[PLANNING] Chronotypes: What are They and How They Impact Your Productivity🦁🐻🐺🐬
![[PLANNING] Chronotypes: What are They and How They Impact Your Productivity🦁🐻🐺🐬](https://bucket.mlcdn.com/a/3258/3258268/images/ecca2fff899f93b9979ce43cd22c4d03eb4a63bd.jpeg)
Your chronotype is the label that helps describe your ideal schedule in terms of sleep and work. It's like your internal clock. I'm sure that this system is partially influenced by geography and culture, so I don't like to overly generalize, but when I speak about chronotypes to American audiences, I get a lot of affirmative head-nodding.
In this post I explain how understanding your chronotype can help you lead a more productive (and dare I say it, happier?) day. 🦁🐻🐺🐬
Listen/Watch the podcast episode here.
Chronotypes are the way social scientists categorize the circadian rhythms of a population. The hypothesis for why they exist is that someone needed to be awake to guard the village at all times of the day.
The four you most commonly see discussed in the U.S. are lion, bear, wolf, dolphin. This chronotype chart from the Alaska Sleep clinic is one of the best I've seen. I can't attach images to this blog (?!) but you can click on the link above.
I don't like to use actual hours in discussing chronotypes as they range. Just consider this a guideline.
🦁Lion: make up ~15% of the U.S. population. Wake-up before dawn. Are most productive before noon. Asleep before 10. Early birds who have difficulty staying up late.
🐻Bear: make up ~55% of the U.S. population. Wake with the sun. Most productive mid-day. Asleep before 11pm. Energy levels rise and fall with the sun.
🐺Wolf: make up ~20% of the U.S. population. Might find it hard to get going in the morning. Most productive mid-day into evening. Go to sleep late. Night owls who wake late and stay up late.
🐬Dolphin: make up ~10% of the U.S. population. Wake-up at irregular times. Are most productive late afternoon. Go to sleep at irregular times. Light sleepers who might have insomnia. Probably in need of a nap.
So what do you do with this information?
1) Schedule your most important work strategically by making use of your "most productive" hours. I know for a fact that I write 300% faster in the morning than at night AND my content is better. That saves me a lot of time and energy. If you have to put together a presentation or report, you know where to work it into your day. On the flip side, save "busy work" for those times of day when your energy is lower.
2) If you regularly hold or attend important meetings, consider holding them at 10 or 11am to benefit the 70% of the population that are mentally alert during that time (Lions and Bears) or at 2pm to target the other 70% (Bears and Wolves). However, if you choose 2pm, remember that people might have a bit of food coma because of lunch. Use this information to think strategically about when you hold meetings.
3) If you manage people, be aware of their chronotypes and if you value them as employees, work to support their natural energy cycles. You'll get a lot more benefit from them if they can follow what naturally feels good to them then if you try and force them into a one-size fits all 9-5 schedule.
Listen/Watch the podcast episode here.
Two resources mentioned in the podcast:
Find out your chronotype with this quiz: https://sleepdoctor.com/pages/chronotypes/chronotype-quiz
The Power of When book by Dr. Michael Breus https://amzn.to/4poHCAY
UPCOMING TOPICS
Sept 18, 2025: Why is Change so Hard? And How Understanding that Can Make It Easier!
Sept 25, 2025: How Long Should I Work on One Thing? Ultradian Rhythms and Flow.
MY LINKS
-Shop my favorite planning tools: https://www.amazon.com/shop/al...
-Take my on-demand life design course "Harness the Power of Planning" http://tinyurl.com/hpopondeman...
-My books: http://TinyURL.com/BYWDbooks