Research suggests that being an early bird or a night owl is actually down to genetics (an interesting article to learn more about that here). Whilst many are getting their beauty sleep, you, brave night owl, are burning the midnight oil by choice! (One study has even shown that night owls are more intelligent than early risers.)
There are benefits of studying in the evening/at night: you are less likely to be distracted by phone calls/texts/emails/active social media, you are more likely to feel calm and relaxed because the bulk of the day is behind you, and most people experience a spike in creativity at night- meaning out of the box solutions or deciphering problems by approaching them in a different way. These tips are for you, my nocturnal friends, to get the most out of your time!
Improve your lighting
It’s natural to want to work in dimmer lighting come night-time, but working from the glow of your computer screen might not be the best for you (plus this can cause unnecessary eye strain), so switch some bright main lights on and see if that changes your energy
Alternatively, you might continue to work with bright lighting but may find that you work better with softer lighting. Play around with a desk lamp/fairy lights/dimmable lights if you have them, to create the ambience that makes you the most productive
Commit to your study environment
Just because it’s night-time doesn’t mean it’s bed time - create and use the workspace you’ve set up (at a desk or table) and avoid crawling into bed with a textbook
Hit the library
If your institution has a twenty four hour library, this is the perfect time to get the best seat in the house to study in. With the exception of the weeks leading up to the exam period, libraries will usually be very quiet!
Switch your phone off
Unless you need it to set break timers, switching off your phone is BLISS because not many exciting things will be happening when it’s late. Allow yourself the freedom to study without wondering who could be texting you/who just posted another beige facebook update
Keep to a sleep schedule
Just because you stay up later than some doesn’t mean you still can’t have a schedule and wake up early - in fact, it’s been suggested that night owls are actually better at waking up than the early birds! It’s a good idea to have a cut-off point for studying. There may be times when a creative streak or an academic rush propels you through the early hours of the morning and you find yourself still working when the birdsong breaks, and that’s okay. Allow all nighters to happen sometimes, because that’s when the best work can happen! But ensure you do still get enough sleep and keep a loose routine
Music: destructive or productive?
During the day, I am most productive when listening to music (I make study playlists that you can find under my playlists tag!) After about 10pm, I find that music becomes a nuisance and instead prefer working in silence. Rules can change at night. Find out whether this is the same (or the opposite) for you
Stay hydrated
Don’t forget to have a big glass or bottle of water with you (if you’re bad at remembering to drink enough water, there are lots of cute apps to remind you such as Daily Water for iPhone/iPad or Drink! for Chrome)
Allow yourself time off
Don’talways feel the need to study if you don’t want to- use the still of the night to work on that novel you’ve been writing, read a book for pleasure, paint, etc.
was challenged by a friend watching bnha to make myself a pro hero
quirk: minor teleportation she may teleport once per second at a distance of 100 meters. night owl may teleport a larger distance at the risk of injury. to teleport, she must be able to see the location she wants to warp to. overuse may cause internal pressure leading to nosebleeds, earbleeds, and in the worst case, brain hemorrhaging.
Remote working has been commonplace for many freelancers and small businesses for years; however, it seems like it is here to stay with recent global changes.
And while you can enjoy the more flexible schedule, you might find it feels a little too lax. Time can run away from you; you can find you are focusing too much on the little details, extra admin, and having meetings that seem to just be…
Done for the ‘Night Owl’ theme of @operationgaia. I’ll be offering 8x10 embellished prints of this one in the auction.
Operation Gaia is a wonderful charity art event benefiting the Audubon Society. I’m honored to be one of the guest artists this year. Check out the event tumblr to see all the fantastic art being created for the auction in February!
