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Three Decisions That Will Make or Break a Good Night of Sleep

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Three Decisions That Will Make or Break a Good Night of Sleep

 

If there is one keystone habit that affects almost every other area of my life it is simply SLEEP.

It seems so simple but yet such a challenge on any given night.

I was the guy who could stay up late and be ready to go in the morning. To everyone else, I was on my game but internally, I was exhausted and not my best.

And sadly, the average person brags about their lack of sleep as if it’s a contest that really matters like how busy we really are in our lives.

But do we want others to brag about and just get by on as little sleep as possible? I fly a ton. Do I want my pilot sleeping far less than what he needs to be effective and alert like everyone sleeping on his plane during the flight?

There is a reason why there are mandatory regulations of why a pilot or surgeon have mandated periods of rest before they can legally fly or operate.

Or the teacher who teach my kids or the semi-driver on the highway next to my car? Need I go on?

Tom Rath’s research shows four hours of sleep loss is equivalent to a staggering blood alcohol level of 0.19 which is double most legal limited. Holy Drunk Insomnia, Batman!

The reality is sleep is more about discipline than about anything else.

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If you truly want to be an effective professional, sleep must be a high priority.

For me, since it affects so many other key areas of my life, it’s at the top. I’ve come to that reality and as a result, I must be discipline to maximize its results like anything else of value.

For example, when I don’t sleep well, I’m more likely to have a lousy workout or even miss a workout entirely. I’m more likely to be running late and lazy on my nutrition choices.

I’m simply far less productive. According to a Harvard Medical School study, the American economy loses $63 billion a year in lost productivity.

Sleeping author. Handsome young man in shirt and tie sleeping while sitting at the desk

The reality is we know WHY we need to sleep and WHAT are the benefits of a good night sleep. But what truly needs to change each night to make a difference in our days with how we sleep at night?

Here are Three Decisions That Will Make or Break a Good Night of Sleep

1. The Quantity of Our Sleep

Many of us know of the study that discuss elite performers need 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to reach levels of expertise or greatness.

But did you know in that same 1993 study, professor K. Anders Ericsson references another factor that influenced peak performance: SLEEP.

On average, the best performers slept 8 hours and 36 minutes. The average American, for comparison, get just 6 hours and 51 minutes of sleep on weeknights.

What if we viewed ourselves with the same mindset of professionalism?

According to a Gallup poll, in U.S. we get 40% less than the recommended amount of sleep. We can argue HOW much sleep the average person needs, but you need to decide for you YOUR SLEEP NUMBER. What is your magic sleep number to perform at a high level?

Tom Rath in his book, Eat Move Sleep, suggests adding 15 minute increments each night until you find yourself fully rested the next morning. You may be surprised where you ultimately land on the time but it’s a must to find the right amount of sleep for you.

You may not know how sleep-deprived you actually are in your life. Try the 15 minute experiment to add sleep to your night.

I’ve changed my mindset in this area and increased my quantity of sleep to eight hours and what a difference it’s made. As a result, I could determine the 2nd decision…

2. Setting a Consistent Bed Time and Arise Time

This sounds so remedial but it’s amazing how random most people’s bed time is each night. But it’s critical for consistency sake.

If I allow myself more time to be up later in the evening, I will by nature fill it with anything and everything which pushes my bedtime even later.

Yet if I know I need to be in bed by a certain time, I magically seem to get everything done anyway. Imagine that.

According to Time, a recent study from Frontiers in Psychology found that the phenomenon, which the authors define as “failing to go to bed at the intended time, while no external circumstances prevent a person from doing so,” was related to insufficient sleep.

This is actually named a BedTime Procrastinator. I used to be one and now in recovery. How about you?

You know yourself. Are you a night owl or early riser? What routines do you need to do to set your bed and arise time? I’ve gone from a night owl to an early riser due to the overwhelming benefits. One of the main benefits is the early morning quiet to read and write. Who knew, right?!

In order for me to consistently get my 8 hours, I must plan 30 minutes of dead mental space before I sleep.

Personally, I need 30 minutes in bed before I usually fall asleep. And this cannot count towards actual sleep time. This means going to bed at 9:30pm so I’m sleeping between 10pm – 6am.

A consistent bed and arise time are a discipline that must be pre-determined and a priority.

3. The Quality of Our Sleep

Just because I’m in bed for eight hours does NOT mean I actually slept for that amount of time.

In bed does not mean quality sleep. I struggle in this area because I’ve not done a good job right before bed.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, more than nine in ten of us use electronic devices before sleep. Two problems:

  • the lights from the electronic device (TV, computer, iPad, phone)
  • our minds don’t shut off – ever read an email, tweet, watched a show that kept your mind active?

Are either or both of those part of your current routine? They sadly have been mine for way too long and I’ve recently changed them to begin slowing my mind down for bed.

