Five Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Should Work Less and Sleep More

The life of an entrepreneur is both wonderful and difficult as you pay a steep price for the freedom of taking your own business decisions. Not only you carry the weight of the entire company on your shoulders, you also have to make sure your decisions are informed and to the benefit of everyone in your care.

Still, according to recent studies, successful entrepreneurs are the ones who snooze more and work less. If this sounds a bit anticlimactic, don’t worry, you’re not alone. But, the affirmation makes sense and here are five reasons why.

No. 1: You’re Not Productive
While it may seem logical to lose some sleep over the development of your business, this is not a productive way to increase your success. If you see sleep as wasted time, then you need to reconsider your priorities.

Less sleep is equal to a de-focalized mind, which means you won’t be able to use your full capacities and skills during the day. Your performance as an entrepreneur will suffer and you’ll end up failing and not really knowing why. 

No. 2: You Don’t Need More Hours for Work
We live with the misconception that, if we didn’t have to sleep, we’d get so much more done. This is the direct path to a sleep-deprived entrepreneur who is easily irritable, forgetful, and anxious. And this is not a state for taking serious decisions that may affect others.

When you run a business you need creativity, clarity, and presence of spirit. Any of these will help you solve problems that may take hours if you’re not rested. The idea is to work smart, not hard. So, learn to relax and catch up with your sleeping schedule.

No. 3: Sleep is Critical for Success
Both the quality and quantity of sleep are important if you want to be able to put in the high-octane efforts. When your sleep is comfortable and enough, you are able to focus during the day so don’t be afraid to go to bed in the evening and get those eight hours.

No. 4: Sleep keeps you Healthy
When all the problems pile up and it seems that your brain will explode from the amount of work you need to do, sleep is one of your best allies. I know it may seem weird, but you have to trust that a good night sleep is exactly what you need to get everything done. You’ll wake up refreshed, your blood pressure will drop, and your stress levels will be lowered.

No. 5: Improves Posture
Every entrepreneur needs to make a good impression in front of partners and employees. So, if you tend to stay in front of your computer day and night, your posture will suffer. You can correct this by sleeping on the right type of surface for your back. For instance, a memory foam surface would be perfect for people that sleep on their side while an innerspring mattress is great for people that sleep on their back.

The main idea is to eliminate the tension created in the spine during the day. This allows you to function better and your posture will be improved.

Overall, being an entrepreneur doesn’t mean that you’ll have to give up on sleep forever. There may be some stressful times when a regular sleep schedule won’t be possible, but most of the time, it’s important to get your rest.