Everyone does their best work at different times, as I discovered when
I hit up the coffee shops and cafes of downtown Cedar Rapids, asking
people their most productive time of day.
Personally, I have always been a night owl. I have been since when, as
a child, I stayed up after lights-out, reading by flashlight under my
covers.
College only increased my late night tendencies. I avoided classes
before 10 a.m. as much as possible and stayed up late. I often got my
best work done cramming sessions in the pre-dawn hours. With the rest
of the world slumbering, I could focus without distraction.
Now, however, I have graduated and joined the working world, and I am
trying to kick the habit of staying up past midnight. It hasn't been
easy. My two roommates are both college seniors, as are many of my
friends. When my roommates are drinking coffee and chatting in our
living room over their textbooks, I am heading off to bed. Often, my
still-in-school friends will invite me out for a weeknight drink or to
a late-night movie session. Do I say no, and wake well-rested the next
morning, or do I sacrifice a little bit of sleep for time with my
friends, whom I know will move on to a dozen cities after they graduate
in a few months? Many have already left, and I miss them. I don't want
to miss out on time with those who are still around. Plus, staying up
late seems to come naturally to me.
Will this change as I leave the world of college behind? Will necessity
force my internal clock to rework itself? I guess only time will tell.
For now, though, I still feel most productive at night.