Research also shows your sleeping conditions dramatically affect the quality of your sleep and three specific areas:

Darkness – having a completely dark room helps you relax and fall into deeper sleep longer

Temperature – a cooler room relaxes the body

Noise – some need it perfectly quiet while others need white noise such as a fan to block out all of the other sounds. I find this particularly true when I travel and in a hotel.

Personally I’ve had to experiment with how late I can eat or have a drink before bed since it affects my quality of sleep. I encourage you to try the same experiment.

The point is really thinking through what distractions you can remove and what elements you could add to enhance the quality of your sleep. These are decisions that only you can make and what a difference some intentionality can make if implemented.

Closing Challenge…

We need sleep to keep us sharp the next day. We need to be fresh emotionally and physically. And we need to be ready to attack whatever the day ahead presents to us.

Cropped shot of a handsome young man drinking coffee on the edge of his bed

But this doesn’t happen naturally or by osmosis. It requires choosing and sticking to a consistent  time and arise time. Lock it in.

If you truly want to be an effective professional, sleep must be a high priority.

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I challenge you to try these three decisions for a week and measure your results. You may be amazed at the outcome.

Closing Question…

What do you need to CHANGE TONIGHT to improve the quality of your sleep?

Five Decisions You Must Make at Every Restaurant on the Road

One of the best parts of being a business traveler is the food experience.

It’s great not having to cook or clean up.

Then there’s the ability to chose the type of food you want:

  • Steak
  • Seafood
  • Italian
  • Mexican
  • Thai
  • …and the list goes on.

But wait, there’s more!

Then you get to choose what you want to order off the menu.

Oh the choices.
Oh the temptations!

And the best part of all? You’re not paying for it!

Or at least not yet, right?!

The nights you’re with a customer or client or team dinner, there are no limits.

Choose that appetizer or wine you’ve always wanted to try but never could afford.

Order that top-shelf liquor – heck, make it a double!

But on the company card, of course.

Bring it on!

Yet there is a cost. A heavy cost. And too many road warriors literally carry that cost with them all over their body from flight to board room to hotel. The travel triangle. The weight is literally weighing them down and the scale only goes up.

However, each decision can be easier if you view eating out on the road with the following lenses:

  • Food is Fuel
  • Fuel is Energy

This mindset is critical because it’s not based on the here and now “oh that looks or smells good” but on how I will feel later when we oftentimes need the energy.

The energy to….

  • Finish that proposal
  • Review the presentation
  • Get to bed at a decent time

I not only made the wrong decisions for years, I had the weight to prove it.

You’ve heard of the Freshman 15.
Then there’s the Travel 20.
And being the over-achiever I was on the road, I doubled it and earned what I call “the Entitled 40”

The reality is I could justify my choices and behaviors all day long and night for that matter.

And who was going to argue with me? The business traveler who struggling with the same issues? They’re my biggest supporter!

The point is you need to come to a point in your Road Life where you begin to think about your health along with your work.

We focus too much on the work aspect of the road in general when our health and our home life suffer just as much if not more.

This is why Elite Road Warrior has three focus areas:

  • Work
  • Health
  • Home Life

You do have choices.

And your choices have consequences.

I used to be the guy who said,

“Wow, that looks good. Oh, that looks good, I’ll try that too.”

“Another drink, please?”

“Look at that dessert! I’ll just try a bite”…. until it’s gone.

Leader of the pack! So, I get the battle of eating out on the road ALL-THE-TIME.

I’ve since lost the Entitled 40 in pounds and have kept it off.

I’ve stopped “getting by” on the road and chosen to “get better” and that means every time you eat out on the road.

There is hope and you can learn to leverage the road to get better. And I’m here to be your guide.

All five key decisions are in full effect the most at dinner when we’re much more relaxed potentially after a long travel day or a stressful day on the road but these apply to lunch too.

Five Key Decisions You Must Make at Every Restaurant on the Road

These five decisions are naturally in order. They shouldn’t surprise you but somehow we act surprised when the server comes by and asks us these five questions.

Every.
Single.
Time.

And the nicer the restaurant, the more choices you’ll have right before your very eyes, oftentimes even presented to you on a literal silver platter.

Decision One – What I Will Drink

At dinner time, “the entitled me” always seems to show up ready to go no matter how last night went if you know what I mean.

And depending on if ‘I’m alone for dinner with my laptop lover or entertaining guests or being entertained, I enjoy the wine part of the “wine and dine”.

This is where the slippery slope begins and we have to “know thyself.”

For me, the more I drink, the sloppier I become on my nutrition, especially after a long day.

