Another argument to support my theory that searching for the perfect workflow/ state of mind is a distraction. The last item on the list tells you what Surrealists knew decades ago: being tired makes cool things happen.

6 p.m. - late Do creative work, if you're a morning person. If it sounds counterintuitive, it is. Yet research actually shows that people do their best creative thinking when they're tired. The study, a 2011 paper from researchers at Albion College and Michigan State University, asked more than 400 students to solve six different problems at various hours over the course of the day. They found that those who identified as feeling fresh and sharp in the morning did better solving problems late at night that required original thinking. For night owls, it was the inverse. Morning proved a better time for them to have bright ideas. Their explanation: Creative thinking requires us to approach problems from a different perspective, which is actually harder to do when we're clear-headed and can only see the obvious answer. If we need to concentrate, it's good for our brains to be "on." But if we need to think differently, it's easier when our brains are a little distracted and can short circuit the first answers that come to mind.