Tipful Tuesday - Time of Day

The ideal time of day to do just about anything as revealed by experts.  

Do you know the best time of day for the following:

• take a nap?
• read and retain information?
• visit your doctor?
• take a multivitamin?
• walk the dog?
• cardio workout?
• ask for a raise?
• return merchandise?
• go to the post office?
• get a haircut?
• to fly?
• clean the house?

I thought I knew some of them; but wait to you see what the 'experts' say.  J

Take a Nap - 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm - doctors used to think afternoon sleepiness was a result of a big lunch; however they found there's a dip in body temperature, which causes sleepiness.  A similar decrease encourages you to shut down at bedtime.  They also suggest an ideal nap should only last 15 to 20 minutes; more than 30 minutes can cause you to feel even more groggy when you wake up.  

Read and Retain Information - 8 am OR 10 pm - If you're going over notes for a presentation or trying to remember names for a dinner party do it early in the morning, when your immediate recall is highest.  If you need longer retention of the information evening is better.  Hence, why college students cram for exams late into the night and do a quick review in the morning

Go to the Doctor - 8 am to 9 am or 1 pm to 2pm - you'll spend less time in the waiting room if you book the first appointment of the day or the first after lunch.  If you're seeing a doctor who performs surgery, ask that your appointment not follow an operating time.  It's also best to fill or refill a prescription before 3 pm on weekdays.  

Pop a Multivitamin - breakfast time - taking your supplements with a meal is important because multivitamins are components of food; therefore absorbed better with food.  Also, as with many pills you're more likely to get queasy if you take multivitamins on an empty stomach

Walk the Dog - 8 pm to 9 pm - to you walking the dog is about exercise, to him (her) it's about the social life.  Owners have more time to stroll in the evening and to let their pets linger over exciting smells and sounds missed on the morning-rush walk.  Evening walks also avoid midday overheating

Do Your Cardio Workout - 5pm to 6pm - for increasing fitness, decreasing the chance of injury, and improving sleep, the best time to exercise is late afternoon or early evening.  At these times your lungs use oxygen more efficiently, you're more coordinated, and your muscles are warmed up, so you're less likely to suffer a sprain or strain.  Finish exercising at least three hours before bed so the extra adrenaline will no longer be pumping through your bloodstream when your head hits the pillow

Ask for a Raise - 5pm - The key is finding the moment when your boss is not rushed and has time to truly listen and that's most likely to be the end of the day.  That's when they are getting ready for the next day or looking ahead to the next week, and they are in a good mood because they are going home soon.  Track your boss's daily habits to find the ideal, low-key time for him or her

Return Merchandise - 10 am - arrive within the first hour a store is open.  Workforces are leaner these days, but retailers still need enough staff to open up, so that may be when they have the best ratio of staff to customers.  It is also the only time of day when staff are at assigned posts, so you can usually get someone to help

Go to the Post Office - 7:30 am to 10 am - According to USPS spokesperson Monica Suraci; find out when your post office opens (generally between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.) and arrive a half hour or so later.  You'll hit a midmorning lull, missing the rush of early birds line up at the door as well as distracted window personnel chatting with carriers sorting the day's mail.  Heavy traffic is more likely at lunch, and at the end of the workday, and just before closing.  She also suggests looking for 'contract stations' which offer services in locations like supermarkets and drugstores

Get a haircut - 8 am to 9 am - booking the first appointment of the day will help you ease into the chair on time.  That's because no latecomers will have thrown off the schedule.  Saturday mornings are usually least frantic, however some salons fill up then with bridal parties.  An early appointment may also get you the best cut as stress levels are at their lowest.  For the best service, they suggest asking your stylist 'What's your favorite time of the day to do hair?

The Best Time of Day to Fly - Although U.S. Department of Transportation statistics show that flights taking off between 6 am and 7 am have the best on-time record, they are also misleading.  On time refers to when the plane pushes back from the gate.  You can wait on the tarmac because of weather problems, which cause the vast majority of delays.  Scheduling arrivals and departures between 11 am and 1 pm local time will help avoid most delay-causing weather patterns.  This will also help avoid airport rush hours which mostly coincide with workday rush hours.  For best results check for regional weather patterns and schedule accordingly.  For example for the West Coast, fly in and out after noon PST when marine-level fog has dissipated.  For Gulf Coast hops, stay clear of the thunderstorms that kick up around 3 pm.  Airline schedules are based on weather conditions.  You're more likely to be punctual if you follow Mother Nature's schedule.  J

Clean the House - 4 pm - You're more likely to whistle while you window wash (and not kick over the bucket) if you do it late afternoon.  That's when hand-eye coordination is at it's peak and mood levels are high.  If anyone in the house has allergies or asthma, avoid insomnia-hour and morning cleaning sprees (allergy symptons are most severe between 6 am and noon; asthma attacks more likely between midnight and 6 am) and finish well before that person walks in the door.  It takes about an hour for allergens and dust to settle after you clean.  

Linking to some of these wonderful parties.

Happy Tuesday my friends!