I tried and failed to be a morning person. Instead of fighting my body, I wake up later and have more productive days.

• Shoshanna Hecht, a personal coach, tried to master an early-morning routine.
• She tried to motivate herself but found that waking up early led to fatigue and procrastination.
• She says that waking up a few hours later sets her up for a more productive day.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Shoshanna Hecht, a 49-year-old personal coach from New York City. It's been edited for length and clarity.

While I utilize several productivity tools I love, the one I've tried that was the most epic fail was to be a morning person.