Daylight saving time ended on November 3rd and now the sun rises earlier in the morning and sets by the time many people are wrapping up their workday. This change in how much sunlight you see could change your productivity levels. Whether it’s for better or for worse is up to you. We have a few tips for you to feel more productive than ever.
1. Get to sleep.
According to a study by Penn State’s Smeal College of Business, for every hour of sleep a person loses they spend about 20% more time “cyber-loafing” or doing unproductive things on the Internet. And with the 40 minutes on average lost by people during the daylight saving time transition, you’re losing time that could have been used for fine tuning your resume or researching the companies you’re interested in. Stick to a sleep schedule and remain happily productive.
2. Take a break at 2:55 p.m.
It is supposed to be the least productive time of the day. Use this time to get in some exercise. Exercising at midday is said to recharge the body and mind from focused work. And with the change in your internal clock, don’t feel too bad if for a few weeks you’re feeling pretty unproductive at 3:55 too.
3. Discover if you’re an early bird or a night owl.
Maybe it’s not the change in sunlight that’s causing a lack of productivity during regular work hours. If you are a ‘night-owl’ your body could be naturally programmed to be most successful later in the day. Try adjusting your schedule by placing tasks that require more concentration at the end of the workday to see if this makes you more or less productive.
Make every hour count while the sunlight and weather are changing. Daylight saving time starts again on March 9 so be prepared to readjust yourself again in four months. Next time you’ll be ready for the transition and will know exactly how to stay highly productive.
