Sleep is a Vital Element of Health and Productivity!
In her book The Sleep Revolution, Arianna Huffington advises corporate and governmental leaders who want to maintain top productivity to pay greater attention to the need for adequate sleep. She goes so far to predict that corporations will soon have nap rooms as well as conference rooms.
But regardless of what goes on at your workplace during the day, you need to think about how you can get restful sleep at night. Current or aspiring leaders may find themselves getting into bed only to be met by the sleep thieves—things like having a racing mind, worrying about problems, binge-watching TV, playing games, surfing the Web, or parenting infants. Whatever sleep barriers you confront, you can use these tips to help you slide into slumber:
- Commit to a reasonable sleep goal of six to seven hours at least four nights a week.
- Visualize the positive consequences of adequate sleep: less fatigue, stress, and irritability—and more focus, productivity, and satisfaction.
- Avoid energy drinks and other caffeine-laden beverages after 6 p.m.
- Turn off digital devices at least 30 minutes before you go to bed.
- Use productive self-talk. Say, “My head is pounding, and I’m wasting time staying up to do this. I need to finish it tomorrow when I can do a better job.”
- Ask others not to contact you via text, phone, or e-mail after 10 p.m.
- Use a journal to get worries or problems out of your head and on to paper before bed.
- Listen to relaxing music or audiobooks to get your mind off your worries.
- Reduce distracting noises by using noise-canceling headphones.
- Reduce distracting light by using a sleep mask.
- Put on a fan to provide white noise, or get a white-noise machine.
- Use a sunset clock to automatically and gradually dim the light to replicate the natural light cycle.
- Unwind by using aromatherapy or herbal pillows with pleasant aromas, such as jasmine.
Try some of these tips to shut off your brain before bed. The goal is to get the sleep you need so you can gain greater work/life productivity and satisfaction.
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