Chronotypes and Success | Working Smarter by Aligning with Your Body’s Clock

[Anderson]

How often have you arrived at work, say around 9:00 AM, only to find yourself unable to get into the flow? You might spend half the day procrastinating, making endless trips to the kitchen for coffee, snacking, smoking, or diving into social media, and yet you can’t seem to wake up fully. Then suddenly, after lunch, your mind clears, and you’re able to accomplish in one hour what you couldn’t manage in three during the morning. But by then, the workday is almost over, and you still feel like you’ve achieved nothing. Or perhaps you and your colleagues start a new project and decide to work on it in the evenings when the office is quiet and there are fewer distractions. However, despite these seemingly ideal conditions, you find it impossible to concentrate. Your thoughts drift, and simple tasks remain unfinished day after day. You get frustrated, tell yourself to work harder, and muster all your willpower to concentrate, yet all this effort seems to yield little result.

Does this mean that low productivity is an unavoidable part of your job? Is your efficiency doomed to be so low that dreams of a successful career or even just meeting deadlines seem out of reach? Maybe the problem isn’t your job but rather the timing. If you’re working at the wrong time for your natural rhythms, you’ll struggle regardless of how much you love what you do. Timing is often just as important as what you do, and the right time depends on who you are.

We’re going to talk about chronotypes, a concept that goes beyond the usual discussion of "early birds" and "night owls." In fact, there aren’t just two chronotypes; there are three, and most people fall into the third category, known as the "intermediate" or "hummingbird" chronotype. Each chronotype has unique traits that can critically influence productivity.

To understand where chronotypes come from, we must discuss circadian rhythms, which are the biological cycles that govern various physiological and biochemical processes depending on the time of day. These rhythms are found across all major groups of organisms, from bacteria to humans. The widespread presence of circadian rhythms suggests their critical importance. Conditions during different times of day, such as daylight and nighttime, favor different physiological processes. This is most easily understood in photosynthetic organisms like cyanobacteria, which rely on daylight to perform photosynthesis. Organisms trying to photosynthesize at night didn’t survive, so natural selection favored mechanisms that align vital processes with the appropriate time of day.

Even non-photosynthetic organisms are influenced by circadian rhythms. Before the invention of artificial light, it was simply too dark at night to be active, and temperature variations between day and night can also play a role. Additionally, all living creatures are interconnected through food chains, so fluctuations in the life cycles of one species can impact others. Therefore, circadian rhythms have played a crucial role in the survival and reproduction of species, including humans.

Specific genes regulate these circadian rhythms, and the discovery of these genes led to a Nobel Prize in 2017. The genes work on a feedback loop system, where the production of certain proteins inhibits their own synthesis once they reach a certain level, creating a roughly 24-hour cycle. While these rhythms are internally regulated, they are also influenced by external factors like light, temperature, food intake, and physical activity. Light, especially, is the most powerful regulator, and our brains adjust various processes, such as hormone release, according to the level of light detected by specialized retinal cells. This is why exposure to blue light from screens in the evening can delay melatonin production and make it harder to fall asleep.

Ignoring your natural circadian rhythms can lead to various health issues. Studies show that people forced to live out of sync with their chronotype—like night owls working a 9-to-5 job—often develop a range of problems, from cognitive difficulties and eating disorders to cardiovascular issues and a shortened lifespan. This is particularly well-documented in people who work night shifts or have irregular schedules.

You might wonder why some people naturally have evening-oriented chronotypes when, historically, humans were tied to the solar cycle. The answer lies in evolutionary survival strategies. In prehistoric times, tribes needed members to stay awake at different times to guard against nocturnal predators. Research on hunter-gatherer societies today, such as the Hadza in Tanzania, shows that someone in the tribe is always awake, even if it’s just a few members. This would have given early humans an advantage in survival, leading to the development of different chronotypes.

Each chronotype has its own peak cognitive performance times. For example, early birds perform best in the morning, while night owls excel in the evening. Intermediate chronotypes have two peaks: one in the late morning and another in the early evening, with a significant dip in mental energy around midday.

Given this, the typical 9-to-5 work schedule is poorly suited to all chronotypes. Early birds start strong but lose steam by early afternoon. Night owls only begin to reach their cognitive peak just as the workday ends. Intermediate types struggle through the midday slump. As a result, this standard workday fails to maximize productivity for everyone.

The solution is to organize your work around your peak times of cognitive activity, also known as your "golden hours." These are the times when your mind is sharpest, and tasks feel easier, leading to more efficient work. If you’re not sure when your golden hours are, start by observing your energy levels throughout the day. Notice when tasks seem hardest and when your mind suddenly clears, allowing you to work more efficiently.

Once you’ve identified your golden hours, rearrange your work schedule to tackle the most challenging tasks during these times. Less demanding tasks can be handled during your energy dips. While it’s not always possible to completely overhaul your work schedule, especially if you’re an office employee, even small adjustments can make a big difference. For instance, scheduling important meetings or tasks that require deep focus during your peak hours and saving routine tasks for your off-peak times can help you get more done in less time and with less effort.

This understanding of chronotypes and circadian rhythms is a powerful tool. By aligning your work with your biological clock, you can become more productive and reduce the frustration of fighting against your natural inclinations. In turn, this can lead to a greater sense of accomplishment, improved self-esteem, and ultimately, a more satisfying and successful professional life.

My fonal thoughts: Understanding and working with your chronotype is not just a productivity hack; it’s a way to harmonize with your natural rhythms and improve your overall well-being. While society often pressures us to conform to a one-size-fits-all schedule, the science clearly shows that this doesn’t work for everyone. By embracing our unique rhythms, we can create a more balanced and fulfilling life, both at work and at home.