Unlock Your Team’s Energy: Ride the 90-Minute Wave
How to Work with the Ultradian Rhythm for Better Energy, Focus and Productivity at Work
Support your people to do their best work by aligning with the body’s natural rhythm
We all want to do our best work. Whether you’re a team leader aiming to hit targets, or an HR manager supporting employee wellbeing and performance – you know that sustained focus, energy and clear thinking are essential.
But here’s something we don’t talk about enough in the workplace: we’re not machines. We’re not designed to work at a steady, consistent pace for 8+ hours a day. In fact, when we try to, we often get tired, distracted, or frustrated – and our performance dips.
The good news? There’s a smarter, more human-friendly way to approach our work. And it’s backed by science.
It’s called the ultradian rhythm.
What is the Ultradian Rhythm?
You might be familiar with the circadian rhythm – our 24-hour body clock that controls when we feel awake or sleepy. The ultradian rhythm, on the other hand, happens throughout the day. It’s a natural cycle of alertness and fatigue that runs every 90 to 120 minutes.
Each cycle includes a peak period where we’re highly focused, energised and alert – followed by a dip, where the brain and body naturally want to rest and recover.
This is your body’s way of saying: “You’ve done enough for now. Take a break before the next burst.”
But in many workplaces, we ignore this message. We push through the dips with coffee, sugar, or sheer willpower. We keep working through back-to-back meetings. We sit at our desks even though our brain has checked out. And then we wonder why people feel exhausted by 3pm.
The Science Behind It
A famous study by psychologist Anders Ericsson looked at top performers in various fields – from violinists to athletes – and found that those at the top of their game worked in focused bursts of no more than 90 minutes, followed by genuine rest. They typically didn’t practise more – they practised smarter.
Ericsson’s work also found that breaks weren’t optional – they were essential. During the dip after a focus peak, the brain consolidates learning, restores energy, and clears the mental clutter. Without that rest, we see more mistakes, less creativity, and higher stress.
Modern neuroscience backs this up. Brain scans show that during rest, the “default mode network” (a group of brain regions involved in reflection and memory) becomes active. This downtime is crucial for problem-solving, insight, and emotional regulation – things that are vital in any workplace.
What This Means for Workplaces
We’ve been conditioned to think that working longer = working better. But this old mindset doesn’t reflect how humans actually function. Instead, working in sync with our ultradian rhythm helps us:
- Stay focused longer without burnout
- Make better decisions
- Stay calmer under pressure
- Improve the quality (not just quantity) of our output
- Recover faster between tasks
For example, let’s say you’re writing a report or preparing a presentation. You might start strong at 9am, cruising along with good energy. By 10:30, you hit a wall. Instead of blaming yourself or grabbing another coffee, you pause for a real break – maybe a walk, some fresh air, or simply closing your eyes for 10 minutes. When you return, your brain is clearer, your mood better, and your work more effective.
This applies to everyone on your team, too.
Why We Push Through (and Why That’s a Problem)
Workplaces are full of good intentions – but often outdated habits.
We’ve inherited ways of working from the industrial era, where the focus was on output and hours, not energy or wellbeing. Taking breaks can still feel like a luxury or something to “earn” after ticking off a to-do list.
But pushing through has a cost. When employees don’t follow their natural rhythm:
- Stress hormones like cortisol increase
- Mistakes become more common
- People get snappy or emotionally reactive
- Concentration and memory decline
- Long-term, it contributes to burnout and presenteeism
This isn’t just a health issue – it’s a performance issue. Teams under constant pressure and fatigue don’t do their best work. And they don’t stay long.
How Leaders Can Support Ultradian-Friendly Work
The beauty of the ultradian rhythm is that it’s built in – we all have it. We just need to work with it, not against it. Here are five practical ways leaders and HR professionals can support teams to align with their natural energy flow:
1. Encourage 90-minute Focus Blocks
Let your team know it’s okay – even encouraged – to do focused work in 60–90 minute bursts. Help them block out time in their calendar where possible for uninterrupted deep work. This is when they should tackle their most demanding tasks.
🔹 Pro tip: Encourage them to turn off notifications during this time and create a “Do Not Disturb” signal (a status on Teams or a sign on their desk) so others respect their focus time.
2. Normalise Taking Short Breaks
After a focus block, it’s not lazy to rest – it’s essential. Let people know they’re encouraged to step away for 5–15 minutes after a deep work session. That might mean going outside, grabbing a cuppa, or just stretching.
🔹 Example: One client I worked with now starts their team meetings by asking, “Has everyone had a proper break in the last 90 minutes?” It’s a small question that makes a big difference.
3. Avoid Back-to-Back Meetings
Zoom fatigue is real – especially when people have no recovery time between meetings. Build in 5–10 minute gaps between meetings where possible, and give permission for people to take screen-free breaks.
🔹 Pro tip: Schedule meetings to finish at :25 or :55 to leave space for mental recovery.
4. Design Meeting Times Around Peak Energy
Not all hours are equal. Most people have higher cognitive energy in the morning (before lunch) – so that’s when to schedule strategy, planning, or problem-solving sessions.
Use the lower energy dips (typically mid-afternoon) for admin, light tasks, or informal check-ins.
🔹 Ask your team: “When do you feel most switched on during the day?” and try to honour those rhythms where possible.
5. Role Model it Yourself
As a leader, you set the tone. If you take breaks, prioritise rest between meetings, and talk openly about working in rhythm with your energy – your team will feel permission to do the same.
🔹 Example: One HR leader I worked with blocked out a 15-minute “brain break” in their calendar each morning and afternoon. Not only did it improve their own focus – their team started doing it too.
What About Different Roles?
Some roles (like customer service or frontline support) can’t step away whenever they want. That’s okay. With a little planning, teams can still support these rhythms by rotating duties, offering micro-breaks, or having quiet rooms for recovery between shifts.
It’s not about perfection – it’s about doing what’s possible, and making recovery part of the culture.
Final Thoughts
We can’t always control deadlines, client demands, or everything on our plate. But we can work in ways that support our natural energy patterns, not fight them.
When we align with the ultradian rhythm, we:
✔️ Do our best thinking
✔️ Make fewer mistakes
✔️ Stay calm under pressure
✔️ Protect our long-term wellbeing
If you’re a team leader or HR professional who wants your people to thrive – not just survive – start by asking:
“How can we better support the natural rhythms of work and recovery in our team?”
That one question might be the start of a peaceful, positive, and productive workplace.
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Curious about other ways to boost performance and wellbeing at work?
Let’s talk about how my Peace Under Pressure workshops can support your team to thrive.
