The word cliche tends to have negative implications. He or she is such a cliche. Winter in palm peach - oh what a cliche. Yeah, that person is funny, but there always talking in cliches. Did you read his book? It was so awful! One cliche after another! In defense of cliches, cliches are cliches for a reason . . .
So, does the early bird really get the worm? Apparently so. Based on my childhood friend's (Tom Grasty) Facebook post, successful CEOs typically get up at 4:30 http://www.businessinsider.com/executives-who-get-up-early-2013-1 and just keep rockin' all day. Perhaps this is because they are part of the Sleepless Elite? I read this other article recently, as well http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703712504576242701752957910.html (interesting that I read two articles 'accidentally' on a subject I have been blogging about recently? What doe this mean? What is the universe telling me? Probably that I should stop surfing the net and get back to work!).
Well all of this is timely stuff, and not only because I happened to be up at 4:30 in the morning when I read it, but because, let's face it, we all have ambitions. And most of us have seen the road kill of our ambitions once or twice riding down that well worn highway better known as memory lane. What I mean, is that we all have hopes and dream and big ideas that just never happen. And, as some of you may recall, that for me personally, I laid out some pretty big ones for year 2013. But what if I had more time? The possibilities are beginning to become endless. So let's just say the article piqued my interest.
So, rather then do what I would normally do at 4:30 on a Saturday morning in the middle of January, with a (very) slight hangover, and away from home on business - which is a number of self gratification options more or less centered around sleep and the Internet - I instead get my sorry ass out of the sack, make myself a very healthy breakfast of sheep's yogurt, apple, breakfast tea, and whole grain toast with a dab of organic olive oil (actually the olive oil is not really organic but decided to sneak that in there since none of you would ever be able to call me on it - but more on oils in a future post). While enjoying this healthy breakfast (really - try it!) I came up with my task list for the day. It goes something like this:
But back to sleep. One of the key issues is the biological needs vs. habits. I have long ago given up on the fantasy that I need 4 to 6 hours. I need my 8. Just can't seem to get to bed by 10pm. How F'ing boring is life if you go to bed at 10pm? What does one actually do in bed at 10pm?!? (oh, wait, there are actually some pretty fun and exciting things you can do in bed at 10pm - must keep revisiting this theme). So if I am a biological 8 hour sleeper I need to form good sleep habits - this will be tough. Have been trying and failing for years. There is of course alternative solutions other than those mother nature gave us. Drugs for example. I'm talking about the legal ones. I remember life on prednisone. Never in my personal and professional life have I been so productive as during these days (imagine a grown heterosexual man reorganizing the cook books and household manuals on a mere whim!). And then some years ago I heard that ADHD medication helps. My sister once read an article about it in New Yorker and was going to get herself diagnosed in order to get her hands on these new wonder drugs. It was a trend for awhile. She never got around to it, apparently, but will have to check back on that one.
So, does the early bird really get the worm? Apparently so. Based on my childhood friend's (Tom Grasty) Facebook post, successful CEOs typically get up at 4:30 http://www.businessinsider.com/executives-who-get-up-early-2013-1 and just keep rockin' all day. Perhaps this is because they are part of the Sleepless Elite? I read this other article recently, as well http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703712504576242701752957910.html (interesting that I read two articles 'accidentally' on a subject I have been blogging about recently? What doe this mean? What is the universe telling me? Probably that I should stop surfing the net and get back to work!).
Well all of this is timely stuff, and not only because I happened to be up at 4:30 in the morning when I read it, but because, let's face it, we all have ambitions. And most of us have seen the road kill of our ambitions once or twice riding down that well worn highway better known as memory lane. What I mean, is that we all have hopes and dream and big ideas that just never happen. And, as some of you may recall, that for me personally, I laid out some pretty big ones for year 2013. But what if I had more time? The possibilities are beginning to become endless. So let's just say the article piqued my interest.
So, rather then do what I would normally do at 4:30 on a Saturday morning in the middle of January, with a (very) slight hangover, and away from home on business - which is a number of self gratification options more or less centered around sleep and the Internet - I instead get my sorry ass out of the sack, make myself a very healthy breakfast of sheep's yogurt, apple, breakfast tea, and whole grain toast with a dab of organic olive oil (actually the olive oil is not really organic but decided to sneak that in there since none of you would ever be able to call me on it - but more on oils in a future post). While enjoying this healthy breakfast (really - try it!) I came up with my task list for the day. It goes something like this:
- Study Russian - 1 hour
- Go to gym - 2 hours
- Story board a presentation - 1 hour
- catch up on e-mails - 1 hour
- Plan my week - 1 hour
- Blog - one hour
- Update my CV - 2 hour
- Shopping - 3 hours
But back to sleep. One of the key issues is the biological needs vs. habits. I have long ago given up on the fantasy that I need 4 to 6 hours. I need my 8. Just can't seem to get to bed by 10pm. How F'ing boring is life if you go to bed at 10pm? What does one actually do in bed at 10pm?!? (oh, wait, there are actually some pretty fun and exciting things you can do in bed at 10pm - must keep revisiting this theme). So if I am a biological 8 hour sleeper I need to form good sleep habits - this will be tough. Have been trying and failing for years. There is of course alternative solutions other than those mother nature gave us. Drugs for example. I'm talking about the legal ones. I remember life on prednisone. Never in my personal and professional life have I been so productive as during these days (imagine a grown heterosexual man reorganizing the cook books and household manuals on a mere whim!). And then some years ago I heard that ADHD medication helps. My sister once read an article about it in New Yorker and was going to get herself diagnosed in order to get her hands on these new wonder drugs. It was a trend for awhile. She never got around to it, apparently, but will have to check back on that one.
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