💤 Day 19: The importance of rest
Welcome back to the 30-Day Productivity Challenge by the famous YouTuber, former doctor and now writer Ali Abdaal.
"Maintaining a balance between work and rest is crucial for a healthy and productive life. Just as the universe follows its rhythms, so too should we, ensuring that moments of rest are as respected as moments of activity."
What is productivity without rest? What is grinding for countless hours without having some rest at the end? Life isn’t about reaching a state where you can rest and do nothing, but it’s also not just a series of long working hours. Life shouldn’t be just about work or just about rest. There needs to be a balance between working and resting. Productivity comes down to doing more of the things that matter to you while enjoying the journey along the way. The journey, however, cannot be enjoyed when you are sleep-deprived. Sleep deprivation causes you to have less power which stops you from doing the things you care about.
And that is counterproductive. To have a productive life, you need to have a productive sleeping schedule!
The 10-3-2-1 technique
In Alis’s article he today talks about the so-called 10-3-2-1 technique which I started to incorporate over the last week, and it entirely changed how I feel during the day. It goes like this:
☕️ 10 Hours Before Bed: Cut Caffeine: Caffeine stays in your system for up to 10 hours, disrupting sleep. Finish your last cup by noon to ensure a restful night.
🍔 3 Hours Before Bed: Skip Food and Drinks: Digestion is energy-intensive and can hinder sleep. Avoid food three hours before bedtime and limit fluids, depending on your bladder size.
🧑💻 2 Hours Before Bed: Quit Working: Just as you wouldn't abruptly break a speeding car, give your brain time to unwind by avoiding work two hours before bedtime.
📱1 Hour Before Bed: Ditch Screens: Smartphones have negatively impacted sleep. Improve your sleep by keeping screens out of the bedroom.
What I started to implement was sleep tracking with my Apple Watch. I have tracked my sleep for the last 7 days and here are two interesting things I found out:
- 💤 You sleep way less than you think. Although I was laying in bed for more than eight hours, my actual sleep only was about six to seven. Get to bed earlier than you think you should and then try to relax.
- 😴 Focus on trying to get deep sleep. Occasionally when I have managed to sleep 7+ hours, I still felt tired during the day because I didn’t get enough deep and REM sleep. Focus on getting your sleep to these stages by considering buying eyeshades and earplugs. This will help you to shut down your senses and let your body enjoy its well-needed rest.
Focus on your sleep and it will change your life. Only through sleep, you can be productive during the day. Be productive with your sleep, and you will be productive for the rest of your life.
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Thanks again and I'll see you soon.
Victor (@observethecosmos)
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