What is Laura Vanderkam's Body Clock Type?

Laura Vanderkam is a Morning Glory (Definite Morning). Here’s why.

Intro

Laura Vanderkam is a highly acclaimed author, speaker, and time management expert renowned for her insightful exploration into how successful individuals structure their days and weeks. She challenges conventional wisdom about busyness, advocating for intentional time allocation rather than simply reacting to demands. Vanderkam's work, including bestsellers like "What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast" and "168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think," has made her a leading voice in productivity, inspiring countless people to reclaim their time and align it with their priorities. Her research often highlights the power of early mornings and strategic planning, making her an ideal subject for understanding optimal circadian alignment.

Laura Vanderkam's Daily Routine

• 5:00 AM — Wake naturally, hydrate, and expose herself to bright light. This early light exposure signals to her body that the day has begun, reinforcing a strong circadian rhythm and boosting alertness for her peak hours.
• 5:15 AM — Engage in a short, invigorating exercise session, such as a brisk walk or run. Physical activity early in the day further enhances morning alertness, improves mood, and sets a positive tone for the hours ahead, leveraging her natural morning energy.
• 6:00 AM — Focus on deep, creative work, typically writing. This is her "golden hour" when cognitive function is at its peak, allowing her to tackle complex tasks with minimal distraction and maximum efficiency, a hallmark of the Morning Glory chronotype.
• 7:30 AM — Enjoy breakfast with her family, transitioning from solitary deep work to social connection. This provides a crucial break and allows her to connect with loved ones before the main workday begins, balancing personal and professional life.
• 8:30 AM — Begin her structured workday, which might include interviews, research, or administrative tasks. While still productive, these tasks are often less cognitively demanding than her early morning writing, aligning with a slight decrease in peak morning energy.
• 12:00 PM — Take a mindful lunch break, stepping away from her workspace. This mid-day pause helps prevent burnout, allows for digestion, and provides a mental reset, preparing her for the afternoon's activities.
• 1:00 PM — Address emails, plan future projects, or engage in collaborative work. Her afternoon energy is still strong but better suited for tasks that require communication, organization, and less intense focus than her morning deep work.
• 3:30 PM — Shift focus to family time, errands, or personal development activities like reading. As her natural energy begins to wane, she prioritizes activities that are fulfilling but don't demand peak cognitive output, aligning with her circadian dip.
• 5:30 PM — Prepare and enjoy dinner with her family. This communal meal serves as a social anchor, fostering connection and winding down the active part of the day.
• 7:00 PM — Engage in relaxing activities such as reading, light conversation, or a hobby. She consciously avoids screens and stimulating content, preparing her mind and body for sleep by reducing blue light exposure and mental arousal.
• 8:30 PM — Begin her pre-sleep routine, which might include a warm bath or journaling. Dimming lights and creating a serene environment signals to her body that it's time to transition into rest, supporting melatonin production.
• 9:00 PM — Aim for lights out and sleep. Consistent sleep timing is paramount for a Morning Glory, ensuring she gets adequate rest to wake refreshed and maintain her early morning productivity and energy levels.

Laura Vanderkam's BodyClock Analysis

Laura Vanderkam's dedication to early morning productivity and her emphasis on leveraging the quiet hours before the day officially begins strongly indicate a Morning Glory (Definite Morning) chronotype. Individuals with this body clock type naturally wake early, feel most energetic and productive in the morning, and typically prefer to go to bed earlier. They thrive on routine and often find their peak cognitive performance in the initial hours after waking. This aligns perfectly with Vanderkam's personal habits and the advice she gives in her books, where she champions getting important work done before breakfast. For context, Owaves recognizes five distinct Body Clock Types, each with unique energy patterns: Morning Glory (Definite Morning) individuals are early risers with peak energy in the morning; Sunflower (Moderate Morning) types also prefer mornings but have a slightly later peak; Hibiscus (Intermediate) individuals fall in the middle, adapting fairly well to various schedules; Peace Lily (Moderate Evening) types experience their best energy later in the day, preferring to wake later; and Moonflower (Definite Evening) individuals are true night owls, feeling most awake and productive in the late evening and night. Laura's consistent advocacy for early starts and her personal success attributed to this rhythm firmly place her as a Morning Glory, making the most of her natural circadian inclination.

Owaves Body Clock Types (quick reference)

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

Lessons from Laura Vanderkam's BodyClock

Understanding one's Body Clock Type, or chronotype, is not just a fascinating insight; it's a powerful tool for optimizing health, productivity, and overall well-being. For Laura Vanderkam, recognizing her Morning Glory chronotype allows her to strategically align her most demanding tasks with her natural peak energy hours, ensuring she maximizes her creative output and intellectual focus. By starting her day with deep work, she capitalizes on her innate morning alertness, leading to greater efficiency and job satisfaction. Readers should care deeply about discovering their own Body Clock Type because it unlocks the potential for a life lived in harmony with their internal biology. Instead of fighting against their natural rhythms, which often leads to fatigue, stress, and diminished performance, individuals can learn to schedule their activities—from work to exercise to social engagements—when they are naturally most primed for them. To find your own type, you can pay attention to when you naturally feel most awake, alert, and productive over several days, especially when not constrained by external schedules. Owaves also offers assessments to help pinpoint your specific Body Clock Type. The key lessons readers can adapt from Laura's example are to observe their own energy patterns, respect their body's signals, and then intentionally design their daily routine to leverage their unique circadian strengths. Whether you're a Morning Glory, Moonflower, or somewhere in between, aligning your schedule with your chronotype is a fundamental step towards a more energetic, productive, and balanced life.

Learn more: Discover your chronotype with Owaves

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