Hopefully you rarely wake up out of a deep sleep at 3:31 am. I am a great sleeper. So when I woke up at 3:31 am three nights in a row, I knew I had broken my rule of “keeping it simple”.
Keeping things simple is a wonderful way to help you ensure restful sleep. Once we complicate the heck out of a project or situation, we give our brains little rest. The tendency is to just keep adding on “to dos” to the list and extending the complexity of goals or outcomes we need or want from a project.
A hallmark need of my coaching clients who are just like you – probably are you – is to keep the whole cycle of planning, accountability and completion as simple and clear as possible.
Highly talented and bright people tend to add bells and whistles to pretty much anything they are working…because they have observed people complicating proposals, projects, presentations, sales, etc and thought that is what we needed to do to create better results or be more successful.
A clean, simple, well thought through project is a thing of total beauty and ease of execution.
Note the “well thought through” comment here.
You have to give yourself the time and space to think about what you are doing. It does not have to be a long time, but we all NEED space to consider our actions and planning.
This is what I mean by thinking space:
- Let your device help you all day long. Use it to set alarms for breathing deeply and then take 10 minutes to ask “am I clear about what I am doing now”
- Eat well and without any interruptions twice a week. You can say your prayers, meditate, or just sit and clear out the huge “get it done” noise in your head
- We have a chemical in our brains that loves completion – completion feels so good, but with the constant chatter and activity, completion feels impossible
- You have a million links on your browser about the richness and health advantages of walking. Get up and walk – around the office, the yard, the school, the conference.
- Hydrate with water. Your body loves water and taking intentional time to stay hydrated will help to clear those racing thoughts
- Say no to the next request
- Leave some space on your appointment calendar for doing nothing, nothing, nothing.
By the time you get to the end of you day, you will feel better.
Your sleep will improve because the details are less and the need to get it all done will feel differently – it will feel like you have room to breathe. 
Don’t get me wrong. I love my devices. My business has changed dramatically because of the ease of technology and connectivity.
My business and my brain have also suffered from the constant connection until I figured out what I want creating.
You can feel better, perform better, sleep better and just be a healthier person by letting some of the noise pass you by…with intention.
Just try one thing from the list above and see how it works for you. Let me know how you do.
To our exciting success,
P.S. We have a terrific YouTube video on breathing. ENJOY. It works. You deserve to be in charge of your health, thoughts and life without feeling like life is running you.