If you want to maximize your employees’ performance, consider circadian rhythms when setting assignments, deadlines, and expectations. The most important tasks should be done when people are at their peaks in alertness (around noon and 6 PM). The least important should be scheduled for when alertness dips (very early in the workday and around 3 PM). But we often flood employees with low-level tasks (e.g., emailing) in the morning, so they can only get to important tasks later in the afternoon, when they have to power through to meet an end-of-day deadline. Instead, consider letting your team schedule naps around 3 PM. Naps can be a good way to regulate energy and increase alertness, and evidence even links them to increased performance. This way, employees can recharge at a time when they’re less useful for important tasks anyway, and they’ll be more alert during the next high point in their circadian rhythms.
Adapted from “
The Ideal Work Schedule, as Determined by Circadian Rhythms” by Christopher M. Barnes.
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