Falling Behind at Work? The Solution May Be Simple

There’s a common misconception that success can’t come without exhaustion. Approximately half of all CEOs get less than six hours of sleep each night; early stage startup founders sleep even less. As entrepreneurism grows, founders are expected to delay appropriate sleep habits until their companies are successful, a modern version of the “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” adage.

The rest of us are glorifying these behaviors. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of American adults are not getting the recommended seven hours of sleep per night. These poor habits are associated with “increased chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and frequent mental distress.” They also impair brain function; neuroscientists from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that “sleep deficiencies undermine important forms of leadership and eventually hurt financial performance.”

Luckily for our health, and that of our company’s, there are signs that things are shifting. Experts increasingly publicize the positive relationship between adequate sleep and performance. Arianna Huffington declared sleep deprivation the new smoking, published two books on the topic, and created Thrive Global to combat burnout. Self-care has become a societal obsession, with people investing twice as much on skincare, nutrition supplements, life coaches, meditation apps, and workout regimens as ever before.

No more worshipping the hustle and grind. A well-rested founder will ultimately be more successful. Below, find five tips to help you embrace sleep and boost productivity in the workplace.

1. Create the ideal environment by keeping the room cool and investing in bedding that’s conducive to rest.

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2. Start a bedtime ritual. Take a warm bath and drink some caffeine-free tea. Your body cools down after each activity, triggering the brain to induce sleep.

3. Deal with your stress. Make time for meditation or indulge in calming aromatherapy. Your mind will thank you.

4. Unplug and wind down. No scrolling social feeds, no checking email. Pick up one of these titles from incredible female authors instead.

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