What Are Your Natural Rhythms?
We’ve talked about time before- time blindness, always being early through anxiety, getting stuck in “waiting mode,” magical thinking about how much time things will take… but one thing we’ve only touched on is natural rhythms.
Not just night owl vs early bird, but: when do your brain and body actually work best? And how does that line up (or clash) with the demands of work, family, or caring roles?
It’s not about quitting your job or running off to join the circus (unless that’s your thing). It’s about noticing:
When do you feel most creative?
When does your body want to rest?
What would your day look like if you followed that rhythm?
And then asking: where are the small spaces where I can honour that?
My Rhythm vs Real Life
Here’s my example:
Normal routine: I get up at 6-6.30am, grab some time for writing, exercise, or journalling before the rest of the house wakes up. I stop work around 9.30pm and try to wind down with reading or TV before bed around 11pm.
When left to my own devices (family away): my night owl side takes over- bed at 1.30am, up at 8.30-9am, and I still get everything done, just shifted later.
Neither is “right” or “wrong.” One fits around family life. The other shows me my true rhythm when I don’t have external demands.
Why It Matters
Society is set up to reward larks: early starts, 9-5 jobs, “lazy” stereotypes about people who wake up later… But like neurodiversity, the human race needs different kinds of chronotypes.
So ask yourself:
Do you get bursts of “new year” energy in September rather than January?
Do you feel more alive in summer, or more grounded in autumn?
Do you notice hormonal, seasonal, or weekly cycles that affect your creativity?
Even if you can’t live by your natural rhythm all the time, you can plan around it. Maybe you get your recharge on weekends or holidays. Maybe you allow yourself one late night of creative flow each week with a buffer either side for getting back into the routine. Maybe you align big projects with the seasons when your energy naturally lifts.
Reflection
You might not be able to change your whole life, but you can:
Notice your natural rhythms (daily, seasonal, hormonal, creative).
Find small ways to work with them, not against them.
Give yourself permission to rest or create when your energy says “yes,” not just when the clock does.
So, what are your natural rhythms? And how could you use them to support what you want to do next?
