Over the years, I’ve noticed that I’m most productive in the mornings. I try to do things that require heavy mental lifting in the a.m. Recently I had a conversation with someone, and we randomly got on the topic of what habits work for me. To my surprise, his profession involves discussing habits with his clients. He said that a high percentage of them are the same—very productive in the a.m., and they get the most done before normal office hours.

Understanding my optimal hours and scheduling the right things at those times has been beneficial for me. Random things come up, so I have to be flexible. But when I’m able to stick to my schedule, I’m more productive. I get my high-priority work done early in the day and deal with reactive or mindless tasks the rest of the day.

Being self-aware is important for founders. It can sometimes be the difference between success and failure. Understanding your best hours and optimizing them is part of that. If you’re a founder, consider asking yourself, “When am I most productive? Am I working on the most important things then?”