and the caffeine has worn off, you may want to think about scheduling tasks that require less focus or brain power. For example, try taking meetings or replying to emails in the afternoon to give yourself as much productive time as possible in the AM.
If you’re not a morning person, you’re in good company—it turns out only about 25% of people actually gravitate towards mornings. (Another quarter of the population are night owls, while the rest of us land somewhere in between.)
Afternoons for many of us can be the most productive time of day. The sun is high in the sky and streaming in through our home and office windows, people are up and active (which can really make a difference if you’re someone who finds that white noise and having people mill about you helps you focus), and we’re feeling re-energized after a nice lunch break. Afternoons are also often our longest uninterrupted work period, making them a good time to work on a big project.
If you prefer to get your work or studying done in the afternoon, try clearing your schedule of meetings and other distractions and blocking time in your calendar for whatever it is you want to work on to make the most out of that productive boost.
Now if you’re a nighttime studier, learner, or worker, you’ll likely benefit from fewer distractions and less noise overall when you go to get something done. After all, most people are done for the day.
You also won’t have to worry about any meetings breaking your rhythm, and you may find you’re more focused simply because your head is clear. You’ve done all your activities for the day and now it’s just you, your tasks, and the moonlight.
The downside to being a night owl can be the effect that staying up can have on your sleep schedule. For example, if you find you get more done at night but have to be in the office or in class by 8 AM next morning, you’re more likely to tucker yourself out over the long term than someone who finds their productivity groove during regular daytime hours.
If you can manage to keep your sleep schedule under control and you find nighttime productivity is working for you, go for it!
Knowing when you’re most productive can help you plan your days properly so that you get the most amount of work or learning done. Try hammering out a paper, a work project, or doing some reading at different times of the day to find out what time seems to work best for you. Then, use time blocking to schedule work sessions in your calendar that line up with your most productive times. That’s it! Now go get some work done.
