The medical community constantly advises Americans to sleep more and sleep more soundly. Easier said than done for many. When you and your team members don’t get enough sleep, what is the typical remedy? Coffee. Unfortunately, while caffeine offers short-term pick-me-up benefits, it is not a long-term solution to insufficient sleep. Plus, caffeine could be one of the reasons you stay up later than necessary or desired. Use caffeine strategically and not as a crutch to make sure you are awake and alert.
Lack of sleep adversely affects health and effectiveness. When you and your team members are tired, the likelihood of errors increases and quality of work erodes. That’s why you should prioritize your day around your level of alertness. When you are cognitively sharp, do tasks that required creativity, innovation and novel thinking. When you are tired, focus on routine tasks that don’t require a lot of mental energy. Most people are typically the most alert at the start of the day. Don't use the first hours after you turn on your computer to check emails or respond to texts. Use that time to create and innovate.
If your sleep routine leaves you tired, consider taking more frequent breaks during the day or even try napping for 20 minutes. In his best-selling book When, Daniel Pink makes a strong case for short naps during the day:
- Naps improve cognitive performance and boost mental and physical health
- Nappers are twice as likely to solve a complex problem than people who have not napped or who had not spent the time in other activities
- Napping boosts short-term memory and associative memory (the ability to remember names and faces)
- Napping improves healthy and strengthens the immune system
- The best naps are 10 to 20 minutes
No comments:
Post a Comment