Most Productive Hours of The Day & Finding Yours

Wouldn’t it be great if you knew when you are most efficient throughout the day? If you did, you could schedule deep work and routine tasks separately, maximizing your productivity. We at Memtime say that such a thing is possible一you just have to understand your working rhythm to calculate the most productive hours of the day.

But how do you do that?

Well, as studies suggest, finding your most productive times of the day is science, not art.

Your cognitive functions and performance change throughout the day, so you can't expect to be at your peak performance during the entire 8-hour work shift. Understanding your body's natural rhythm and chronotype is key.

A chronotype is your body’s natural disposition to wake up and go to sleep at certain times.

Depending on your chronotype, you might be more productive in the morning or evening. If you are a night owl like me, you are the embodiment of the wolf chronotype, meaning you are most productive in the evenings. You are also, most likely, creative, outspoken, daring, and direct.

But should you rely solely on your chronotype to find your most productive period?

No.

You have to dig a bit deeper to discover your peak productivity hours, as productivity isn’t just about focus and concentration; it’s about your mood, emotions, and performance.

But don't worry; there is a reliable method for finding your efficiency windows, and we'll reveal it in this article.

So, without further ado, let’s get started and help you discover your optimal working hours. 🙂

What does science say about peak productivity hours?

For starters, science says the human brain needs rest to perform at its best.

That’s why if you wanted to represent productivity graphically, it would look like one of those wave-shaped graphs of sine and cosine functions you hated in school. Graphs with natural oscillations and numerous peaks and valleys.

And the ultradian rhythm supports the productivity highs and lows, suggesting that we experience periods of 90-minute productivity cycles followed by the necessary rest.

Here’s how the ultradian cycle works:

• The start of each ultradian cycle is when your brain is the most focused.
• Throughout the cycle, your energy and concentration slowly depletes.
• You lack efficiency at the end of the ultradian cycle, which is your brain’s way of signaling that you need a well-deserved break.

But is that all there is to productivity hacking?

Is following your ultradian system a foolproof solution for maximizing cognitive performance?

Well, not quite. Again, we need to go a bit deeper. This time, we need to dabble in neuroscience.

Neuroscientific studies suggest that productivity is a product of neuroplasticity (the brain's ability to adapt), emotional intelligence, and mindfulness (in the form of single-tasking and pausing). The three factors affect cognitive performance and productivity levels throughout the day.

Interestingly, studies on neuroplasticity suggest that your brain forms new neural connections when practicing new skills for a more extended period. This means boosting productivity requires repetitive practice and habit formation—there’s no one-and-done overnight solution.

So, in conclusion, to increase your productivity, you need to be consistent.

Consistent with gathering data about your workdays and changing your daily routine. Here’s how you can do so.

How to find when you are most productive

To identify your most and least productive hours, follow these two steps:

1. Gather and analyze data.
2. Create your own productive, flexible schedule that supports your role and responsibilities.

Let's break down these steps in detail.

Step #1: Gathering and analyzing data

Gathering data sounds simple, right?

All you need to do is, at the same times of each workday, at particular hourly intervals, record your levels of energy and concentration. That way, you’ll be able to track changes in your work routine and identify patterns.

In practice, gathering data is boring and time-consuming.

I mean, do you even have time to track your productivity while juggling tasks, messaging co-workers, emailing clients, preparing for and attending meetings?

If your answer is “No”, you must give Memtime a shot.

Memtime is our fully automated time tracker that gives you insights into your working rhythm. It does so by providing a detailed review of your day一down to the minute一allowing you to pinpoint your most and least productive periods.

Shortly put: Memtime “detects” your productivity by recording everything you do and displaying your day in 1-60 minute intervals.

With such a detailed view, you’ll be able to spot your downtime and periods of slacking (as they are the easiest to notice). Once you see the not-so-active times, you’ll be able to pinpoint the most productive times of the day and see what you did during those periods (engaged in deep work, attended meetings, etc.)

Here’s why Memtime is your ideal productivity partner in crime:

Ultimately, when the fortnight is over, you’ll have consistent indicators of your efficiency cycles, allowing you to analyze data and work on creating a new schedule.

Step #2: Creating a more flexible schedule

Once you know when you usually have the most energy and focus, you can optimize your time for deep work (that requires uninterrupted periods) and routine tasks.

Here’s an example of a productive schedule:

• 8 am ー The beginning of your first ultradian cycle, the time to focus on a project or task for 90 minutes.
• 9:30 am ー Time to take a break or grab breakfast, have a cup of coffee or chat with a colleague.
• 10:05 am ー The beginning of the second ultradian cycle of 90 minutes.
• 11:35 am ー Time to slow down and tackle less demanding tasks, such as answering emails, attending meetings, etc.
• 03:15 pm ー The last ultradian cycle begins, allowing you to be productive for about 60 minutes. If you have a flexible schedule, this cycle can be shortened to 30 minutes, with the remaining tasks completed in the evening.

Also, here are a few things you need to keep in mind when designing a new schedule to adjust your ultradian cycles:

A note on diet and productivity

Your diet plays a significant role in your productivity. The saying “you are what you eat” holds, and the foods you consume impact your energy levels and focus.

Here’s why.

Bread and sugary foods contain high amounts of carbohydrates that affect the body’s insulin levels. When the body produces a lot of insulin, the brain is flooded with sleep hormones like serotonin and tryptophan. That’s why you feel sleepy after lunch: your body uses energy to digest food, producing happy or sleepy hormones (like melatonin), which have a calming effect and help you regulate sleep.

So, if you feel more fatigued after your lunch break, check on your diet.

But even if you eat healthy, you could still experience “foodie fog”.

Our CMO, Niclas Preisner, knows just how you feel. Check out what he had to say about productivity and the eating schedule:

In the video, Niclas mentioned that, with the help of Memtime, he discovered that he frequently experiences “soup coma” between 2pm and 4pm and found a way to optimize his work days around it.

So, there’s no shame in your lunch game as long as you are aware of the “issue” and find ways to balance your work and efficiency.

Are you ready to discover when you are most productive?

If you are, start by getting to know your body一your body’s natural rhythm, chronotype, and ultradian cycles.

Once you figure out when you're most focused and energized, you can schedule your work to support those peak times. The concept of ultradian rhythms helps you balance intense work periods with the necessary breaks, acknowledging that productivity comes in waves and you don’t have to and CAN’T BE productive throughout all 8 hours.

And one more thing: choose Memtime to guide you through this process. Our fully automated time tracking app monitors your daily patterns and can easily spot when you are most and least productive. Once you gather enough data, you’ll be able to tweak your schedule and make necessary lifestyle adjustments to boost your efficiency and get the most out of each day.

Good luck with finding your rhythm and making productivity work for you!