Sleep perchance to dream better business

L

ast week, I couldn’t sleep. Whether it was the new project I am working on or the basketball team I am coaching, my mind was spinning. I fell asleep immediately, but woke up at 2 or 3 a.m. and couldn’t get back to sleep. Wide awake, my mind was turning, I was thinking about new ideas; how I should word conversations; what plays I should have my team running and how I could help some of my client’s move their businesses forward. Most annoying was that I couldn’t shut it off. (My wife was sleeping away and even her breathing started to annoy me.)

A couple of those nights I picked up my thoughts and found my way down to the kitchen, grabbed a snack, a book and a blanket and settled in on the couch to distract myself and hopefully fall asleep. Yes, sleep eventually came but I was tired in the morning.

Research shows that when we don’t sleep properly we eat 30 per cent more carbohydrates. We need the energy that we don’t get from being well-rested and so we crave carbs, sugar and caffeine to get us through the day. It’s no wonder that people who are stressed for long periods of time end up gaining weight. Not only did I need extra food for energy after my sleepless nights, but I didn’t feel like heading out to the gym. Adrenal fatigue is the medical terminology for stress over extended periods.

The good thing is that sleepless nights are rare for me these days. Since selling my business, I have much less to worry about. But that is not true for most business owners. Many of them tell me that they don’t sleep well. A new client told me recently that he is only sleeping three to four hours a night because he wakes up worrying about his business issues.

Many business owners wake up in the middle of the night thinking about how to deal with that problem staff member; what to do about that part of the business that isn’t working; how to negotiate that deal; how to increase sales; where to find more money to pay the bills; what to tell that bank manager or supplier when they call this week to have that hard talk about money; how to get ahead of the competition.

Perhaps it’s the day-to-day stuff that is keeping them up, like where the parts for the job are; how to schedule that project, or better yet, how to schedule the coming day or week with all the little details that need to be attended to.

It might not always be the business, either. Last summer, I had an exhausted client. He wasn’t sleeping, which I attributed to his struggling business. He told me that it was his relationship. I asked him what he was going to do about it. He realized that he had to make some drastic changes. Now months later, he tells me that his relationship is on the mend and how noticeable that is. He is in a much better place and his business is thriving.

So what do we do if we can’t sleep? Running a business requires a lot of brain power. If a business is struggling, it takes even more mental energy. Effective businesses have systems in place to deal with issues and challenges. Prosperous business owners are following a plan which moves them forward resulting in a reduction of their stress. Happy business owners have balance in their lives that allows them time to spend on their relationships, their health and their business.

What is keeping you awake at night? Identifying the root problem and working towards finding a solution can make all the difference. When I was running my businesses and my mind was spinning, I would reach into the vitamin cabinet and take B vitamins and adrenal support supplements which made a difference for me. I also would take time, even a few hours a week, away from the business to get back to nature. Light exercise also seems to help, walking, swimming or biking, can recharge you. Finally, make sure that you, are enjoying a healthy diet with lots of veggies and less sugar and stimulants which can actually change the way you think.

Sleep is essential and if you can find better sleep, you can find a better business.

Dave Fuller, MBA, is a business strategist and coach. Dave is the author of the book Profit Yourself Healthy. Dave helps business owners get better sleep. Can’t sleep need help? Email Dave in the middle of the night dave@profityourselfhealthy.com.