Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Sleep
Some are born rich, some beautiful and others, talented. The Perfect Daughter was born with the ability to sleep and sleep well.
“Oh, you are just like your father. You can sleep through anything!” my mother would say in a less than complimentary tone. But, in truth, my sleep ease is not only hereditary, it’s just plain common sense sleep habits, in my case, learned from dear old Dad. I put things away when I’m not using them, including myself.
Now that I’m older, I realize what a boon a good night of sleep can be. The sleep-deprived don’t function efficiently, which sets off a whole series of bad habits that get in the way of organizational goals and happiness. You get tired, you get lazy. I’ve seen it in many clients, from the garden-variety insomnia to serious sleep disorders. Usually after a big office clean out or closet revamp, my client and I try to figure out how things got this bad. That’s when the client tells me about sleep issues.
As a good a sleeper as I am, I am also the mother of three, and therefore I know that getting everyone sleeping at the right times can be a challenge. When I started to think about the link between sleep and organization I was reminded of the baby books I read that talked about ‘organizing’ infants. They advised establishing a routine, because if you follow an infant’s lead often they will lead you into complete and utter chaos, and remember, we want: OUT OF CHAOS.
Though I am not a doctor (did play a few back in the day), I am emboldened to recommend this because I have recently heard from a few clients who have experienced success by practicing basic habit-forming techniques like going to bed at the same time, getting up at the same time and generally maintaining a bedtime routine.
I like the feeling of shutting down the house at night; it gets me in the head for rest. I like that when I go to bed, all is orderly, so that when I get up in the morning, things will go smoothly. I strongly believe in turning things off at bedtime: TV, computers, radios. All those blinking, buzzing blue lights can’t be good for us. Building good dental habits into your good bedtime habit is a double-winner. You know you should floss nightly so do it. Easier that than to lie in bed fretting that you should have flossed.
Summer comes with sleep challenges: travel, vacation time, hot days, no school. Don’t let yourself get too much into the idea of anything goes. If sleep is an issue for you, use this summer to establish a sleep schedule. I predict that if you practice getting up at the same time every morning and creating a solid bedtime routine every night within a few weeks, you will experience a new clarity and centeredness when you sit down to plan your day. And that, my friends, is a great way to start an organized day and a fabulous summer