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Prime time: When are your juices juiciest?

Brickpit Ring Walk Bicentenial Park

Image by aussiegall via Flickr

I’m not a morning person. At all.

On the other hand, I’m not exactly flush with inspiration at 9pm after a full day (ah, side hustles…).

For me, I think it’s about being fresh. Being relaxed. To get in that state of mind where everything flows, fed, watered, not overtired. My prime time is probably anywhere between late morning and early evening.

Inspiration strikes at the strangest times, usually when my mind is relaxed and free to wander. In bed, in those dulcet moment before sleep’s arms steal around you. In the shower, when I’m safely cocooned in a hot waterfall. When I’m power-walking home, disengaging from “work mode” and slowly winding down.

I firmly believe that you can’t force creativity – the best ideas, for me, at least, have always arrived unbidden. Whether you’re ready to accept them, whether you’ve set yourself up to give them the reception they deserve, is up to you.

When are you at your peak, and how do you harness it?

7 thoughts on “Prime time: When are your juices juiciest?

  • Reply Cassie May 3, 2011 at 18:14

    I get 2 waves, usually 2pm to 6pm, and 8pm to 2am. It really doesn’t jive with my day to day life. Usually I try to force things to fit into my schedule during the week, but during the weekends I try to let my actual productive time dictate my schedule.

    I try to leave my blogging time until later in the evening. I find that my writing style changes throughout the day, and I don’t like my morning blogging, lol.

  • Reply Sense May 3, 2011 at 19:57

    same. late evening. I am AWESOME!!!! sauce from about 9 pm to 2 am. something about having that PM deadline…when you are done, you get to sleeeeep! i am totally distracted in the AM, but hit a zone from about 2 pm til I get too hungry to work. then i eat dinner and am really really sleepy around 8. if i make it through that lull, I am on FIRE afterward. it is ridiculous but my bosses are pretty great at letting me set my own schedule, so it works for me, luckily.

  • Reply Melissa May 5, 2011 at 03:05

    My peak is usually mid through late morning. It’s game over if I miss this time period though, so I always set my alarm (even on the weekends!) and I ensure that I get all of the crap I don’t want to do done first.

    I read during one of my e-courses at work that most people are best at problem-solving and analytical tasks in the morning, and routine or reflective tasks in the afternoon.

  • Reply Lindy Mint May 5, 2011 at 10:50

    Unfortunately, my juices are juiciest during work hours, after I’ve had my cup of coffee, but not before the afternoon doldrums. I harness it by trying to get some creative work done during my lunch break (if possible), and as soon as I get home from work. I’ve really had to work hard to force myself to work late at night too. It’s been hard, but establishing a routine and brewing a cup of tea helps with that.

  • Reply The Asian Pear May 8, 2011 at 06:38

    I’m a night owl… About 10pm-12pm. And then again at 2am-5am (if I’m up that is.)

  • Reply Financial Samurai May 8, 2011 at 12:26

    I wrote three posts this morning starting at 5am, but it was b/c I passed out at 10pm as I was exhausted from a week of work and tennis after!

  • Reply Link love (Powered by doughnuts | Musings of an Abstract Aucklander May 7, 2012 at 00:49

    […] One year ago… I pondered the impact of class in the workplace; Outlined why I have no management aspirations; Talked about having a communications degree; Shared some of my favourite cheap eats in Auckland; Blogged about peak creative times. […]

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