Actually, we can’t. Here’s why.

Most of us only have about 2-3 hours of peak energy a day. That’s when we’re firing on all cylinders – at our analytical best, ready to tackle big challenges or dive into conversations that draw on our emotional reserves. The rest? It’s not useless; it’s just better suited to easier tasks, meetings, and creative brainstorming (when the brain isn’t filtering ideas as tightly).

For years, I thought I was a night owl. I scheduled my hardest work late in the day, convinced I worked best at night. But after tracking my energy ebbs and flows, I realised my best time is actually in the morning. Suddenly, it made perfect sense why reports I tried to start at 2 p.m. took way longer than they should…

Now, I aim to structure my day around my energy. My prime time is between 8 and 11 a.m., so I try to keep my mornings free for the hardest work. Even if I manage it just one day a week, I make real progress – and it cuts down on those marathon work sessions that used to regularly spill into the weekend.

If you’re curious to try, here’s what worked for me:

1. Identify your peak energy time – you might be surprised by when it is!
2. Reserve that time for challenging, analytical, or emotionally taxing tasks; even just once a week helps.
3. Use lower-energy windows for creative brainstorming, meetings and less intensive tasks.

If you do this already, let me know in the comments – it might just encourage someone else to try it as well!