What is Austin Kleon's Body Clock Type?

Austin Kleon is a Morning Glory (Definite Morning). Here’s why.

Intro

Austin Kleon is a New York Times bestselling author and artist renowned for his insightful books on creativity in the digital age. He gained widespread fame with his trilogy: "Steal Like an Artist," "Show Your Work!," and "Keep Going." Kleon's work provides practical, encouraging advice for creators, encouraging them to embrace their influences, share their process, and persevere through challenges. He is highly relevant for his ability to demystify the creative process, making it accessible and sustainable for a broad audience, and for openly sharing his own daily routines and habits that fuel his prolific output.

Austin Kleon's Daily Routine

• 6:00 AM — Wake naturally with the sunrise or a gentle alarm. Immediately seek out natural light by opening curtains or stepping outside for a few minutes. Hydrate with a large glass of water to kickstart metabolism and brain function, signaling the body to fully awaken and align with the day's rhythm.
• 6:30 AM — Engage in deep creative work, such as writing or sketching, during the brain's peak alertness. This is a time of minimal distractions, allowing for focused, high-quality output before the demands of the day begin. This aligns perfectly with the Morning Glory's natural morning energy surge.
• 8:00 AM — Transition to family time, preparing and enjoying a nutritious breakfast. This period allows for social connection and a mental break from intense creative focus. A short, brisk walk around the neighborhood with family can further enhance morning light exposure and gentle movement.
• 9:30 AM — Address administrative tasks, emails, and lighter creative work like reading, research, or organizing ideas. The acute focus of the early morning has passed, making this an ideal time for tasks that require less intense cognitive load but still contribute to the creative process.
• 12:00 PM — Enjoy a mindful lunch, ideally away from the workspace. This break is crucial for mental replenishment and preventing decision fatigue. A brief period of meditation or simply quiet reflection can further enhance recovery.
• 1:00 PM — Engage in collaborative work, meetings, or less demanding creative tasks such as editing, brainstorming, or sketching. The Morning Glory's energy may dip slightly in the early afternoon, making this a good time for activities that benefit from interaction or don't require peak concentration.
• 3:00 PM — Incorporate physical activity, such as a longer walk, light stretching, or running errands. This helps combat the afternoon slump, boosts circulation, and provides a mental refresh. Spending time outdoors further reinforces circadian rhythms.
• 5:00 PM — Shift focus to family time, preparing dinner, and engaging in leisure activities. This period marks a gradual wind-down from work-related tasks, prioritizing personal connections and relaxation. Dimming lights indoors can begin to signal the body that evening is approaching.
• 7:00 PM — Enjoy dinner and engage in calming activities like reading a physical book, listening to music, or light conversation. Avoid bright screens and stimulating content. This is a critical period for melatonin production to begin, preparing the body for sleep.
• 8:30 PM — Begin a consistent bedtime routine, which might include a warm bath or shower, gentle stretching, and further dimming of lights. Ensure the bedroom is dark, cool, and quiet to optimize sleep conditions. This ritual reinforces the body's natural sleep cues.
• 9:00 PM — Aim for consistent bedtime. A Morning Glory chronotype thrives on ample, restorative sleep, typically needing 7-9 hours to feel fully refreshed and ready for an early start the next day. This consistent sleep schedule is paramount for sustained energy and creativity.

Austin Kleon's BodyClock Analysis

Austin Kleon's Body Clock Type has been determined as a Morning Glory (Definite Morning) based on publicly available information regarding his daily routines and creative habits. Kleon frequently emphasizes the importance of waking early to engage in his most demanding creative work, often before his family wakes, a hallmark behavior of a strong morning chronotype. His consistent early starts and high productivity in the pre-dawn hours strongly align with the physiological characteristics of a Morning Glory. For context, Owaves recognizes five distinct Body Clock Types, each with unique energy patterns: Morning Glory (Definite Morning): These individuals are early risers, feeling most energetic and productive in the morning. Their peak cognitive function occurs in the hours after waking, making them ideal for deep work and problem-solving at dawn. Sunflower (Moderate Morning): Sunflowers also prefer mornings but have a slightly later peak than Morning Glories. They enjoy waking early but might ease into their day, finding their stride a few hours after sunrise for focused work. Hibiscus (Intermediate): This is the most common chronotype, with individuals feeling relatively adaptable. They can function well in both morning and evening, finding a balance in their energy peaks throughout the day, often with a mid-day dip. Peace Lily (Moderate Evening): Peace Lilies tend to feel more awake and productive in the afternoon and early evening. Waking early can be a struggle, and their cognitive performance improves as the day progresses, making evenings their prime time for focused tasks. Moonflower (Definite Evening): Moonflowers are true night owls, experiencing their highest energy and creativity late in the evening and into the night. Waking early is often a significant challenge, and their morning hours are typically low-energy periods. Kleon's consistent emphasis on early morning creative output before the world awakens firmly places him in the Morning Glory category, where his biology naturally supports his chosen work schedule.

Owaves Body Clock Types (quick reference)

• Morning Glory (Definite Morning)
• Sunflower (Moderate Morning)
• Hibiscus (Intermediate)
• Peace Lily (Moderate Evening)
• Moonflower (Definite Evening)

Lessons from Austin Kleon's BodyClock

Understanding one's Body Clock Type is not merely a label; it's a powerful tool for optimizing health, productivity, and overall well-being. For Austin Kleon, recognizing his Morning Glory chronotype allows him to strategically schedule his most demanding creative tasks during his natural peak energy window, maximizing his output and minimizing burnout. By aligning his writing and artistic endeavors with his innate biological rhythms, he leverages his body's natural inclination towards early morning focus, making his creative process more efficient and sustainable. Readers should care because this principle applies universally: when you work with your body's natural clock instead of against it, you can experience enhanced focus, improved mood, better sleep, and reduced stress. Forcing a Moonflower to be a Morning Glory, or vice-versa, leads to chronic fatigue, decreased performance, and a constant feeling of fighting an uphill battle. To find your own Body Clock Type, pay close attention to your natural sleep-wake patterns when you don't use an alarm, observe when you feel most energetic and productive, and when you experience dips. Tools like the Owaves app or simple chronotype questionnaires can provide further insights. Once you identify your type, you can adapt key lessons from Austin Kleon: schedule your most important tasks during your peak energy window, incorporate light exposure in the morning and dim lights in the evening to reinforce your circadian rhythm, and maintain a consistent sleep schedule that honors your unique biology. By doing so, you can unlock your full potential, just as Kleon has, leading a more harmonious and productive life.

Learn more: Discover your chronotype with Owaves

Made with AI ✨