Throughout the years, my very own cycle of sleep will drive the hours within a day that I can anticipate being productive. Some months I sleep very little, waking at insane dark hours to jump into the office and start the day, other months a 1000 start is excellent, with a 2200 conclusion.

To start 2018, I’ve already gone through a cycle of sleeping more and am in the middle of a sleeping less cycle. And, though waking up when everyone else is getting to work is the coolest, it’s way outside my norm. Now I’m waking as Hawaii is going to bed.

It’s likely that it all shifted when I accepted 0700 conference calls to Europe and Asia last month. Video calls, so I needed both eyes open, out of bed, and I always want to appear that I made an effort to get out of my pajamas and look presentable. Ouch. Waking at 06:00 can be painful when my cycle isn’t interested in mornings. “Hey Google, change that alarm to 06:30″… “Hey Google, shut that damn alarm off.”

It’s funny (not really) how many times my productive hours shift throughout the year(s), and it took me a number of years of trying to wrangle myself into a 100% structured schedule year after year, only to realize it always led to 1/2 the year being miserable and less than optimal.

Once I stopped allowing the concept of ‘standard working hours’ to run my day, I got better. Merely adjusting my day to the rhythm, rather than trying to wrangle the rhythm into something it was not, is the answer.

With the Global Economy nowadays, standard business hours are not the driving force. Don’t let your mind convince you that productivity only arrives within those hours. Being productive and a contributor to success is now the measurement.

So, whether it’s early mornings, late nights, or a standard 0800 to 1700, determine (and adjust) your productive time. Focus on opening the doors, creating a healthy organization that exudes integrity, and you will win with a more balanced life.