I've started tracking something I never thought to measure: what time of day I schedule client calls, and how those calls actually go.
Last Tuesday, I had three calls over the course of the day. First one at 11am went fine.
Second one at 2pm, I noticed I was having trouble staying fully present on what the client was saying. I was making sure I had the points that I wanted to make pulled up in my notes.
By the third call at 4pm, I was physically present but mentally somewhere else entirely.
The client asked a straightforward question about timeline and it took me a minute to mentally catch up - I gave them an answer that was technically correct but missed the subtext of what they were actually worried about.
I caught it later when I was reviewing the meeting notes to create tasks for my team. I'd been running on fumes the whole time.
What bothered me wasn't that I had a bad call. It was that this sometimes happens in the same window of the day, and I keep booking calls there anyway.
So I started looking into why energy drops like that, and I found something that reframed how I think about my entire workday.
Our bodies run on natural 90-minute cycles called ultradian rhythms, and they don't care about your calendar.
You get about 90 minutes of peak alertness and focus, then you hit a valley where everything feels harder. Your brain fog isn't a character flaw, it's biology telling you the cycle just reset.
What I also learned is this applies beyond just feeling tired. Daily fluctuations in your emotional state determine changes in what you perceive as significant.
When you're in a valley, you're not just less focused, you're literally reading the room differently.
The same conversation that would have felt collaborative at 10am feels like a minefield at 3pm because your significance detection threshold shifted.
You're picking up threat where there isn't any, or missing cues you'd normally catch.
Most of us plan our day around tasks, not around when our brain is actually online. We schedule the important meeting whenever the other person is free, then wonder why we walked out of it feeling like we didn't show up the way we wanted to.
I'm going to try something this week: I'm blocking out my natural valley times (for me, that's 2-4pm) for work that doesn't require me to read people or make judgment calls.
Email, admin stuff, anything that doesn't hinge on me being sharp. The calls that actually matter, the ones where I need to pick up on what's unsaid, those go in the morning when I'm still in a peak window.
If you've got a big conversation coming up, a networking event, or anything where you need to be locked in socially, check what time of day it's happening. If it's during what's typically a low point for you, see if you can move it.
And if you can't move it, at least know you're walking in during a valley so you can compensate. Take a real break beforehand. Get outside. Don't stack three other things right before it and expect your brain to just power through.
Before you shut down for the week, look at your calendar for Monday. If you've got something important scheduled during a time when you're historically running on fumes, move it.
Your energy isn't random. It's a pattern you can work with instead of against.
Did this resonate with you? Forward it on to someone who could use it too. These insights are better when shared.
Cheers,
Alex
Disclaimer: I'm a curious researcher, not a licensed psychologist. I study these concepts because I believe understanding how our minds work can help us navigate life more effectively. This content is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional advice. Please consult qualified professionals for personal guidance. Individual results may vary, and readers should use their own judgment when applying these concepts.