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April 14, 2023 3 min read
We live in a fast paced, highly demanding world where we prioritize our work above most anything else and that’s true whether we are business owners or employees trying to reach the next level.
And we are constantly bombarded with so-called experts and gurus telling us things like “I’ll sleep when I'm dead” or “sleep is for losers”.
Well that couldn’t be further from the truth.
As a physician and entrepreneur myself, I have the unique perspective to look at the impact of sleep on productivity and success from both a medical and business lens.
And let me tell you…
Sleep is crucial!
When it comes to success in anything, people believe and are often told that the more time they spend working, the more productive they will be and make faster progress. In reality, the opposite is true. Yes, we may have more hours to work in a day if we sleep less, but are they productive hours!? Unlikely! And the studies show it. Countless studies show that well rested people are vastly more productive than sleep deprived individuals across almost all measurables. More sleep equals more production in less time. We call that efficiency!
Furthermore, decision making is critical as a business owner or an employee who needs to make quick and wise decisions for the company. A well rested brain has been shown to improve these decision making skills allowing us to look at, analyze, and solve a problem with much greater efficacy than a foggy, confused, and tired brain. These decisions are crucial in whether we take a step forward or take a step backward in our success journey.
Also, creativity is really at the heart of innovation and success when it comes to business and success.
Our sleep periods are critical in regards to memory consolidation and thus allows our brains to use that information from the day to come up with new ideas and solutions to problems. Creativity is the life blood of entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs alike. The ability to foster ideas and create an executable plan can determine to a large degree the success of both the company and the individual!
And let’s not forget about managing stress and emotions. Lack of sleep is linked to increased anxiety, depression, mood swings, and irritability that are all counterproductive to success. One of the major keys to success is to be able to maintain our emotions in times of turmoil. Many bad decisions are made from an emotional state without logic. A well rested person is much more able to manage these emotions, take time to evaluate the situation, and logically come to the best possible solution!
Lastly, we all know the importance of sleep to our health and well-being overall. It’s a necessity. What we may not always think of is its impact directly related to work-health balance. What I mean is that we can’t work to our fullest potential if we are unhealthy or sick. Our immune systems are incredibly impacted by our sleep and those who sleep less are much more likely to get sick and stay sick longer than someone who is getting adequate sleep. Stay healthy and stay productive!
So to wrap up, I think it’s time that we look at sleep as a performance enhancer when it comes to success. While there are certainly times to “grind and hustle”, that is a sure fire way to burn out, become unhealthy, and severely reduce the likelihood of long term success.
Prioritize sleep to reach new levels of success. It’s not a luxury. It’s a necessity!
Your health and wallets will thank you.
Kirk Parsley, M.D.
