Chronoworking: Can aligning work hours with your body clock improve productivity?

Chronoworking, the practice of organizing work schedules around a person’s natural sleep and energy patterns, is gaining attention as companies navigate the return to the office. Supporters say aligning work hours with the body’s internal clock can improve focus and performance, while critics warn that flexible schedules can complicate teamwork and meetings.

The concept, coined by British journalist Ellen C. Scott, recognizes that people do not perform at their best at the same time of day. Some are most productive early in the morning, while others concentrate better in the evening. A 2023 survey by MyPerfectResume found that 94% of 1,500 American workers said they worked outside their preferred hours, while 77% reported that this affected their performance.

Examples include London-based writer and fitness coach Eloise Skinner, who saves demanding tasks for the evening, and freelance writer Stephanie Mickelson, who starts working around 4:30 a.m. Both have built their schedules around their most productive hours, although their experiences reflect the flexibility of self-employment more than the realities of traditional office jobs.

Experts say employers can adopt elements of chronoworking without abandoning shared schedules. Human resources specialist Julia Lyons-Ryle recommends flexible start and finish times while maintaining designated hours when employees must be available for meetings. Organizational behavior researcher Christopher Barnes also suggests that shifting schedules by one or two hours can offer meaningful benefits.

However, flexibility has limits. Some jobs require employees to be available during established business hours, and meetings often involve colleagues with different routines. Researchers argue that chronotype, or a person’s natural tendency to be more alert at certain times, is real, but it does not eliminate the need for coordination.

Chronoworking may offer a practical way to improve productivity and work-life balance, particularly when employers allow reasonable adjustments. The challenge is finding a schedule that supports individual performance without disrupting the needs of the wider team.