Want to be Productive? Check Your Chronotype!

Do you want to live a productive life? Most people associate productivity with success, so there are many people who would like to have a productive life. Although we have made a clear schedule, sometimes we feel like we are always sleepy and lazy to move. This is usually because our schedule goes against the chronotype we have in our limbic system. How do we manage our time so that our productivity matches our chronotype?

Do you want to know how to match your schedule to your chronotype? If so, do not forget to like ❤️👍 this post and subscribe 🔔 It will help the channel grow! Also, feel free to share this link with anyone who is willing to be more productive this year! ✍️

Without further ado, let's get down to the tips!

Some people are diurnal early birds 🌞🦜 On the other hand, some people are nocturnal night owls 🌙🦉 Which one are you?🕒

Chronotype - A Productivity Hindrance?

First of all, what is chronotype? According to Casper Editorial (2020), each person's sleeping habits, behaviors, and features vary according to age, activity level, and sleeping environment. These habits are characterized as "chronotypes," which are "the distinct circadian rhythms that determine individual degrees of attentiveness and concentration across the day" 🌞🕒🌙

What does chronotype do to our body? Sometimes, this chronotype makes us sleepy during the time we are supposed to be awake, and it also keeps us awake by the time we are supposed to fall asleep! It is quite annoying as it sounds, but actually, we can work things out around our birth chronotype. How, then, can we adjust our chronotype and prevent it from hindering our productivity?

Altering our chronotype is impossible as our chronotype is depending on our genes, but utilizing what we know about them to better tune in to our internal clock and increase both our sleep quality as well as our productivity (Amerisleep, 2016). Understanding our chronotype can also help us with time management because we may benefit from consistent sleeping and waking hours. Below are the four chronotypes: bear, wolf, lion, and dolphin, and the examples of the daily schedule for each of the chronotypes! 🐻 🐺 🦁 🐬

1. Bear 🐻

The energy cycle of bears ebbs and flows with the sun as they are most productive during the day (Amerisleep, 2016). It means that bear people must put heavy tasks that need concentration in the morning. However, bear people also do not mind staying up a bit late to have some fun with others. A bear sleeps for six to eight hours on average, with regular sleeping hours falling between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Cited from Casper Editorial (2020), the ideal bear schedule looks like this:

7–8 a.m.: Wake up
10 a.m.–2 p.m.: Focus on deep work
2–4 p.m.: Work on lighter tasks
4–10 p.m.: Relax and unwind
10–11 p.m.: Get ready for bed
11 p.m.–7 a.m.: Sleep

The good time to agenda vital conferences for a undergo is mid-morning. After lunch, try to encompass simpler duties that require much less excessive thinking and creativity.

2. Wolf 🐺

Wolves are animals of the night that are similar to night owls, so they sleep later and stay up later as a result; hence, wolf people are just about to fall slumber when the lion people are waking up (Amerisleep, 2016). They are typically content to stay up until the wee hours of the morning, or even later, to fuel their creativity. Some argue that wolf people are introverted, but some said that wolves hunt in packs, which highlights their social skills.

Adduced from Casper Editorial (2020), the ideal wolf schedule looks like this:

7:30–9 a.m.: Wake up
10 a.m.–12 p.m.: Focus on lighter tasks
12–2 p.m.: Complete deep or creative work
2–5 p.m.: Focus on lighter, less intense tasks
5–9 p.m.: Engage in creative tasks
9–10 p.m.: Unwind from the day
10 p.m.–12 a.m.: Prepare for bed
12–7:30 a.m.: Sleep

Try to strive to keep away from scheduling early high-stakes pitches, innovative briefs, and different vital meetings in the early morning. Wolves can only do their job with full focus and without any burden late in the afternoon and into the night!

3. Lion 🦁

Contrary to Wolves, Lions are notoriously early risers; we can call them synonyms for early birds (Amerisleep, 2016). As a result, this group is typically tired by evening and requires a power nap to recover from the afternoon slump.

Quoted from Casper Editorial (2020), the ideal lion schedule looks like this:

6–7 a.m.: Wake up
8 a.m.–12 p.m.: Focus on deep work
12–4 p.m.: Focus on lighter tasks
4–9 p.m.: Daily unwind and relax
9–10 p.m.: Get ready for bed
10 p.m. – 6 a.m.: Sleep

It is critical to get all urgent duties completed in the early hours and keep away from huge conferences in the late afternoon, if possible. A lion must go through a wind-down routine each evening to help them wind down after a long day. They must rest no later than 10 p.m. or they will feel burnout and have a high temper by the next morning.

4. Dolphin 🐬

Dolphins are light sleepers who become disturbed at the slightest provocation (Amerisleep, 2016). Simply put, if you are an insomniac or easy to wake up at night due to any trivial reason, then you are a dolphin person!

Taken from Casper Editorial (2020), the ideal dolphin schedule looks like this:

6:30–7:30 a.m.: Wake up
8–10 a.m.: Engage with easy to-dos
10 a.m.–12 p.m.: Focus on demanding tasks
12–4 p.m.: Complete less demanding tasks
4–10 p.m.: Relax, unwind from the day
10–11:30 p.m.: Prepare for bed
12–6:30 a.m.: Sleep

Because a dolphin's skill is always on, it is difficult to pinpoint when the best moment to work is. For those with this chronotype, easing into the day with simple work can warm up the talent and help it prepare for more difficult tasks. Innovative sparks may strike at any time during the day for a dolphin, and it is critical to take advantage of them. When it is time to go to bed, this group must relax and avoid distractions that might keep them from sleeping, given how difficult it is for this group to sleep. Trying a black curtain and earplugs might help to fall into slumber, too.

How Can Chronotypes Increase Productivity?

Every chronotype has its strengths and weaknesses. Knowing when we are going to be most productive will make us extra efficient as it will additionally assist us with whole greater focus and power. However, we need to avoid the times when our chronotypes make us feel weak. So, it is vital to recognize when the time is for us to take a rest and recharge.

If our week is stressful due to crazy deadlines or we are suffering from sleep deprivation due to shift work, try to adjust our bedtime routine to ensure we are getting adequate sleep. The most essential thing is that we take care of our health in accordance with our bodily chronotypes and practice effective time management in order to enhance our chronotypes! 🐻 🐺 🦁 🐬

In a conclusion, we all need sleep, but we do not have the same sleep routine or sleep needs. Paying attention to our sleep patterns and cycles, as well as learning more about our chronotype, may help us acquire control of our sleep schedule, allowing us to get a good night's sleep and thus wake up feeling refreshed 🌞🕒🌙

Hope this helps!💕 How about you? What other things do you usually do to maximize your body chronotype? Please feel free to share in the comment section!

References:

Amerisleep. (2016). How to find your chronotype-and get the best sleep of your life. Amerisleep. https://amerisleep.com/blog/what-is-your-chronotype/ Casper Editorial. (2020, November 4). How to find your chronotype to improve your sleep and productivity. Casper Blog. https://casper.com/blog/chronotype/