Every night after my "day job" I go home, make dinner, spend time with my family, and do the housework. By the time that is done it is 8 PM and it's time for me to get to work at my other job. I tell myself each time that I will not stay up until the wee hours of the night again, but it never fails. Even if I leave the computer and go lay down, my mind won't stop running, and before I know it 1 AM rolls around. When you have to get up at 6 every morning, it gets exhausting trying to function off of 5 hours of sleep.
I know I'm not the only one out there with that problem. You want and need the sleep, but your creative mind keeps running and refuses to let you rest. When you start doing something you love, you eat, sleep, and breathe it as long as you can. Being an entrepreneur is one of the best, and hardest things to do for yourself. Not only is it very rewarding and brings a feeling of purpose, but it can bring you to the highest and lowest of emotions in the same day. Aside from that, you might suffer from "entrepreneur insomnia," which is a very real thing. If you find yourself working constantly, taking longer than normal to fall asleep, or having a hard time shutting down for the day, here are some tips to help you get some sleep.
Set Strict Business Hours
You wouldn't go to your bank at midnight, and expect your banker to be there, right? You probably assume that the hours are within the standard business hours, so you would wait until the morning to try talk with them. Why treat your own business any different? I am a firm believer in busting your ass to get what you want, but there comes a point where enough is enough. Whether you run your own business full-time, or you are just doing it as a side gig for now, establish working hours, and stick to them. This way you can get in a routine, and hopefully you can avoid being a slave to your work until all hours of the night.
Keep a Notebook Next To Your Bed
A lot of people already do keep a notebook ready and available by their bed, to record their dreams or ideas. They are doing it right. A lot of the time when I can't fall asleep it is because I am full of new ideas and I just can't stop planning them in my head. Keeping a tablet next to my bed allows me to jot down any idea I get, and put it to rest. You are less likely to over think and obsess over new ideas if you know that they are written down, and you can expand on them the next day.
Find Your Inner Peace
It's hard to fall asleep when your mind is racing, and you are feeling a multitude of different emotions. Not only is it hard to sleep, but it's hard to live under those circumstances. Finding a way to calm your thoughts and quiet your mind will help solve these problems. Whether it's meditating, reading, playing a game on your phone, or scrolling through Pinterest, everyone has a way to find their inner peace. It's a good idea to do that even if you don't have problems sleeping, because keeping calm on the inside will help you stay level-headed and collected when running your business.
Nap
When all else fails, nap it out (if you can). If you work for yourself full time, adjust your working hours so that you can take a quick little snooze midday. The more you sleep, the better you sleep, and we all know how important sleep is. If you just can't get through the late-night insomnia, it won't hurt to catch up on your Z's during the day. Naps taken in the middle of the day are actually believed to increase productivity and morale, so it's not a bad idea at all.
It can be miserable, and even dangerous trying to function on no sleep. I know that it is exciting and scary being an entrepreneur, but make sure you take care of yourself. Following these simple tips should help you wind down after a long day and get some rest. If it ever becomes a serious problem, don't hesitate to talk to your doctor! Sleep is a vital part of our lives, no matter how much it gets in the way of our to-do lists.