Here are some suggestions:

  • Always and I mean always order a glass of water if one is not already provided for you. Then here’s the key: drink as much as you can to start. Why?
    • Most of us are more dehydrated than we even think so getting some water into your system is always a smart decision
    • 2. Water fills us up and hopefully detours us from over-eating
    • Join the Free WMP – water match program so whatever drink you do order, make sure you match it 1:1 with water. This will keep you hydrated the rest of the night and especially save you from waking up overly-parched and feeling like you’ve swallowed cotton balls that seem to multiply throughout the night
  • Think about what you’re really drinking and how much you plan to or should drink. Are you going to stay with one type of drink or hop all over the place? For me, when I start hopping, I start paying for it and I don’t mean the tab. Through the years, I’ve become a vodka tonic guy and it’s served me well.

Decision Two – Will I Order an Appetizer

This decision doesn’t come far behind the 1st decision of What I Will Drink.

I never order an appetizer when I’m by myself but somehow am overly tempted with other people.

It’s like each person is waiting for the other one to say “no thanks” or “sure, what looks good to you?”

The appetizer can be the “gotcha” to the meal. When I give in to something especially unhealthy, I get lazy at everything after that point.

Here are some suggestions:

  • Always pre-decide – this means don’t base your decision on what looks and/or smells good. If you do, you’re going down like a Mike Tyson punch.
  • If you choose, eat the cleaner and greener appetizer.
  • If you’re a moderator, which means you can take just one bite and stop, stick to the plan
  • If you’re an abstainer, which means if you start, hide the women and children, it’s going to get ugly quick and the appetizer will disappear, Know Thyself, and don’t start.
  • Order a dark green salad – this is my go-to-choice for a few reasons:
    1. I avoid the tempting and fattening appetizer
    2. It allows me to get in healthy clean greens – just be smart with the toppings and dressings

Remember, Clean and Green is the 2nd element of FUEL after Continually Hydrate. So, use this time to get the good stuff in early – meaning the clean and green stuff.

Decision Three – What Is My Main Course

Ah, the featured presentation. This is why we’re here eating out, well, at least as far as food is concerned.

And depending on the restaurant, this may not be top-secret. If you’re at a chophouse, duh. If you’re at a seafood place, you get the point.

There are two main choices here:

  1. The main course needs to be Clean – look for the cleanest meat possible whether beef, chicken, eggs. If it’s really clean, it will list “grass-fed or organic” which means this is your easiest choice. If not, your 2nd main choice becomes all the more important
  2. What goes ON the main course – we can make a great clean decision with the main course then go five steps backward by all the heavy sauces, etc.

You may fight back and say, “but that’s what gives it all the flavor! And there is truth to it. But it doesn’t mean going ALL or Nothing.

Here are some suggestions:

  • Always do your research – most restaurants now have online menus, so do some intel. Why? Avoid impulse choosing.
  • Put the sauce on the side – sometimes when it’s doused all over the place, you’re forced to eat ALL of it. But if you can just try it, maybe it’s not as good as advertised. Sometimes just a dip here and there is all you need and a better choice in the long run.
  • Add First Then Reverse – first and foremost, get the healthy in. Start there if this is not natural yet and feels like too big of an ask. Add the good stuff in first then begin reversing by taking the bad stuff off. For example, the sauces all over the meat or salad.

Decision Four – What Are My Side Dishes

This may seem like a default decision from your choice of the main dish. But not always.

You can go rogue and choose a side other than what the menu suggests or compels you to choose.

And most restaurants will allow you to easily make the change and sometimes with a very small upcharge. Not a big deal and worth the cost to eat clean and green.

Here are some suggestions:

  • Always have at least one vegetable and preferably with not a ton of processing – steamed broccoli/asparagus / green beans, sautéed spinach, cauliflower, etc.
  • Choose a sweet potato over a baked potato or fries
  • Choose double veggies – another way to sneak in more “Green” of the clean and green.
  • Take a healthy side to go – I do this very often since almost every hotel I stay at has at least a mini-fridge and a microwave.

Decision Five – If I Will Have Dessert

You know they always ask if you want dessert, and if you’re not prepared, you go back to the awkward moment of deciding on the spot.

I tell this story in the Elite Road Warrior book about how at a dinner of 12, a one-pound brownie with a gallon of ice cream covered in whipped cream came out and after hundreds and hundreds of dollars were put on the table as a bet of who could eat it, I took on the challenge (mind you, this was during my Entitled 40 days…).

Impressively and sadly, I finished it then couldn’t digest it, lie down, or sleep for 48 hours. Brutal. Stupid (at least I donated the money).

All that to say, I’ve been the freak in the freak show so I understand the power of decision five: If I will have dessert.

Here are some suggestions:

  • Learn to say “no” upfront so others know where you stand
  • Know if you’re a moderator or abstainer – I know the “wanna be moderators” whose “just a bite” is the gift that keeps on giving or should I say taking. I’ve eaten with you people.
  • Choose a fruit bowl – this is my go-to when I want something sweet but not go down heavy with the dessert. I love anything berries and you can’t go wrong.
  • Carry dark chocolate with you – my wife and I are huge Trader Joe dark chocolate lovers. I carry a bar with me – far healthier choice and less ugly in the long run.

