“Time-of-day effects can explain 20 percent of the variance in human performance on work tasks.”
In his book When: The Science of Perfect Timing, Daniel Pink addresses how timing affects our lives, including tips for productivity.
We summarized ideas from Pink’s book as they apply to actuarial exam studying. In particular, the question of “What time of day is best to study?”
Understanding your biological clock
Based on studies of our biological rhythms, our days typically follow the cycle of Peak, Trough, Recovery.
- Peak = highly diligent, focused
- Trough = dip in energy and mood
- Recovery = boost in mood, but not vigilance
The Peak phase is best for analytical work. This is when you should study for actuarial exams or work on technical projects.
The Trough phase is great for knocking off administrative tasks (e.g. filling out expense reports, answering routine emails), but you should avoid work that requires intense focus. For example, studies show that in the afternoon, doctors are more prone to making medical errors and students score lower on standardized tests.
The Recovery phase is best for brainstorming; you have a boost in energy but are more loose and open to exploring new ideas.
For most people, the Peak-Trough-Recovery cycle occurs in that order throughout the day. They do their best work in the morning, struggle to maintain focus in the afternoon, and then recover in the evening.
However, about 20% of people have the “evening chronotype” (i.e. night owls). For this group, the Peak phase occurs at night, with the trough and recovery occurring the next morning and afternoon.
How does your biological clock affect your actuarial exams?
1. Schedule your study sessions during your Peak phase of the day
The first step is figuring out your Peak-Trough-Recovery cycle. Are you a night owl? Or are you most productive in the mornings? Think about times when you’ve been most productive at work or school, and then schedule your studying accordingly.
My studying was drastically improved when I paid attention to timing. At first, I had scheduled my study hours for the end of my work day (around 3 pm). I got into a terrible habit of falling asleep within the first 15 minutes of reading my study manual.
Pink writes, “The typical worker reaches the most unproductive moment of the day at 2:55 pm.” I fit the bill perfectly.
After moving my study hours to the morning (around 7 am), my narcoleptic tendencies disappeared. I could crank through readings almost twice as quickly in the mornings, and I made fewer mistakes on practice problems.
This may sound trite, but if your priority is to pass an actuarial exam, then schedule your study sessions when you have the most energy. I’m still amazed at how simple, effective, and yet overlooked this advice remains.
2. For the prelim exams, schedule your exam time during your Peak phase
To reiterate a point above: in a study of 2 million Danish standardized tests, students who were randomly assigned to the afternoon scored significantly lower than students who took the exam in the morning.
For the CBT prelim exams, you have the flexibility to schedule your exam date/time with the Prometric test center; take advantage of your options. You don’t want the time of day to be the difference in passing or failing the exam. (At the time of writing, the Fellowship exam times are fixed, so you don’t have this luxury.)
3. If you must study during your Trough period, strategically schedule breaks to boost energy
Tip #1 can be overly idealistic. Not everyone has the flexibility to study whenever they want. If you must study during your Trough phase, schedule breaks to boost energy. But not all breaks are equally effective.
Daniel Pink notes that breaks involving movement, nature, and full detachment are most effective (e.g. going for a walk). Unfortunately, we tend to do the opposite. We check email or social media during breaks, and we miss the benefits of detachment.
While the type of break is important, the duration also matters. The company DeskTime analyzed millions of data points from their time-tracking software to determine that the ideal break is 17 minutes for every 52 minutes of work. You don’t need to be exact, but keep those numbers in mind as a guideline for how often to take a break from your studying.
I appreciate the irony of analyzing and deconstructing how to take a break. But breaks are important, and they don’t always come naturally for ambitious, hardworking actuaries. Pink writes, “Elite performers have something in common: They’re really good at taking breaks.” It’s important to decouple breaks from laziness; they’re simply part of the achievement process.
4. Try the “nappuccino” method for a productive study session
The “nappuccino” combines two things to boost energy: coffee and power naps. Right after drinking a coffee (or any source of caffeine), set a timer for 20 minutes and lie down for a nap. 20 minutes is enough time to recharge without falling into deeper sleep stages and waking up lethargic. The caffeine also metabolizes and kicks in around the 20-minute mark, so you will wake up from your nap with a rush of energy.
After finishing a long day of work or classes, the “nappuccino” may be the perfect trick for transitioning into study mode.
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“The performance change between the daily high point and the daily low point can be equivalent to the effect on performance of drinking the legal limit of alcohol.”
One of the easiest ways to improve productivity is to be intentional about WHEN we do our work. Too often, we waste our Peak state answering emails, or we struggle to do deep work during our Trough.
Understand your daily energy cycle, and take advantage of it to be more productive with studying and actuarial work.
When: The Science of Perfect Timing also discusses optimal timing for other life decisions (e.g. when is the ideal time to switch careers, get married, schedule a class, or start a business?). If you found this article interesting, we recommend this book for more practical life advice outside the realm of studying.
Study Smart, Pass Fast, Live Life
Mike & Roy
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