Quick note up top: I have never had so many people write in after a newsletter before last week’s vitamin rant. I’m slowly working through replies and hope to compile any advice/tips and send it out in a future newsletter. Appreciate y’all!!

I’ve been taking reformer pilates twice a week for the past three weeks. It’s been nice to have some sort of routine to fall into after the move.

The studio is less than 10 minutes from my house, so, in a moment of overestimation — perhaps short and long-term memory loss — I signed up for an 11am slot.

As soon as I walked in, I looked at the instructor and said, “If I ever sign up for a session before 1pm, I need you to remind me who I am.”

Seeing as I can barely make an 11am Zoom call should have told me that any kind of intense physical activity before noon (especially if it requires me to leave the house) is going to be a no-go.

I am, according to my Oura ring, a “rare [💁🏽‍♀️] late evening type.” I didn’t need Oura to tell me that, but it does provide a bit of reassurance: I’m not simply a lazy piece of shit who has a difficult time waking up before 10.

In the words of the disgraced Canadian rapper, I come alive in the night time. Not wanting children is honestly a godsend for me because how do y’all do it.

According to the sleep foundation:

“Chronotype is the natural inclination of your body to sleep at a certain time, or what most people understand as being an early bird versus a night owl. In addition to regulating sleep and wake times, chronotype has an influence on appetite, exercise, and core body temperature. It is responsible for the fact that you feel more alert at certain periods of the day and sleepier at others… An individual’s chronotype is influenced by genetics and driven by their circadian rhythm.”

You can read the different chronotype descriptions here. Would love to hear which one you think you are (or are closest to)!

Now obviously, not everyone can base their schedule on their chronotype. I’m a solopreneur who works with mostly clients on the West Coast — a dream scenario for someone with a propensity for late nights and later mornings.

But saving your biggest or most difficult tasks for your most ideal time(s) of day could still be accessible to you, even if you don’t have full control over your schedule.

For example, not signing up for an early morning pilates class if you don’t have to (yes, 11am is considered “early morning” to me).

I outlined some tips in this newsletter from 2023, especially if you’re a night owl who is forced to wake up early. It’s still one of my favorites I’ve ever written:

I don't care when you wake up, Mark Wahlberg. • Buttondown

Nighttime people, assemble.

I also have a free “energetic task list” template that may be helpful — I still use a version of this in my task management system:

When Time Blocking Doesn't Work... • Buttondown

A different approach to task planning + free Notion template

Peace, love and workflows,

Andrea