If you follow these five decisions you must make at every restaurant on the road in the healthiest form, you will win with nutrition in business travel.

And you will have the energy to prove it along with fewer pounds to carry.

I get you because I am you!

References

10 Business Travel Hacks Guide

7 Early Warning Signs for Companies to Avoid Business Travel Burnout

Five Key Decisions You Must Make at Every Restaurant on the Road

One of the best parts of being a business traveler is the food experience.

Who doesn’t like not having a meal from home that you really didn’t want?

Or not having to cook or clean up.

Then there’s the ability to chose the type of food you want:

Steak
Seafood
Italian
Mexican
Thai
…and the list goes on.
But wait, there’s more!

Then you get to choose what you want to order off the menu.

Oh the choices.

Oh the temptations!

And the best part of all? You’re not paying for it!

Or at least not yet, right?!

The nights you’re with a customer or client or team dinner, there are no limits.

Chose that appetizer or wine you’ve always wanted to try but never could afford.

Order that top-shelf liquor – heck, make it a double!

But on the company card, of course.

Bring it on!

 

Yet there is a cost. A heavy cost. And too many road warriors literally carry that cost with them all over their body from flight to board room to hotel. The travel triangle.

The weight is literally weighing them down and the scale only goes up.

However, each decision can be easier if you view eating out on the road with the following lenses:

Food is Fuel
Fuel is Energy

This mindset is critical because it’s not based on the here and now “oh that looks or smells good” but how I will feel later and often times when we need the energy.

The energy to….

  • Finish that proposal
  • Review the presentation
  • Get to bed at a decent time

I not only made the wrong decisions for years, but I also had the weight to prove it.

You’ve heard of the Freshman 15.

Then there’s the Travel 20.

And being the over-achiever I was on the road, I doubled it and earned what I call “the Entitled 40”

The reality is I could justify my choices and behaviors all day long and night for that matter.

And who was going to argue with me?

The business traveler who struggling with the same issues? They’re my biggest supporters!

The point is you need to come to a point in your Road Life where you begin to think about your Health along with your Work.

We focus too much on the work aspect of the road in general as our health and our home life suffer just as much if not more.

This is why Elite Road Warrior has three focus areas:

You do have choices.
And your choices have consequences.

I used to be the guy who said, wow, that looks good. Oh, that looks good, I’ll try that too.

Another drink, please?

Look at that dessert! I’ll just try a bite…. until it’s gone.

Leader of the pack!

So, I get the battle of eating out on the road ALL-THE-TIME.

I’ve since lost the Entitled 40 as in pounds and have kept it off.

I’ve stopped “getting by” on the road and chosen to “get better” and that means every time you eat out on the road.

There is hope and you can learn to leverage the road to get better. And I’m here to be your guide.

All five key decisions are in full effect the most at dinner when we’re much more relaxed potentially after a long travel day or a stressful day on the road but can apply to even lunch.

So, what are the five key decisions you must make at every restaurant on the road?

 

Five Key Decisions You Must Make at Every Restaurant on the Road

These five decisions are naturally in order. They shouldn’t surprise you but somehow we act surprised when the server comes by and asks us these five questions.

Every.

Single.

Time.

And the nicer the restaurant, the more choices you’ll have right before your very eyes often times even presented to you on a literal silver platter.

 

Decision One – What I Will Drink​

At dinner time, “the entitled me” always seems to show up ready to go no matter how last night went if you know what I mean.

And depending on if ‘I’m alone for dinner with my laptop lover or entertaining guests or being entertained, I enjoy the “wine part of the wine and dine”.

This is where the slippery slope begins and we have to “know thyself.”

For me, the more I drink, the sloppier I become on my nutrition, especially after a long day.

 

Here are some suggestions:

  • Always and I mean always order a glass of water if one is not already provided for you then here’s the key: drink as much as you can to start. Why?
    Most of us are more dehydrated than we even think so getting some water into your system is always a smart decision
    Water fills us up and hopefully detours us from over-eating
  • Join the Free WMP – water match program so whatever drink you do order, make sure you match it 1:1 with water. This will keep you hydrated the rest of the night and especially save you from waking up overly-parched and feeling like you’ve swallowed cotton balls that seem to multiply throughout the night
  • Think about what you’re really drinking and how much you plan to or should drink. Are you going to stay with one type of drink or hop all over the place? For me, when I start hopping, I start paying for it and I don’t mean the tab. Through the years, I’ve become a vodka tonic guy and it’s served me well but only paired with the free water match program.

 

Decision Two – Will I Order or Eat an Appetizer

This decision doesn’t come far behind the 1st decision of What I Will Drink.

