The Freelancer's Sleep Dilemma: Fixed or Flexible?

On a random Instagram scrolling day, I came across an account of an entrepreneur and influencer, Avni Barman. After scrolling through her page, I discovered her series – “20 Ridiculous Habits I stole from Silicon Valley entrepreneurs.”

Of all of them, the reel that stood out to me was when she said that the most successful people in the world do not use alarm clocks. She explained that when an alarm clock goes off in the morning, it triggers the stress response that releases cortisol. It can severely impair our memory, attention, and decision-making, which are the holy grail for success. She further justified it by saying we know when our body is charged, not the alarm clock. And if we rely on the alarm clock, we will constantly show up with a low battery.

She also said that a rested body can produce 1 week’s worth of productivity in just 1 day, which means we could get an entire year’s worth of productivity in just 2 months.

Being a boarding child, I have been taught the importance of sleeping and waking up at a set time since childhood. We were told that it helped regulate our body’s internal clock, which would positively affect our mental and physical health. Therefore, seeing the reel left me like:

Honestly, I could not resist experimenting with a flexible sleep schedule. Of course, being a freelancer, I did not even have a particularly rigid daily schedule, which made it comparatively easier.

For the first 3-4 days, it did not work, as I woke up according to my body clock. But I kept at it, and one week into the experiment, I woke up at 9 am.

Today, it has been over a month since I switched to a flexible sleep schedule. While sometimes I wake up at 8 am, other times I wake up at 9 am or even 10 am (though rarely). And it has been one of the best things for my freelancing journey. Letting my body rest for how much ever time needed makes me feel fresh and productive throughout the day.

Most importantly, previously, I would need at least a cup of coffee in the morning to wake me up and make it through the day. But since I have switched, I am more alert throughout the day without needing coffee. I do still drink coffee, don’t get me wrong, but the frequency has reduced from 7 days a week to 2 days a week.

Enough about me! We are also here to see what other freelancers think. So, let’s dive into it.

Ayushi Bajoria is a freelance graphic designer and the owner of a branding and marketing agency, Clae Creatives.

She has always had a flexible sleep schedule. “Though I try my best to prioritize my health and make sure to get adequate rest, I also juggle a bit with the timings depending on the workload and deadlines,” she said.

A flexible sleep schedule has helped her with work-life balance. “On weekdays when I’m slightly easier workwise, I can dedicate more time for social events or spend quality time with family or even dedicate more time learning something new and start my day a little later. It helps me customize my routine as per the requirement,” she added.

Prarthna Misra is a freelance architect who has founded Saha Atelier, an architectural and interior design firm. She also teaches the third-year design studio at Sushant School of Art and Architecture.

Initially, she followed a rigid sleep schedule that involved sleeping at midnight, waking up by 8 am to head to the gym, and working till 7 pm. She came across this reel, and for the past two months, she has changed her schedule. Currently, she has a fixed sleeping time, which is 10:30 pm, and a flexible waking up time.

“I’ve been waking up at 7:30-8 am and it shows me that my body just wants to rest it out,” she told me.

She believes that the flexible sleep schedule has helped with her energy levels, keeping her fresh throughout the day.

“There were times earlier when, even if I had gotten 8 hours of sleep, I have gone to class and been sleepy. But since I have started sleeping until my body wakes me up, I don’t yawn in class. Also, because I feel fresher, I can go to the gym. And because I can go to the gym, I have more energy. And because I have more energy, my day is better, and I am a lot more productive, be it in class, my work, or anything else. I’m just in a much better head space overall,” she said.

I did a quick Google search on this topic and guess what, almost all resources advocated for a fixed sleep schedule. It says that a fixed schedule is beneficial for our productivity, sleep quality, and daily circadian rhythms (the 24-hour inner clock in our brain that regulates cycles of alertness and sleepiness).

However, from personal experience, a flexible sleep schedule has done wonders for my overall mental and physical health. So, I am choosing to stick with it. How about you? Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!