Morning routines

After some things in my personal life intervened, I am finally this week settling into a morning routine again.  Unfortunately it's not at all like the daily schedule I set up for myself, so I may have to work on that.  I've actually been staying up quite late and doing some work in the wee hours of the morning, when it's quiet, and sleeping later than I'd like as a result.

I say I may have to work on that because, years ago, that was actually the most productive schedule for me.  I tend to take a little while to be productive at the beginning of my day (whether or not that's actually morning), and I feel fairly energized at night.  Plus there isn't anyone awake late at night to bother me, so I get a lot done.

I'm not sure whether I want to be on that schedule again long-term, though.  Waking up later than everyone else has its drawbacks, and no matter how productive I am late at night, it can be discouraging to wake up knowing that half the day is already gone.

So in the next few days I may try to readjust my schedule.  It will require going to bed earlier for a few nights, which is challenging enough in itself, but since it will take me a few days to get used to it, it may mean that I won't be as productive for a little while.

What time of the day do you find you work best, and does that time actually work for you, or do you have to force yourself to work at a different time than you'd prefer?