Time is on my side…
Emmet McCaughey
Founder
Well, not always.
I’ve always been intrigued about finding the optimal time to do something. In the agency world, there has always been the right time to do things, and the wrong time to do things;
Presenting ideas to a client on a Monday morning - bad idea
Getting the morning pitch slot – good idea
Pitching just after lunch – 30 min in and you see those sandwiches hitting the eye lids you know its a bad idea
Brainstorming in the morning – good idea (although more on that later)
Having an ops meeting late on a Friday of a bank holiday – bad idea
In 2018, I came across a book called “When, the art of perfect timing” by Daniel Pink. This book helped me understand a bit more about human nature and how we are susceptible to time. And yes I have been quoting this book since... here are some of the highlights;
Time-of-day has wide implications
The mood of earnings calls shifts throughout the day, starting positive in the morning, declining in the afternoon, and rebounding after market close. This mood, influenced by the call's timing, even impacts stock prices.
When it comes to analytical tasks, a University of Chicago study found that scheduling math classes in the first two classes of the day rather than the last two significantly boosted students' performance.
Conversely, innovation and creativity are actually higher in the afternoon, when our energy levels and focus drop; we are less constrained during the afternoon "trough" and more likely to make leaps of insight.
Let’s stop here for a second. This one blew my mind. Generally in an agency, creative brainstorms are done in the morning. People are energised, the coffee is flowing, there’s a buzz in the room for what comes next. But actually, according to this research, the afternoon is better. Yes we might feel a little tired but this lowers our inhibitions, and so the creativity flows a little easier, which brings us to…
Nap light, nap right.
The optimal nap-time is 10-20 minutes. Any longer and we wake up feeling sluggish and disoriented. Take a "nappuccino," a cup of coffee right before sleeping—the caffeine will kick in and wake you up after about 20 minutes, leaving you refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of the afternoon.
Ahhh the power nap. Bring back the siesta and watch your company's productivity go through the roof! Well maybe not but I’m not ruling out the napping room at Curious Orange HQ just yet. Ok two more…
Get the most out of your morning coffee
Wait 90 minutes before grabbing a coffee—cortisol levels are higher first thing in the morning, so the caffeine will not have much of an impact until after the cortisol levels start to dip.
I have lived by this rule since reading the book. I highly recommend it.
And last one…
The early (jail) bird catches the break
Parole judges were found to be more lenient in the morning and stricter as the day wore on peaking just before lunch. However, regular breaks throughout the day helped maintain consistency in their decisions.
There are so many things that are out of our control when it comes to timing. And a lot of it can be put down to luck. But sometimes, the little wins can push favour and luck in your direction.