I never order an appetizer when I’m by myself but somehow overly tempted with other people.

It’s like each person is waiting for the other one to say “no thanks” or “sure, what looks good to you?”

The appetizer can be the “gotcha” to the meal. When I give in especially something unhealthy, I get lazy about everything after that point.

 

Here are some suggestions:

  • Always pre-decide – This means don’t base your decision on what looks and/or smells good. If you do, you’re going down like a Mike Tyson punch.
    If you choose, eat the cleaner and greener appetizer.
  • If you’re a moderator, which means you can take just one bite and stop, stick to the plan
  • If you’re an abstainer, which means if you start, hide the women and children, it’s going to get ugly quick and the appetizer will disappear, Know Thyself, and don’t start.
  • Order a dark green salad – this is my go-to-choice for a few reasons:
    I avoid the tempting and fattening appetizer
    It allows me to get in healthy clean greens – just be smart with the toppings and dressings

 

Remember, Clean and Green is the 2nd element of FUEL after Continually Hydrate. So, use this time to get the good stuff meaning the clean and green stuff in early.

 

Decision Three – What Is My Main Course

Ah, the featured presentation.

This is why we’re here eating out, well, at least as far as food is concerned.

And depending on the restaurant, this may not be top-secret. If you’re at a chophouse, duh. If you’re at a seafood place, you get the point.

There are two main choices here:
The main course needs to be Clean – look for the cleanest meat possible whether beef, chicken, eggs. If it’s really clean, it will list “grass-fed or organic” which means this is your easiest choice. If not, your 2nd main choice becomes all the more important

What goes ON the main course – we can make a great clean decision with the main course then go five-step backward by all the heavy sauces, etc.

You may fight back and say, “but is what gives it all the flavor! And there is truth to it. But it doesn’t mean going ALL or Nothing.

 

Here are some suggestions:

  • Always do your research – every restaurant now has an online menu so do some intel. Why? Avoid impulse choosing.
  • Put the sauce on the side – sometimes when it’s doused all over the place, you’re forced to eat ALL of it. But if you can just try it, maybe it’s not as good as advertised. Sometimes just a dip here and there is all you need and a better choice in the long run.
  • Add First Then Reverse – first and foremost, get the healthy in. Start there if this is not natural yet and feels like too big of an ask. Add the good stuff in first then begin reversing by taking the bad stuff off. For example, the sauces all over the meat or salad.

 

Decision Four – What Are My Side Dishes

This may seem like a default decision meaning your side dish is a direct decision from your choice of the main dish.

But not always.

You can go rogue and choose a side other than what the menu suggests or compels you to choose.

And most restaurants will allow you to easily make the change and sometimes with a very small uncharge. Not a big deal and worth the cost to eat clean and green.

 

Here are some suggestions:

  • Always have at least one vegetable and preferably with not a ton of processing – steamed broccoli/asparagus / green beans, sautéed spinach, cauliflower, etc.
  • Choose a sweet potato over a baked potato or fries
  • Choose double veggies – another way to sneak in more “Green” of the clean and green.
  • Take a healthy side to go – I do this very often since almost every hotel I stay at has at least a mini-fridge and a microwave.

 

Decision Five – If I Will Have Dessert

You know they always ask and if you’re not prepared, you go back to the awkward moment like the appetizer but more at stake after a few drinks.

I tell this story in the Elite Road Warrior book how at a dinner of 12, a one-pound brownie with a gallon of ice cream covered in whipped cream came out and after hundreds and hundreds of dollar were put on the table as a bet of who could eat it, I took on the challenge (mind you, this was during my Entitled 40 days…).

Impressively and sadly, I finished it then couldn’t digest it, lie down, or sleep for 48 hours. Brutal. Stupid (at least I donated the money).

All that to say, I’ve been the freak in the freak show so I understand the power of decision five: If I will have dessert.

 

Here are some suggestions:

  • Learn to say no upfront so others know where you stand
  • Know if you’re a moderator or abstainer – I know the “wannabe moderators” who there “just a bite” is the gift that keeps on giving or should I say taking. I’ve eaten with you people.
  • Choose a fruit bowl – this is my go-to when I want something sweet but not go down heavy with the dessert. I love anything berries and you can’t go wrong.
  • Carry dark chocolate with you – my wife and me are huge Trader Joe dark chocolate lovers. I carry a bar in my Carry a Controlled Substance work lunch box (episode 037 of the Elite Road Warrior Podcast) – far healthier choice and less ugly in the long run

 

Let’s Land This Plane

Our energy habit focus is FUEL which is the 2nd of the physical energy habits.

