I’ve invited my writing colleague, Jennifer Hodroge, to be my guest blogger today. For many of you, this topic will hit home in a big way. So, stop multi-tasking and take just one minute to read on.
What keeps you up at night?
Why are Americans and Europeans spending more than $3 billion dollars each year to relieve symptoms of sleeplessness? Are stresses at work and at home leading to an inability to shut-down? Unfortunately, it’s not as easy to power off your mind’s computer as your laptop. How is insomnia affecting you?
Sleep deprivation can lead to depression. Depression can lead to sleeplessness. Sleeplessness can lead to the inability to stay awake during the day. Falling asleep during the day can in turn cause more sleeplessness at night. Add to that, symptoms of fatigue and irritability and your whole life can quickly change.
So what is the answer?
I’m sure there are many, but something to consider is to reduce the number of items on your to-do list. How, you might ask? Get help! Delegate where possible. Don’t always say yes and push back when you can. Outsource where it makes sense. And, believe it or not, do less at one time. Multi-tasking can actually slow you down and prevent you from focusing on fine details.
For me, I see clients who have too many projects and not enough resources to get things done. No place do I see this more than within marketing and communication teams who are being asked to do less with more. Companies are constantly reinventing themselves or their products and need to update their internal as well as external messages. I see stressed out practitioners who know what they want to say but don’t have the time to put it together, let alone proactively plan for the future. While marketing teams are dwindling in-house, communication needs are skyrocketing.
Meanwhile, if you’re up late at night unable to settle down to sleep, do what mom always said: take a warm bath, or drink warm milk. And, as hard as it might be: skip the coffee break late in the day!!
Jennifer Hodroge
Freelance Writer, Columbus Ohio
http://www.jhcomm.net/
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