What worries keep you awake at night?

[TobiasW]

What are the major things that stop you getting a good night's rest?

We all know that sleeping soundly is good for us and our brains and allows us to awake not only refreshed but often brimming with good new ideas. Sleeping this well can be hard to do when you're just starting out in any new venture, whether business or personal, but there are things you can do to help.

One tip I would offer is to make sure you always keep a pen and paper by your bedside and, if putting on a light is likely to wake a sleeping partner, keep a small flashlight there too. When something wakes you, write it down and, this is the important bit, give yourself explicit permission to go back to sleep.

Another tip is simple, but hard to do - leave your mobile phone, laptop and tablet outside the bedroom! Going to sleep with your brain buzzing with digital input does not promote peaceful slumber!

Third, again simple, but nowadays rarely done - lay out everything you need to get going in the morning before you go to bed. And if you wake realising you've forgotten something, well, you can

 

[EF-Roger]

Good advice! I always have my laptop within reach. That is one thing about what I do that I like. Can't sleep, get up and work a bit, then go back to sleep for a while.

 

[dyanmarie25]

I sometimes would have troubles sleeping at night, worrying about what's going to happen tomorrow, if everything's going to be fine or not. But yeah, whenever I feel this way, I would just try to be positive. Worrying would not solve anything in the first place.

 

[nailah783]

There's always something else that I could be doing. Sleeping is usually not on of these things. I'm always worried about something. I'm a mother of 3, it's what we do. I know it would be best to turn off the tv and the laptop, but then it gets dark and quiet, and I can't sleep like that. I need noise and light.

 

[pwarbi]

Leaving your phone, tablet and laptop is always a good idea and I'm the worst one for doing that. If I'm struggling getting to sleep I'll think we'll I'll make a start on work that I'm planning on doing tomorrow, and then I'm up half the night working.

The next day or course I'm tired, so it doesn't mean I'm any more productive because I've still only done what was needed anyway, I'm just a lot more grumpy at the same time!

 

[Kathryn M.]

Normally if I do not do an honest day's work, if I goofed off during the day, or just simply was not productive during the day like I know I could have been, I will feel guilty about not spending the time wisely, and it will effect my sleep. I think the idea of having today's work spill over into tomorrow's workload gives me anxiety and prevents me from sleeping.

 

[harpazo22]

Keeping a pen and paper nearby is a great idea. I don't have worries so much as I think of ideas of things that I could have done or want to do, or just going over the day. Worrying doesn't get us anywhere except anxious and negative feelings.

 

[ReadmeByAmy]

Sometimes if my husband is being sent by their company to work in another place I always had worries at night because he is not at home and I always had that fears that I am not safe when I am just alone at home especially at night. I really cannot sleep right and I am always awake every now and then. But when my husband is at home I am contented and I do always had a good night sleep. We all had our own worries and it differs to one person and another and the way how it affects the pattern of our sleep.

 

[EF-Roger]

Many nights, many things, too many things go through my mind. What I need to do tomorrow. What I did that I could have done better, what I should have done. etc;

 

[azgold]

Worry about my dad dying because he's asked me to make his preparations and he's not well. I try not to dwell on it too long then give myself permission to 'set it aside for a while' so I can sleep. Works most nights.

 

[Shannyn]

I worry mostly about money, where it's coming from, how I'll pay the bills. I also recently had to move, so I worry about how I'll get back to my home town. It's about 300 miles away and not a cheap area. I worry about my cats health too. They're middle aged now in cat years! And just basically everything.....

 

[Linda Shaw]

I also worry about most everything. The latest is where the money is coming from to pay bills. Both my and my husband's salaries have been cut so things are hard. Mine was due to healthcare expenses going up. I worry about my two older dogs, and getting them all to the vet. I have four and I can get them there but the bill will be $800.00. I don't have that money. I worry about my daughter living in Boston and coming home in the middle of the night since she is a bartender. Oh well, better days ahead! I hope

 

[T J Tutor]

I worry about things like everyone else. However, I learned when I was young and a fledgling businessman that when you allow yourself to stay detached from the outcome and put as much effort as you can muster into solutions, your comfort level in the midst of the contrast rises to a far more comfortable level.

I highly recommend reading Dale Carnegie's book "How To Stop Worrying and Start Living".

 

[terryse]

When I feel like i may be worried or even just a little down and can't sleep, i try to change the focus of my thoughts from the negative in my life and think of any good things instead, or just be thankful for being alive and having the gift of free will.

 

[Luxury_Auto_Group]

I, too, worry about a lot of things at night. In fact, most nights. I work full time in Law Enforcement, and then I have my side business in the auto detailing world. For me, it's how we're going to afford the stuff we have. House, two vehicles, insurance, food, clothes, dogs, etc. We've all been there.

When I come home from a 12 hour shift, and it's been complete hell (most nights are), the one thing I want to do is: SLEEP! But... as you guessed it, I can't. The mind is such a powerful tool, and such a powerful aspect of our lives, that we can sometimes, forget to shut it off.