Here’s a quick review of the five decisions you must make at every restaurant on the road:

Decision One – What I Will Drink

Decision Two – Will I Order or Eat an Appetizer

Decision Three – What Is My Main Course

Decision Four – What Are My Side Dishes

Decision Five – If I Will Have Dessert

If you follow these five decisions you must make at every restaurant on the road in the healthiest form, you will win with nutrition with business travel.
And you will have the energy to prove it along with fewer pounds to carry.

I get you because I am you!

 

Prefer Audio…?

If you’re interested in the audio version of the five decisions you just make at every restaurant, check out the Elite Road Warrior Podcast episode #043.

Three Ways to Implement Think Space Without Thinking

Paul has SO much going through his head all of the time; it never shuts off.

He does a good job of sharpening the mind, but he continues to put content in and doesn’t know what to do with it. He desperately needs to do something.

Paul and I were talking on a plane with a rare empty seat between us.

At first, it just started out in the normal “what do you do for work/how often do you travel” questions, then it worked its way into the question I ask every chance I get, which is, “What is one of your biggest challenges on the road?”

After the conversation took a break, I pulled out my Think Space journal and began to write. This intrigued Paul, and he began asking questions.

To Paul’s credit, it sparked something in him; he saw the need and the value in processing thoughts. He responded, “That’s exactly what I need to do.” The process below was flushed out from our conversation.

 

 

Here’s a paradox for you: the faster and busier things get, the more we need to build thinking time into our schedule. The noisier things get, the more we need to build quiet reflection spaces in which we can truly focus.1

No matter how busy you think you are, you can carve time and space to think. Jeff Weiner, the CEO of LinkedIn, schedules up to two hours of blank space on his calendar every day.

He divides them into thirty-minute increments where he schedules nothing. It is a simple practice he developed when back-to-back meetings left him with little time to process what was going on around him.

At first, it felt like an indulgence and a waste of time. But eventually, he found it to be his single-most valuable productivity tool. He sees it as the primary way he can ensure he is in charge of his own day, instead of being at the mercy of it.

Do you realize how little the average person actually takes time to think? I don’t mean for a moment but for an extended period of time.

We rarely say, “Let me think about that.” We need to get to the point where we reflect instead of react in the moment.”

Most people don’t think because of one or more of the following excuses:

  • It requires time – Time is elusive for us, especially on the road, but there are pockets of time for the things that are important to us, especially if we schedule them.
  • It’s hard – Really thinking through something, especially at the beginning, can be a challenge, but once you create the space for your thoughts to flow, you’ll be amazed what comes out.
  • It requires focus – It’s much easier to simply react then to spend time focusing. As Greg McKeown says, “In order to have focus, we need to escape to focus.” By the way, it’s worth the price.

Creating Think Space is a new concept for most people, and the road is one of the toughest places to think! Or is it?

THINK SPACE IS DEDICATED TIME TO PROCESS ANDS DEVELOP KEY IDEAS AND CONCEPTS.

Another way of looking at Think Space is as an “idea formulator.” This isn’t just for creative people who brainstorm. It’s time to think through what is important to you. We seem to schedule almost everything else but not time to formulate our thoughts.

If we work non-stop, we’re overwhelmed with information because we don’t give ourselves time to process any of the information.

With business travel, we’re responsible for our normal job AND a ton of new information that requires us to think through how best to make good on our responsibilities from the road.

THREE WAYS TO IMPLEMENT THINK SPACE WITHOUT THINKING

 

1. WHAT TO DO BEFORE THINK SPACE

• Simply Breathe before You Think

I don’t know about you, but my mind often runs faster and harder than I do, and it’s all over the place. It’s like an untamed black stallion. Before I have a shot of processing anything, I need to calm that thing down! I used to inwardly mock those who meditated until I did some simple breathing exercises that began to calm my mind down.

Now, I take 60 seconds to breathe in for four seconds, hold for five seconds, and let out for six seconds. This simple breathing exercise gets me in the thinking space I need much sooner than later.

The key is not overcomplicating this and turning it into a “meditation thing,” because that’s not the overall goal here. Preparing your mind to think is the goal.

• Find and Schedule the Time

What gets scheduled gets done. Since it’s a new habit, it MUST be scheduled to have a chance of taking root in your routine. Look at your existing travel schedule and determine natural windows.

Flight Time – It’s amazing when you finish a minute of breathing, open up your cool journal then look out a window to get a real 30,000 foot perspective of life, how different you feel going into Think Space.

Depending upon how long my flight is, if it’s over two hours, I’ll dedicate 15 minutes for Think Space. It’s amazing how, with no plan and just a blank page on my computer or iPad or a journal and pen, my mind will unload in a matter of moments. Even if it’s a short 1-hour flight, I still take 5-10 minutes for Think Space.

Hotel Time – I also do the same thing at a hotel. I’ll go to the lobby for X minutes and a journal/pen to process my thoughts. It is ALWAYS worth the time.

