Chrono-working – a flexible work arrangement that tailors work hours to our natural circadian rhythms – is gaining popularity as a means of enhancing both productivity and mental health. This concept allows people to work during periods when they are naturally more alert and energetic, potentially boosting both satisfaction and output. With remote working now being a normal part of everyday life, there is a growing acceptance and interest in such adaptive work styles. 

Chrono-working not only caters to personal energy fluctuations but also proposes significant mental health benefits by reducing the mismatch between our biological clock and our work schedule. As a result, more and more organisations are finding that aligning work hours with natural energy peaks can lead to healthier, more engaged, and more productive employees.

What Is Chrono-Working?

Chrono-working refers to adapting work schedules to align with a person’s natural circadian rhythms—the internal clock that cycles between sleepiness and alertness at regular intervals. Originating from the latest understanding of sleep science and human productivity, this approach adjusts work hours to match personal peak performance times. Instead of sticking to a traditional working hour schedule, chrono-working allows you to start your day later or earlier, depending on when you are naturally more alert and effective.

Modern work environments, particularly those that embrace flexibility and remote working, are increasingly implementing chrono-working, as a way of improving efficiency and job satisfaction. 

Circadian Rhythms and Mental Health

Circadian rhythms are internal processes that regulate and influence sleep, wakefulness, hormone release, body temperature, and other important bodily functions. Repeating roughly every 24 hours, they are key in determining our sleep patterns and directly influence our mental and physical health.[1]

Disruption of these rhythms can lead to significant stress, decreased well-being, and a higher risk of various mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. However, working harmoniously with our circadian rhythms can enhance mental health by reducing stress, improving mood, and increasing overall cognitive function. 

Chrono-working offers a way to reduce any misalignments. This approach accommodates people with sleep disorders and can bolster mental resilience by optimising work times when we are naturally more alert and productive. 

One study found that if our circadian rhythm is disrupted, it affects our mood, processing speed, and working memory – all key factors in being a productive employee.[2] Additionally, other studies have found that major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD), and anxiety disorder are heavily linked to sleep disruption. Studies also highlight that interventions like light therapy and circadian-aligned scheduling (such as chrono-working) can effectively stabilise mood variations in bipolar disorder, alleviate depressive symptoms, and reduce anxiety by restoring patterns.[3]

Productivity and Self-Value

The correlation between feeling productive at work and overall mental health is significant. A sense of achievement and being valued at work are vital components of job satisfaction, which positively affects our mental health. When people work during hours that align with their natural circadian rhythms, they often report higher productivity levels and a stronger sense of accomplishment. By aligning work hours with natural energy highs, employees are more efficient and more engaged with their tasks. This alignment contributes to deeper job satisfaction because tasks feel less strenuous and more rewarding.

Many employers are finding that when people work during their optimal times, their output improves and their perception of their work changes. They feel more integral to the outcomes and more connected to the process, enhancing intrinsic motivation, which is crucial for long-term job satisfaction and mental health stability.

Additionally, feeling valued at work, which is often a byproduct of increased productivity, can significantly decrease the risk of burnout. 

Leveraging Sleep Chronotypes for Enhanced Well-being

Understanding your sleep chronotype, or circadian typologies can significantly improve your day-to-day management. 

Sleep chronotypes represent inherent variations in individuals’ sleep-wake patterns, influencing their peak performance times throughout the day. According to American clinical psychologist and sleep doctor Michael Breus, the four primary chronotypes – Bear, Lion, Wolf, and Dolphin and each have distinct characteristics:

• Bears wake and sleep in alignment with the sun, experiencing peak productivity before noon. They represent a majority and fit well with the standard 9-to-5 schedule.
• Lions, or morning people, find their energy spikes early and tapers off after noon. They’re the go-getters who start their day at dawn.
• Wolves are night owls who come alive in the evenings. Their mornings start slow, with energy peaking in the late afternoon and evening.
• Dolphins are often light sleepers who struggle with a regular sleep schedule. They find their productive stride mid-morning to early afternoon.

Research by Breus found that 55% of individuals are most productive from mid-morning to early afternoon (10:00 to 14:00), 15% excel in the early morning, another 15% perform best late at night, and 10% experience irregular productivity patterns day-to-day. 

Despite this variability, the conventional 9-to-5 work day (which was established in the 1800s) remains standard. A survey of nearly 1,500 workers revealed that 94% are required to work outside their optimal productivity hours, with 77% reporting that this mismatch affects their job performance. To cope with this, nearly half the respondents resorted to taking naps during work hours, 42% consumed caffeine to boost energy, and 43% employed stress-management techniques like mindfulness to cope with the misalignment between their natural productivity times and work schedules.[4]

Implementing Chrono-Working: Challenges and Opportunities

Implementing chrono-working within a business environment presents challenges and opportunities. One of the primary hurdles is the need for coordination within teams, especially when members have varying peak productivity times. Additionally, maintaining standard business hours while accommodating individual circadian rhythms can complicate client interactions and deadlines.

However, these challenges are manageable. Adopting core hours during which all team members are available can create a compromise that respects individual peak times while ensuring team collaboration. Asynchronous work tools such as shared documents, project management software, and digital communication platforms can facilitate flexibility, allowing tasks to be completed according to individual schedules without hindering team progress.

Several companies that have adopted chrono-working report successful outcomes, and these organisations have see improvements in employee satisfaction, reduced staff turnover, and heightened overall productivity. 

Enhancing Well-being in the Workplace

The Revoke Programme is committed to enhancing workplace mental health, and our team offers expert advice and support in developing work practices that promote better health and increased productivity. By exploring the potential of tailored work hours as a means to boost employee well-being and job satisfaction, employers can help cultivate work environments that genuinely support the mental health and well-being of all team members.

Sources:

1. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1977-24949-001
2. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/19/7156
3. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-020-0694-0
4. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20240220-chronoworking-productivity-hack