There's something I've never told anyone about my coding habits. It sounds absolutely ridiculous, but I've kept detailed notes for two years now, and pattern is undeniable: I write my best code when tide is coming in.
I discovered this completely by accident. You know how ADHD brains are—always looking for patterns, always trying to optimize everything. I was frustrated with my inconsistent productivity, so I started tracking everything: what I ate, how much I slept, weather, even phase of moon. But variable that showed strongest correlation with my flow states? tide schedule.
🌊 Eureka Moment
"It was a Tuesday morning when I finally connected dots. I'd been struggling with a particularly gnarly algorithm all week, making zero progress. Then, around 10 AM, something shifted. code just... flowed. I was in zone for four straight hours, solving problems that had stumped me for days. Later, checking my tide app, I realized: high tide had been at 2 PM. ocean had been rising entire time I was coding."
At first, I thought I was losing my mind. How could moon's gravitational pull on distant water possibly affect my ability to debug JavaScript? But more I researched, more it made sense. Our bodies are 60% water. We evolved alongside these rhythms. Indigenous cultures have known this forever—that we're not separate from natural cycles, we're part of them.
chart above shows two years of my productivity data mapped against local tidal patterns. correlation isn't perfect—there are definitely other factors at play—but trend is clear. During incoming tides, my focus sharpens, my problem-solving improves, and those elusive "aha!" moments happen more frequently.
Here's where it gets interesting for neurodivergent minds like mine. ADHD brains are constantly seeking stimulation, constantly fighting against our own scattered attention. But natural rhythms? They're like a gentle, consistent anchor. rising tide creates this subtle energetic shift that helps my scattered thoughts align.
It's not just me being weird (well, maybe a little). Research shows that people with ADHD often have irregular circadian rhythms. We're more sensitive to environmental cues, more likely to be affected by seasonal changes, lunar cycles, even barometric pressure. tides are just another layer of natural rhythm that our hyperaware nervous systems pick up on.
Once I accepted this wasn't just coincidence, I started optimizing my schedule around it. Here's what I've learned about working with, rather than against, these natural rhythms:
Perfect for deep work: complex algorithms, architectural decisions, challenging debugging sessions. This is when my ADHD brain finds its groove and stays there.
Ideal for code reviews, refactoring, and those final polishing touches. Maximum clarity and attention to detail.
Great for planning, documentation, and lighter administrative tasks. Energy is calming, perfect for reflection and organization.
Time for breaks, learning, or routine maintenance tasks. Fighting my scattered attention here is counterproductive—better to go with flow.
This discovery changed more than just my coding schedule. It shifted my entire relationship with productivity. Instead of fighting against my natural rhythms, I learned to dance with them. Instead of feeling guilty about low-energy periods, I started seeing them as necessary parts of a larger cycle.
Maybe you think I'm completely off my rocker. Maybe you're already opening a tide app to check your local schedules. Either reaction is valid. But here's what I know for sure: paying attention to natural rhythms made me a better programmer.
Not because moon is magically debugging my code, but because I stopped fighting against my own nature. I started honoring fact that creativity and focus aren't constant resources—they ebb and flow like everything else in natural world.
🧠ADHD Programmer's Revelation
"Our neurodivergent brains aren't broken—they're just tuned to different frequencies. Instead of forcing ourselves into neurotypical productivity patterns, what if we found our own rhythms? What if we trusted that our scattered attention and hyperfocus cycles serve a purpose?"
I'm not suggesting you restructure your entire life around tide tables (though honestly, worse ways to live exist). But maybe, just maybe, pay attention to your own patterns. Track your energy, your focus, your best coding sessions. Look for rhythms you might have dismissed as coincidence.
Your rhythm might not be tidal. Maybe you code best during thunderstorms, or when barometric pressure drops, or during full moon. specific trigger doesn't matter—what matters is finding your frequency and learning to surf it instead of fighting it.
So next time you're struggling with a particularly stubborn bug, check tide schedule. You might be surprised by what ocean has to teach you about rhythm of creativity.