Getting My EDGE on Sleep

by Skip Colfax

Ahh Sleep! It’s time that our bodies and minds need to refresh, energize and rebuild. The importance of getting enough deep sleep is difficult to overemphasize. There is nothing better than sitting up as the sun is peeking over the horizon, stretching with a yawn, and looking forward to a great day ahead. Being well rested helps us:

• Make good decisions.
• Be more creative.
• Handle our stress more effectively.
  

I rest very well these days, but there were times I’d find myself waking up in the middle of the night, feeling very anxious, thinking, “Oh no! I forgot to …” or, “I cannot forget to...” My mind would begin racing with worry about all of the “what if” scenarios that could happen. Worrying like that certainly didn’t contribute to getting the rest I needed. Consequently, I wasn’t as effective nor productive as I would be with good rest.

One of the best practices I learned in the Getting the Edge, is the practice of “mind sweeping” and entering all of the things I need to remember to do into my EDGE System. I know from experience that my mind is not very good at storing and organizing information, so by entering them all into my system, I don’t worry about forgetting anything. In Getting the Edge, we refer to a wonderful Chinese proverb that I have come to know as a truth, “The palest ink is better than the brightest memory.” I’ve learned to Write It Down! and I’ll sleep better.

One of my colleagues, Robertt Young, says, “Control/Shift K, will make your day!” That has become my mantra, and, as I said earlier, I’m sleeping great these days!