Even Entrepreneurs Need to Sleep Better
Table Of Contents
- No One Takes Time to Rest
- We All Need Sleep Better
- #1 Put a Cot in the Office
- #2 Try to Sleep at the Same Time Every Day
- #3 Go to Bed When You’re Tired
- #4 Leave the Office at the Office
- #5 Delegate, Delegate and Delegate
- Final Thoughts: It’s OK to Be Human
No One Takes Time to Rest
So why don’t people sleep better? In the fast-paced world of the 21st century, “getting things done” seems to take precedence over almost anything else. The mantras of, “Just one more email,” “Just one more report,” and all manner of, “Just one mores,” has become the routine.
Almost no one takes the time to rest. Resting and sleep are seen as lazy or, at the very least, not productive. There is a word for that. The “polite-society” version is “hogwash!”
We All Need Sleep Better
The entrepreneur sleep cycle shouldn’t border on the unhealthy. People need between six and eight hours of sleep nightly. That includes industry titans who thrive on caffeine, diet pills, and energy drinks.
Entrepreneurs must not only learn to sleep, but they must learn to sleep better. Here are a few sleep tips:
1. Put a Cot in the Office
From taking a 15-minute power nap to refresh before a big meeting to providing a safe space to snooze after a hard day’s work when you’re too tired to drive safely, a sturdy cot can be your best friend.
The cot shouldn’t be your only sleep option, but it’s good to have as a backup. This is especially true if there’s an office party with “that great punch” that Bill the accounting wiz makes.
2. Try to Sleep at the Same Time Every Day
The entrepreneur sleep cycle is nothing if not flexible. Meetings with people halfway around the world occur at odd hours. Emergencies that crop up can happen at any time.
These come with the territory. You should, however, on those “default-version” days, try to hit the hay at the same time as you do on other uneventful days.
3. Go to Bed When You’re Tired
Don’t fight it. There’s an old saying: When you die, your inbox will be full. No one ever gets it “all” done. As the boss, you must face this harsh reality. You are not God. You are not invincible.
You are a human being that needs sleep, so for goodness’ sake, go to bed as soon as you feel tired.
4. Leave the Office at the Office
Just like the “inbox thing,” you may be tempted to bring the job home with you. Because you will never “get it all done,” why make your family and friends suffer while you pound out reports that no one will read for two days anyway?
You get hundreds of emails daily. How about you shut off the computer and leave it off? Then go home to relax and go to bed. You can finish reading and answering them when you get to the office the next day or after the weekend.
In short, leave your laptop, work phone, files, projects, and everything else work-related at work.
5. Delegate, Delegate and Delegate
You’re the boss. You have a good, hand-picked staff. Trust them. If you give them respect and treat them well, they’ll be glad to cover for you as you nap on the cot or go home to your spouse for some recharging time. When it’s time for them to do the same, cover them back. They’ll appreciate it.
You might even try encouraging sleep in your employees. Most of us are chronically sleep-deprived, with all the health and productivity concerns that that causes.
If you take time to relax and encourage your employees to do so as well, then you will all sleep better, be refreshed and productive at work, and have a much healthier work environment besides.
Solopreneurs, don’t have the option to delegate, but should consider outsourcing or using a virtual assistant.
Final Thoughts: It’s OK to Be Human
All of these sleep tips are easier to implement than you might think. Remember you’re an entrepreneur, not superman or superwoman. Just like the rest of us, you need to get the right amount of sleep. Take the steps to sleep better, your productivity may just soar.
