What Time of Day Are You Most Creative? A Test.

Recently, while speaking at a conference in Singapore, someone asked me the secret of creative output. “Phil, how do you come up with creative material for writing and speaking—not to mention your normal production work?” I answered him by saying that the single most important question for any creative person to ask is: “What time of day am I most creative?” For me, it’s 6 a.m. to noon. When I wake up, the heavenly choir is singing, the birds are chirping and I feel great. So I write like mad. Everything is sharp, and I’m in a more productive mood. But AFTER lunch? Forget it. I can do phone calls, read, conduct interviews, meetings, etc. But if you need creative work from Phil, morning is the time. So the question becomes—what’s your creative time? Midnight? After lunch? Morning? Whatever it is, focus on that time, and build a wall around it. You might have to start by using just part of that time. Early in my career, when I worked for another company full-time, I would come into the office at 5 a.m. and write until 8 a.m.—then go to work. In fact, I wrote my first two books that way. If necessary, work around things you can’t change. But START. Find the time your creativity blossoms. Then build a wall of protection around that schedule. Never forget—creativity isn’t about random inspiration; it’s about rituals. Start yours today. This article originally appeared on Phil Cooke's blog. Used with permission.