Five
Things Successful People Do Before They Go To Bed
Peter High
Contributor
2/16/2015 @ 6:55AM
forbes.com
The time
before going to bed is critical to ensure that one closes out the day that has
passed, plans for the day ahead, but it is also critical that the mind is
calmed so that one has a restful sleep. Too many successful executives get this
wrong. One can only burn the candle at both ends for so long before it
will mean that they are not as productive as they should be at work, and not as
happy as they should be overall. Based on research and conversation with
successful executives on the topic, here are the five things that
successful people do before they go to sleep:
Spend Time with
Family
Successful executive often have a difficult time drawing
the line between work and personal life, simply picking work back up upon
arrival at home. The time to decompress with family is essential. As David Brooks
points out, a happy marriage (and by extension a happy family) is more
important than a good job to one’s well-being. I must admit that I was also
struck by Alex Blumberg’s thoughts during episode four of the excellent Startup
podcast entitled, “Startups
are Risky Business“, in which he describes how he was overcome with emotion
in reading Shel Silverstein’s The
Giving Tree, and learning for the first time the lesson intended
for parents: you only have so much time before your children will be
independent of you. Make the most of your time with them.
Read
Successful people read prodigiously. The reading should
not always be about topics related to work, mind you. Reading fiction or
non-fiction in fields not directly related to your own may also have the added
benefit of providing unusual and less obvious insights to take to work, as
so much innovation happens at the intersection of disciplines.
Ultimately, though, simply reading for enjoyment is a key way to
relax. A study by
the National Institutes of Health suggests that reading tablets or
eReaders may be disruptive to sleep because of the light that is emitted by
such platforms. Old fashioned books and magazines are the better option
before going to bed.
Plan in Order
to Relax the Mind
It may seem counter-intuitive that thinking about one’s plans will help calm
the mind, but having a well-documented plan means that you can rest knowing
that the plan will be there when you awaken. Here is how it is done:
- Create a list of what was accomplished in the prior
day
- Note what was not accomplished, and what should be
to dos for the day ahead
- Note new to dos for the day ahead
Many people have difficulty drifting off to sleep at
night because the still have the day’s events playing in their heads, and they
are concerned about the day ahead. Reduce these concerns with some well
timed planning. According
to Business Insider, American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault “likes to write down the top three things he wants
to accomplish the next day. This helps him prioritize first thing the next
morning.
Turn Off
the Cellphone and Other Computing
The sounds emitted by mobile phones, computers, and tablets
are needless distractions when you are drifting off to sleep. Quell that
issue by turning them all off. This will allow you to focus on one thing at a
time, whether it is your family, reading, or planning. In fact, it is during
these times of relative quiet when new ideas may come. Barry Gordon, who is a
professor of neurology and cognitive science at the Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine noted
in Scientific American that “Although
thoughts appear to “pop” into awareness before bedtime, their cognitive
precursors have probably been simmering for a while. Once those preconscious
thoughts gather sufficient strength, the full spotlight of consciousness beams
down on them. The mind’s freewheeling friskiness is only partly under our
control, so shutting our mind off before we sleep is not possible.” By having
fewer distractions at the end of the day, these ideas may surface. It is
useful to have a notepad and a pen on your night stand (as opposed to your
phone or tablet) to note these ideas when they occur to you.
Get Seven Hours
of Sleep
There has been new
sleep research that suggests that seven hours sleep may be better than
the eight that your mother condoned. Whatever the number, though, getting
enough sleep is crucial to ensure maximum memory and brain performance in the
day ahead. You might ask, ,”I thought the topic related to activities before
sleeping, not while sleeping.” Planning the amount of time one sleeps is of
critical importance, so working back from wake-up times to ensure that seven
hours is achieved is optimal.