How Early Birds & Night Owls Tap into Productivity | Fittbe

They say that most people have more energy and focus in the morning. For some that may be absolutely true! But for others, you may be peering through at the text, bleary-eyed, wondering… “what in the world are they talking about.” Some of us actually do feel more productive later in the day. A very small group of us are actually true night owls, in that, if we were going to pen the great American novel, we’d hop to it at 9 pm and go all night long. The truth is that most of us land somewhere in the middle, so here’s what you can do to make sure you make the most out of your body’s natural schedule when it comes to tapping into productivity.

If you find yourself to be more of a night owl when it comes to productivity, then being aware is the first step to maximizing your productivity. In order to get a few more things done mid-morning, you may want to set more than one alarm. Did you know that 80 percent of us don’t hop out of bed easily? That’s right! You’re not alone, friend who hits the snooze button! Note, this is not an article about how to wake up earlier, it’s an article about how to maximize your productivity based on when you have the most energy and focus!

If you feel more energized later in the day, then choose a mildly early wake-up time, and set those two alarms. You don’t need to rise with the roosters. Start that wonderful morning routine that you love, and even throw in a few push-ups, arm circles, and easy jumping jacks when you get out of bed! This will get your blood flowing, make you start to feel more alert, and jump-start your endorphins. Who doesn’t want to feel positivity and hopefulness first thing in the morning! You may want to consider tackling your most difficult task around 11am. If you do it well, you can celebrate that feeling of accomplishment as the day continues on. It’s much like a snowball of productivity. When we feel good and satisfied with what we have achieved, we actually want to achieve more. We’ve shown ourselves that “we can do it!”

If you are a true morning person, we’re talking about natural risers who wake before the sun, then you really do need to make sure you are getting enough of those restful and rejuvenating zzz’s. Try for over 7 hours which is what most adults need in order to properly refuel. You might have a ton of energy early on, but the trick to maximizing productivity throughout the day is to make it last. Get your most critical projects done at a time when you feel most energetic. So early birds, go on and conquer the day straight away, but do incorporate some methods to stay calm and dial it back a little bit. If you go all out with those lofty goals you may crash later on. So, after you have checked off a few things you want to do, be sure to give yourself an enjoyable self-care-based break. Eat a favorite mid-morning snack or treat yourself to a yoga session.

Regardless of whether you are the early bird, the night owl, or some delightful creature in between, make sure that you stay nourished, and mindful throughout the day. It’s up to you to make it productive, but also, fulfilling, uplifting, and beautiful!