The very last thing you do before bed tends to have a
significant impact on your mood and energy level the following day, since it
often determines how well and how much you sleep.
Successful people understand that their success
starts and ends with their own mental and physical health, and that it’s almost
entirely dependent upon them getting enough sleep.
That’s why bedtime routines are a key ritual for so
many of them – and why the very last thing most successful people do
before bed is read.
1.
They read.
Experts agree that reading is the very last thing
most successful people do before going to sleep.
Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and
author of “You Can’t Be Serious! Putting Humor
to Work,” says he knows numerous business leaders who
block off time just before bed for reading, going so far as to schedule it as a
“non-negotiable item” on their calendar. “This isn’t necessarily reserved just
for business reading or inspirational reading. Many successful people find
value in being browsers of information from a variety of sources, believing it
helps fuel greater creativity and passion in their lives.”
For example, while some successful people use this
time catch up on news stories from the day, skim tech blogs, or
browse Reddit and Twitter, others enjoy reading fiction
novels and ancient philosophy just before bed.
2. They make a to-do list.
“Clearing the mind for a good night sleep is critical
for a lot of successful people,” says Kerr. “Often they will take this time to
write down a list of any unattended items to address the following day, so
these thoughts don’t end up invading their head space during the night.”
3. They spend time with family.
Michael Woodward, Ph.D., organizational psychologist
and author of “The YOU Plan,” says
it’s important to make some time to chat with your partner, talk to your kids,
or play with your dog.
Laura Vanderkam, author of “What the Most Successful People Do
Before Breakfast,” says this is a common practice among the
highly successful. “I realize not everyone can go to bed at the same time as
his or her partner, but if you can, it’s a great way to connect and talk about
your days.”
4. They reflect on the day.
Kerr says many successful people take the time
just before bed to reflect on, or to write down, three things they are
appreciative of that happened that day. “Keeping a ‘gratitude journal’ also
reminds people of the progress they made that day in any aspect of their life,
which in turn serves as a key way to stay motivated, especially when going
through a challenging period.”
Vanderkam adds: “Taking a few moments to think
about what went right over the course of the day can put you in a positive,
grateful mood.”
5. They meditate.
Many successful people use the 10 minutes before bed
to meditate. Dale Kurow, a New York-based executive coach,
says it’s a great way to relax your body and quiet your mind.
6. They plan out sleep.
“Much has been written around the dangers busy people
face running chronic sleep deficits, so one habit I know several highly
successful people do is to simply make it a priority to get enough
sleep — which can be a challenge for workaholics or entrepreneurs,”
Kerr says. One way to do that is to go to bed at a consistent time each
evening, which is a key habit all sleep experts recommend to help ensure a
healthy night’s sleep.
Vanderkam further suggests that you plan out when
you’re going to wake up, count back however many hours you need to sleep, and
then consider setting an alarm to remind yourself to get ready for bed. “The
worst thing you can do is stay up late then hit snooze in the morning,” she
says. “Humans have a limited amount of willpower. Why waste that willpower arguing
with yourself over when to get up, and sleeping in miserable nine-minute
increments?”
7. They unplug and disconnect
from work.
Truly successful people do anything but work
right before bed, Kerr says. They don’t obsessively check their email, and they
try not to dwell on work-related issues.
Woodward agrees. “The last thing you need is to
be lying in bed thinking about an email you just read from that overzealous
boss who spends all their waking hours coming up with random requests driven by
little more than a momentary impulse.” Give yourself a buffer period between
the time you read your last email and the time you go to bed. The idea is to
get your head out of work before you lie down to go to sleep.
8. They lie down on a positive
note.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of replaying negative
situations from the day that you wish you’d handled differently. Regardless of
how badly the day went, successful people typically manage to avoid that
pessimistic spiral of negative self-talk because they know it will only create
more stress.
“Remember to take some time to reflect on the positive
moments of the day and celebrate the successes, even if they were few and far
between,” Woodward says.
9. They picture tomorrow’s
success.
Many successful people take a few minutes before bed
to envision a positive outcome unfolding for the projects they’re working on,
says Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant; How
to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job.” “For
most, this is not a task or exercise; they’re wired with a gift of solid resolution
skills that come naturally.”
This article is published in collaboration with Business Insider.
Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum.
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Author: Jacquelyn Smith joined Business Insider as the
Careers Editor in February 2014.
