Not getting enough sleep can throw you into a vicious cycle of not being productive enough during the day, staying up late to make up for it – and waking up tired all over again.
Does that sound familiar?
Well, it’s your lucky day – this article is all about sharing actionable tips on how to sleep better, improve sleep quality, and get some much-needed rest!
#1 Set A Schedule – And Stick To It
And by that, I don’t mean just your sleep schedule – I mean your working hours, too.
Set the alarm to remind you that the work day’s coming to an end. Of course, you don’t have to jump up as soon as the alarm goes off, but use it as a subtle cue that your work hours are technically over, and that calling it quits for the evening might be a good idea.
Pair that with waking up and going to bed at the same time every day (weekends are no exception), and you’ll be well on your way to establishing good sleep hygiene.
#2 Create A Bedtime Ritual
Another thing that helped me improve sleep quality was creating a bedtime routine. It can be anything you’d like – taking a shower, brushing your teeth, washing your face, or riding a bike.
Following the same pattern, every night will help you wind down and get your brain into „autopilot“ mode – and let your body know that bedtime is approaching so that you can transition from wakefulness to drowsiness smoothly.
#3 Never – And I Do Mean NEVER – Work From Your Bed
You’re making mental associations here. Working from the bed, no matter how comfortable it may seem compared to a computer chair, will slowly but surely convince your brain that your bed is a place of work, and not relaxation.
You’re single-handedly damaging your sleep quality here. Not only are you bringing your laptop and paperwork into the bedroom but dragging work-related stress along with it, too – and ruining the one place in your home that should remain stress-free.
#4 Write It Down
One thing that always kept me up at night was my busy brain. The constant stream of thoughts about the projects I’m working on often kept me up well past my bedtime.
So, I started writing these things down.
Here’s an example of the things I write in my journal to help you get into the habit of writing down your thoughts:
- Three things I’ve accomplished that day (it helps when you feel like you’re not making any progress)
- One thing that would’ve made that day even better
- Relevant projects and tasks that need to be completed the next day
- Three non-work related stuff I’d like to accomplish the next day
Final Thoughts On Work And Sleep Balance
Try to make your bed a comfortable place, give these actionable tips on how to sleep better a shot for a few weeks, and see if there’s any improvement.
If not, the problem might be bigger than merely finding a work-sleep balance, and if that’s the case, you may want to talk to an expert about it.