Learn, Share, Grow -Better Sleep

Below is a lesson from Forbes on 2 mindfulness steps to better sleep, as well as our key learning.

The Blue Courage team is dedicated to continual learning and growth.  We have adopted a concept from Simon Sinek’s Start With Why team called “Learn, Share, Grow”.  We are constantly finding great articles, videos, and readings that have so much learning.  As we learn new and great things, this new knowledge should be shared for everyone to then grow from.

Self Care For Leaders: 3 Mindfulness Steps To Better Sleep

By Janice Marturano

January 2, 2020

Welcome to 2020! Whether your holidays were nourishing or draining, today you return to the more mundane challenges and opportunities of being a busy professional and you will quickly remember what that feels like. The hectic pace of work creates a mind that spends the day “time-traveling” … replaying your last conversation and worrying about tomorrow’s appointments. And that constantly busy mind doesn’t stop its busyness when you leave your workplace. You may want to pay attention to dinner with a friend or with your family but your mind is still replaying that difficult meeting you had at 10 a.m. And you may feel exhausted but still find yourself lying in bed with a mind that is incessantly rehearsing tomorrow’s presentation. 

Learning to meet this mental busyness with clarity, discipline and compassion, rather than letting it take over your day and night, is part of the training of mindful leadership. It is also an important part of the training that helps you develop good self-care practices like learning to replenish your mind and body through adequate sleep.

Continue reading here.

Key Learnings:

• There is research that shows lack of sleep is damaging to your body and mind.
• Forbes gives three easy ways to help you get a better night’s sleep.

• 3 Mindful Steps to Better Sleep
  • Removed all smart phones, tablets, and computers from your bedroom.
    • Knowing that an email or text is inches from your head can keep your mind busy.
  • When you settle into bed, bring you attention to the feeling of your breath. Feel your breath stretching the muscles in your chest or belly, feel the release. 
  • When your mind starts to get busy, bring your attention back to the sensations of your breath — let the thought that pulled you away go for now and focus on your breath.

• Being intentional and consistent about adopting this practice to train your mind in this way will greatly help your health and happiness.