I've learned a lot the past year or so that I've been actively pursuing entrepreneurship, and some of the most important advice that I've been given is that you have to work at yourself before you can begin to really achieve success. We have to add value to obtain success. I personally believe that the more you better yourself, work at your weaknesses, gain knowledge, and EXPERIENCE!, we can become a better person. Then, couple that with HELPING OTHERS achieve success, we will add value and obtain that success we are looking for.

/tangent.

In all seriousness though, I've found it so beneficial to talk to my wife when I get home. Some days shes up and ready for work, others (weekends), I really don't have that option; I have to find another way to communicate my worries. I'm still working on a way to do that, and perhaps the notebook idea is best, but I think it's very important to acknowledge these issues so I can fix them. Pejman Ghadimi (SecretEntourage) posted a quote a while ago on their SE page, that stated "Success is what happens after you've survived all your mistakes." I think we all, as entrepreneurs, are going to make a lot of mistakes. That's how we learn, but communicating about them, writing them down, tweaking them to make a positive change, I really think this is how we achieve success.

Sorry this post is all over the place. 0530 after a 12 hour shift

Happy hustlin' all,

Mike

 

[EF-Roger]

I, too, worry about a lot of things at night. In fact, most nights. I work full time in Law Enforcement, and then I have my side business in the auto detailing world. For me, it's how we're going to afford the stuff we have. House, two vehicles, insurance, food, clothes, dogs, etc. We've all been there.

When I come home from a 12 hour shift, and it's been complete hell (most nights are), the one thing I want to do is: SLEEP! But... as you guessed it, I can't. The mind is such a powerful tool, and such a powerful aspect of our lives, that we can sometimes, forget to shut it off.

I've learned a lot the past year or so that I've been actively pursuing entrepreneurship, and some of the most important advice that I've been given is that you have to work at yourself before you can begin to really achieve success. We have to add value to obtain success. I personally believe that the more you better yourself, work at your weaknesses, gain knowledge, and EXPERIENCE!, we can become a better person. Then, couple that with HELPING OTHERS achieve success, we will add value and obtain that success we are looking for.

/tangent.

In all seriousness though, I've found it so beneficial to talk to my wife when I get home. Some days shes up and ready for work, others (weekends), I really don't have that option; I have to find another way to communicate my worries. I'm still working on a way to do that, and perhaps the notebook idea is best, but I think it's very important to acknowledge these issues so I can fix them. Pejman Ghadimi (SecretEntourage) posted a quote a while ago on their SE page, that stated "Success is what happens after you've survived all your mistakes." I think we all, as entrepreneurs, are going to make a lot of mistakes. That's how we learn, but communicating about them, writing them down, tweaking them to make a positive change, I really think this is how we achieve success.

Sorry this post is all over the place. 0530 after a 12 hour shift

Happy hustlin' all,

Mike

Very good post Mike. See you after while.

I can relate to shutting the mind off. I have a problem with that theses days myself.

 

[pwarbi]

In a way I'm quite lucky and when I go to bed I normally sleep pretty well. In the past though when I've had work or money issues on my mind I've been up and down all night.

I tend to think better late at night so more often than not I used to just take a walk and grab a coffee from somewhere, away from everything and try and put things into perspective.

I learned a long time ago that worrying doesn't help matters, so instead of worrying I'll try to come up with positive steps to fix what's on my mind, rather than just worry about it.

 

[Luxury_Auto_Group]

I learned a long time ago that worrying doesn't help matters, so instead of worrying I'll try to come up with positive steps to fix what's on my mind, rather than just worry about it.

I think this is a very good practice. That's what makes us entrepreneurs, right? We find solutions to problems! All too often, I find that people let the small things bother them, and they turn them into something bigger. Do you write your steps down? Go through them in your head? Talk to someone about them? Could you provide a bit of feedback; So that maybe someone who is having the same struggle can try a new tactic?

 

[pwarbi]

Personally I find writing down in bullet points just what the problems are. Then, one by one at the side of each problem I'll write down the best and worst case scenarios. What would happen if I did do something and if I didn't.

When I've got that down on paper, I'll then leave it a day or two and try not to think about it, clear my head. Then I'll go back to it and decide step by step what I'm going to do, and also how I'm going to go about doing it.

The whole process might take a couple of days, a few minutes here and there, but your being proactive, your not letting things get on top of you. Ignoring a problem is never the right solution.

 

[EF-Roger]

In a way I'm quite lucky and when I go to bed I normally sleep pretty well. In the past though when I've had work or money issues on my mind I've been up and down all night.

I tend to think better late at night so more often than not I used to just take a walk and grab a coffee from somewhere, away from everything and try and put things into perspective.

I learned a long time ago that worrying doesn't help matters, so instead of worrying I'll try to come up with positive steps to fix what's on my mind, rather than just worry about it.

I usually do that. When I cannot sleep, it is not because of worry most of the time. My mind just didn't shut down.

Last night was one of the exceptions. I have always told my wife and for the most part it is true. Worry solves nothing.