Margin Time – Another ideal time for me is when an unexpected margin occurs. Most people open up social media during this time.

I used to be that guy, so no blame here. Now, I pull out my journal and pen (I have a small awesome pocket-size journal I picked up at a trade show. Imagine that!) and unload my thoughts or solve a problem. If I end up waiting unexpectedly, I have an Evernote specific note for Think Space that has ideas I can pull up that I need to work through.

The key is finding a few dedicated minutes to literally “be alone with your thoughts.” Start with just 5-10 minutes. See what that time can do for you after implementing the concepts, and then you can adjust. If you truly do what is suggested, you will be looking at ways in your schedule to increase this coveted time. The key is finding and scheduling the time first and foremost.

• Prepare for the Time in Advance

I’ve wasted more time when Think Space is available because I was simply unprepared in two key areas:

Concepts to think through – I now have the time and couldn’t really think of what I wanted to spend this time on, and I need a dedicated period of time to process.

Means of recording it – If and when an idea would come, I had nowhere to record it and had to leave it to my memory. Guess where THAT idea ended up!

These are solvable issues when you prepare in advance. When I know I’m going somewhere that I’m going to have to wait, I always plan ahead and bring a journal and/or clipboard, blank paper, and a few fine-tipped colored pens. (So… I’m a creative type who likes old school pen and paper but specifically different colors and blank white paper). I then label my Think Space topic at the top of the page.

• Create the Right Environment When Possible

You know what distracts you, so do what you need to do to make the most of this time. This is absolutely key. You want to keep your mind in the thinking zone, so definitely remove email, text, and phone alerts.

You also know when the environment is advantageous for thinking. Do you need quiet? Music? Headphones to either knock out the sound or for a certain type of music?

When I’m home and have to control my environment, I sit in my office at a mechanical drawing board with paper and colored pens, look out a window, and get lost in thought. It’s my perfect environment.

Other times at the airport (which often gives me the gift of unexpected windows of extra time with delays), I try to find the most secluded and conducive location to think. I put on my Bose noise-canceling headphones, pull out my think space journal and/or clipboard with white paper and colored pens, and maximize whatever additional time is given to me to think.

Think Space will change your attitude on waiting if you learn to make the most of the time. But the key is being prepared for it.

• Be Ready to Actually Think and Write

This will be the ACTUAL TIME to develop these thoughts that are dying to come out. Harry A. Overstreet once said, “The immature mind hops from one thing to another; the mature mind seeks to follow through.”

This is the time to really work through whatever you chose to think through with a mature mind. If you do the above, you will be prepared, but discipline is sold separately, yet it will yield incredible results.

 

2. WHAT TO THINK ABOUT DURING THINK SPACE

So, you’re all prepared and it’s actually go-time to process the thoughts. If you don’t have a clue already on how you could spend the time, here are some ideas:

PROFESSIONAL

  • Preparation – What do you need to develop or review for any upcoming meetings/presentations, etc.?
  • Follow-up – Who do you need to follow up with as a result of your business travel?
  • Deliverables – What did you promise that you need to take action on to be a person of your word?

PERSONAL

  • Goals – What do you want to accomplish in the next 90 days? What are your yearly goals? Do you want to write a book? Run a 10K?
  • Big Decisions – Do you move? Do you take the job offer? Should you change careers?
  • Your Future (looking forward) – What changes do you want to make in your life?
  • Evaluation (looking backward) – Did you accomplish your goals? How did your presentation go? Workouts?

PROBLEMS

  • Professional problems at work
  • Personal problems at home
  • Anything that needs time and thought to solve with thinking

Think about what to think about. As odd as that sounds, use Think Space as a roadmap to formulate the thoughts you want to develop. You will be surprised at the results if you take the time. Then, write your ideas to think about for a future Think Space session.

3. WHAT TO DO AFTER THINK SPACE

If you’ve completed a Think Space session, that’s great and very impressive. But is there anything else you should possibly do?

• Find a centralized place to keep your notes from your Think Space session.

There is nothing worse than finally having a great idea but losing it. You may have even written it down, but now you cannot find it.

Talk about maddening! Learn to keep all your Think Space results in a centralized location for easy access.

For me, since I like to handwrite my ideas, I either write in my notorious trade show small journal special or I take a picture of the blank pages written with colored markers then upload them to Evernote. This way, I have access to them on all my devices (MacBook, iMac, iPad, iPhone, etc.).

• Take action!

Many of my ideas from Think Space have actionable items, so I need to either schedule or follow up with the next step. Don’t lose the momentum by failing to take action. Let your next action item be the last thing you do during your Think Space time.

• Breathe Again

Simply take 60-seconds to close your eyes, breathe, and prepare to move on to the next activity. This little transition will make a big difference when applied.

