Sleep is overrated.
If I could find enough time to do all things I want to do every day, then maybe I’d not be so aggravated that I feel better and work better with that magical 6-7 hours of shut-eye. Hard as I’ve tried to go with less, I can’t seem to get rid of sleep-time, it just doesn’t work.
Sleep: Is it over-rated? (This is for Lisa!)
Foolishly, I did a little research a while back planning to support my long held belief that getting less than 8 hours of sleep is not really harmful. Instead, I found that there is plenty of data to support an honest to God full nights sleep. Hmmm, I’m not stupid, maybe I should reconsider. I don’t like it, but there you go. I am an adult.
Work Smarter
The best way to find time for more sleep is to work smarter. My buddies over at Entrepreneur Magazine offer some advice. There are a few really good tips here that I might even be able to do. Maybe.
- That to-do list? Get real with it. This one is really hard. I am so concerned that I might have too much down time. Could that be obsessive?
- Answer the same question for co-workers or clients everyday? Develop a ‘Frequently asked Question’ list or brochure to use instead. Have it ready to send to a co- worker or a client. Information retention will be better anyway. This is one I will do, great idea.
- Stop eating lunch at your desk. I have found this to be true, we make better decisions if we take a short break.
- Halt work stopping interruptions for repetitive tasks. Schedule a time to do those necessary things to prevent stopping the productivity flow.
- Piles create clutter which inhibits productivity. Hard as this is to do, it truly helps to touch a piece of paper once only. Have a file for everything and be organized with its development and use. The time spent developing a useful filing system is well spent.
- If your follow up approach is not working, change it up. Like that co-worker who hasn’t opened emails this month? Don’t send another. Find a new approach and see what works. Follow-up is such a time waster, especially if you’re on a deadline.
- If you can replace the task with automation, do it. Like the Post Office. Whether it’s for work or home, let the system work for you. I let my mail carrier bring stamps to my mail box. I love it and she can use the work. We are exercise buds and she reports her work load is dwindling, just as we have heard. So…win/win.
- Don’t get side tracked at meetings. Make an agenda and stick to it. If I’m not in charge of the meeting, when the group begins to get off topic, I will politely ask if a meeting is over. I just don’t have the time to waste.
There you have it. Sleep is important to our overall health. When you love what you do, all of it, it becomes more important to prioritize. Sleep may not be your thing. You may simply want to be more productive. Stop the time wasters and feel better about what you’ve accomplished.
Reader Questions:
Are you in need of a longer day? Have you tried to be more efficient? What changes have you made that give you more time in a day?
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