Hey, Night Owls: Here’s How to Be Your Most Productive Self

There are plenty of people out there who would call themselves dedicated night owls. While it doesn’t make you weird or a vampire (probably), being most awake at night can make it harder to be productive (after all, there are so many great YouTube videos calling your name at one in the morning).

How can you stay productive no matter how late (er, early) it is? Use these five tips.

1. Make a To-Do List Every Day for the Night

It’s unhealthy to stay up too late just to do nothing, so instead, make sure to make it a priority to do something every night.

Be sure to write down a huge list to help plan things out. It’s a good way to stay on a schedule and will be a helpful skill down the line. It’s also similar to a deadline, because it gives you a healthy amount of stress every day. Without a to-do list, it would create a false sense of security, because you “have all night” to do everything, and whether it’s a research paper, midterm, or a deadline at work, the failure to plan time out could be costly.

I recommend writing the to-do list on a real piece of paper, because it’s easier to refer to and physically writing something down can help your productivity.

2. Take a (Smart) Break

If most of the day consists of school and a job, it’s important to get some down time as well. Do something productive for an hour then take 30 minutes for yourself. Whether it’s socializing, jamming to music, watching a TV show, playing video games or listening to an interesting podcast, make sure to free your mind from constant stressing.

People always say it’s smart to stay away from mindlessly watching TV for hours, but the same goes for studying for hours without stopping; the stress becomes overbearing and it also becomes a mind-numbing experience.

3. Exercise

It’s difficult to find hours in the day to get the body moving, so why not do it late at night? If you have access to a late-night or 24-hour gym, take your notes, textbooks or podcasts with you and gear up for a power hour on the treadmill, or just do some jumping jacks or sit-ups in your room.

Not only does exercise improve physical shape, but it also improves brain function, according to this scientific journal entry at Harvard Health Publications. The study says moving your body reduces insulin resistance and inflammation, helps healthy cells grow and aids in creating the right brain chemistry.

4. Get Your Protein and Greens

With the lack of sleep, it’s important to add proteins and greens to your diet to give you more energy for the mornings. Try green smoothies or cooked vegetables with a chicken breast or another high protein meal.

Late at night, it might be hours since you ate a big meal, and it’s unhealthy to deprive your brain of food. At the same time, it’s important to fill it with the right things.

5. Stay Away From Caffeine (For the Most Part)

A coffee or soda to start the late night won’t be a big deal, but it won’t be healthy to replace water with caffeine every night. Alternate them, but for the most part stay away from caffeine or any kind of stimulant. Caffeine will make you go to sleep even later and cause a headache in the morning.

Why is too much caffeine a bad thing at night? According to All Things Considered, late-night caffeine consumption “resets your inner clock.” A separate study showed that a double espresso three hours before bed delays your “melatonin surge” by roughly 40 minutes.

Some of us are hardwired to feel more awake at night, and that doesn’t mean your productivity has to fall by the wayside.