THREE-POINTERS

1. Think Space is a dedicated time to develop and process key ideas and concepts.
2. Processing your thoughts has two requirements: time and thinking.
3. Know how best to move into Think Space, what to do during Think Space, and how best to conclude a Think Space session.

5 Ways Busy Professionals Can Do the Hard Work of Rest

I’ve always viewed rest as a sign of weakness. “You go and rest while I work and get ahead” has always been my arrogant attitude.

To be honest, I looked down on those who would stop and rest.

Hard Work of Rest

You see, I’m a Type-A, hard driver who’s always moving and on the go. I’m known for my unlimited energy and ability to get things done.

Until I crashed.

The Energizer Bunny lost his energy. Not cool.

I was like a high performance car going 100 down the interstate who took an exit at 70 with a curve marked 30.

I was forced to rest. My body shut down and simply had enough.

My arrogant view of rest was humbled and I learned to truly do the hard work of rest.

Rest is defined as a cease of work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recovers strength; to refrain from using for a short time.

Easy to say, near impossible to do for high performers. (That’s a challenge for you over-achievers…)

As busy professionals, it starts with sleep, breaks, and down time.

 

Here are 5 Ways Busy Professionals Can Do the Hard Work of Rest:

1. Recognize Rest is the Super Power of Your Energy

The reality is to most high achievers, rest is a waste of time, a luxury they simply cannot afford. It’s an “if I get to it” response and therefore simply never happens.

I can have all the time in the world and no energy, little to nothing gets done or done well.

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So, do I need more time or more energy? Is it possible that if I prioritize energy, I’ll gain more time..?

Sleep recharges you like nothing else and allows you to regain focus, clarity, and productivity. But few maximize this super power of your energy.

 

2. Value a Good Night’s Sleep

It simply starts with sleep. When you’re tired, it affects you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Just ask those who have to deal with you!

But sadly, many people are either sleep-deprived and don’t realize it or view not sleeping as a badge of honor.

Ironically, most high performers are horrible sleepers. Their hours are inadequate and inconsistent. In fact, here are Three Decisions That Will Make or Break a Good Night of Sleep.

Sleep is restorative to both our body and mind. We guard what we value and do what we value.

Once committed, there are numerous ways to improve your night of sleep. Here are three excellent book resources:

Sleep Smarter by Shawn Stevenson
The Sleep Revolution by Arianna Huffington
Sleep Your Way to the Top by Terry Cralle and W. David Brown

Pro Tip: Start adding just 10 minutes to your sleep by going to bed 10 minutes earlier then again until you begin to feel rested. Begin to pay back that sleep debt you have and may not even realize how much you owe…

 

3. Break Up Your Day With Productive Breaks

I NEVER use to take breaks. Why slow down? Keep the gas on and get to where I need to go.

Now, I’m not talking about hanging out wasting time at the coffee area or watercolor. I’m focusing on a scheduled, productive break.

I’m also NOT talking about desktop dining for lunch. Just simply taking an actual lunch “break” may be the first and best place to start.

Pro Tip: Unplug for lunch or choose a time in the morning or afternoon (or preferably both) to take just 10 minutes to stop what you’re doing, completely unplug to rest your brain (no email or social media) and stretch your body. Move, man.

 

4. Sign Up for Some Downtime

I’m sorry, did I just read downtime? I didn’t even know THAT existed let alone what it was or how to implement it!

We may feel we don’t have enough time in general let alone down time.

Downtime is a period of time when one is NOT working, not available, or engaged in a planned activity.

Sadly, my only downtime in the past was when my body completely crashed and oh was I down for a time! Not the point of downtime.

Ironically, my most creative times come out of downtime. When my brain is “free to roam” and not tasked to focus, it’s a breath of fresh air that revives me in a way like nothing else.

Pro Tip: Think SMALL on the weeknights and LONG on the weekends. Who knows, your next BIG idea may suddenly appear.

 

5. Schedule Rest As One of Your Most Important Appointments of the Day

As the saying goes, “what gets scheduled gets done.” It’s not something you get to when you “have time.” It must be a priority.

Once you recognize the value of rest, you can no longer leave it to chance. Whether you’re forced to slow down like I was due to my Adrenal Fatigue issues or you’re pro-active in implementing rest (good for you and impressive), rest must become part of your daily rhythm.

Schedule your bedtime and arise time. Schedule your lunch break to rest the mind and move the body. Schedule one or two short breaks as an actual appointment.

Guard this time like your life or at least your energy depended on it!

 

Conclusion

Rest, if done properly, is the little invest that yields big results. The perfect formula for high performers.

Your Energy is the source of your productivity. – Bryan Paul Buckley

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Making these changes are a process. You must commit and seek to make the most of the time.

If you truly believe rest is needed and beneficial, you’ll do the hard work of rest and see the incredible benefits.

Question: What could you do today to begin the hard work of rest in your own life?