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We spend about a third of our lives asleep. In the grand scheme of life, that's quite a lot. Without sleep, the other two-thirds would be pretty difficult.
Our body needs sleep in the same way that a plant needs sunlight. It's nourishment for the brain, and therefore the cornerstone of productivity.
But with busy schedules and piling tasks, hustle culture is quick to glorify sleep deprivation. Sleep is often the first thing to be axed when trying to fit too much in. This throws our circadian rhythms off-balance and runs us into sleep debt.
But on a good day when we've had the optimal number of hours, we're functioning faster than a Mario Kart character who collected a mushroom speed item.
What is optimal productivity?
Productive workflow happens when we find a flow state that grasps our alertness and attention span completely. This flow state is the key to optimal productivity, and it requires pure, clean brain power.
It's where the productive, functional processes seem to emanate from the brain, as though there's some sort of static current flowing from your brain and into your work. It's where the best work happens, and the best decisions are made.
Quality sleep is one of the fundamental ingredients to healthy productivity, alertness and quality output - in the same way that a device is charged overnight.
What happens when we sleep?
When we drift off, the body relaxes. Body temperature lowers and the eyes stop moving.
But what happens to our brains?
- Memory is consolidated
- New information from the day is stored
- Neural pathways build new memories
What happens when we don't sleep?
Sleep deprivation comes at a cost. It's estimated that £400,000 of the UK's economy is lost due to sleep deprivation.
Sleep dept is an easy trap to fall into, especially with piling workloads. It can lead to an exhausting cycle of working more, sleeping less, and then working even more to compensate for the lack of productivity in the previous days.
Lack of sleep, (or lack of quality sleep,) can prevent us from efficiently learning new information. Studies have even shown that a lack of sleep affects our brains the same way that alcohol does.
Signs of sleep deprivation
Deprivation happens when the conscious desire to work overrides the biological urge to sleep. It can be highly detrimental even though you might think it's doing something useful for your productivity.
Pulling all-nighters to get something done?
Sleep deprivation feels like...
- Heavy, slow eyes
- Slow reaction times
- Lack of motivation
- Increased sensitivity and emotional instability
- Relying on caffeine to stay awake
And it affects work like this...
- Output is lesser quality than normal
- Mistakes are more frequent
- Frequent miscommunications
- Forgetting fundamental things
- Tasks are forgotten
Sleep hygiene
Cleaning up your sleep hygiene and making some small adjustments can help supercharge productivity in the long run.
What is good sleep hygiene?
- Staying away from the desk
- Taking breaks
- Limiting screens before sleeping
- Practising a wind-down before bed
- Exercising to help increase energy levels throughout the day
- Moderate caffeine consumption
- Having a consistent sleep pattern
And it's not just nighttime habits that help. Everything we do during the day affects our quality of sleep, too. Getting enough sunlight, exercising and taking work breaks are all contributing factors that add up to the incoming night's sleep quality.
It's all about prioritising sleep before anything. Because piling too much on and sacrificing sleep leads to the dreaded burnout.
Cultivating a better sleep culture in the workplace
A well-rested employee = a more productive employee. By recognising sleep as an integral component of productivity, employers can encourage a healthy sleep culture. It doesn't mean business owners have to bring duvets and blankets to work, but it could mean...
- Providing flexible working hours
- Offering a work-from-home day where appropriate
- Agreeing on the best time to hold team meetings
The 9-5 narrative is changing. Perhaps a team member is 10 times more productive if they start work at 6am? Perhaps one of your team is more productive if they spend every Friday working in their pyjamas? Recognising recharge time as a fundamental part of being a progressive employer with a healthy mindset.
You snooze, you don't lose
Ultimately, it's all about reordering priorities and recognising the importance of a good night's kip. It's prioritising well-being not only for the sake of being kind to ourselves but for a more productive output and better quality of work.
It's a powerful thing, and tonight's sleep can dictate the kind of day you'll have tomorrow.
