When Ashley and I first heard about The Power of When, we were intrigued. Based on our chronotypes, it promised to advise us on the best time to do absolutely everything. From when to work out to when to talk about big ideas — it has a suggestion for everything you might do in the day to day. And it turns out the optimal time to do different varies from person to person!
To begin, you take the quiz. Ashley and I are both bears — the most common chronotype. Their cycles “rise and fall with the cycle of the sun,” and most closely match the social norms of daily schedules. However, these norms are not necessarily helping Bears reach their highest potential — and the book offers so many tips of small adjustments to make to your schedule.
A few that I came away with:
- Wake yourself up with a quick work or by getting outside. Save that first cup of coffee for an hour or two into the morning, and it will just further sharpen your alertness.
- Exercise after work. Between 6:00-7:00pm, Bears are at their physical peak — an optimal time to work out.
- Eat dinner an hour later than usual. By eating a light meal (should be your smallest of the day!) between 7:00-8:00pm, you’ll still speed up your metabolism, without having to go to bed with your stomach growling.
One last idea that the book preaches, is the idea of the “Power Down Hour.” The idea is simple, one hour before your defined “bedtime,” turn off all screens, and focus on relaxed prep for the next day. Lay out your clothes, wash your face, write in your journal — anything that relaxes you and doesn’t involve a screen.
We’ve implemented a few small adjustments to our schedules — and have been loving the effects so far! If you want to fine tune your schedule according to your chronotype, you can order the book from here, or check out our instagram for a chance to win a copy of the book!
We can’t wait to hear what you think!
XX,
H
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