Sleep has been my number one concern for a few years. Even with all my physical activity and workouts, sleep does not come easy. On New Year’s Eve I made sleep a priority for 2019. Mind you, this is after months, no, years of my husband reminding me that I need to get to bed earlier.
This week I had a session with my health care provider so that I can earn some money in my MRA account. I figured I could get this task off my plate with three phone calls with a counselor to discuss overall wellness coaching while earning cash for medical spending. Easy peasy, make the calls, get it done, and move on. Guess what?
My phone wellness coaching session with the counselor went deeper than I anticipated. When I hung up with her, I told my husband, “That was so worthwhile!” Her first few questions were about diet, exercise, selfcare, general happiness and overall health. I could check all those items with a resounding “yes!” I take good care of myself.
But when she asked about sleep — uh oh, busted. We spoke at length about my nighttime habits, what stops me from getting to bed at a decent time, and how I function the next day without enough sleep.
We put a plan together to discuss at my next counseling session. She suggested a few adjustments to my schedule to accommodate my preparing for sleep earlier in the evening in order to get to bed before tomorrow. I had to be 100 percent honest with myself as we put this plan together, and I am committed to holding myself accountable for success.
Some tips include: a) no screen exposure one hour before bed, including iPhone, tv and computer, b) no discussion of current events, politics or any topics that cause angst — only happy topics are to be discussed in the bedroom prior to getting ready for sleep, c) pick a time that I want to be in bed, and work backwards to make sure all prep is completed on schedule, d) setting boundaries for myself by letting go of all the perceived urgent emails that I feel I must respond to before the day is over, honestly, does anyone care if I respond at 10:30 p.m. or the next morning? We are all overloaded, so why even create the need for a colleague or client to respond when I know they are struggling with sleep issues as well. e) shut computer and cell phone off by agreed upon time – no discussion – just turn them off, and finally f) set up “sleep hygiene” that works for me (cool/dark room, humidifier on in winter, sound machine on in summer, uncluttered bedroom (no surprise there) and bedding that “sparks joy” (thank you Marie Kondo’s interpreter for that great catch phrase).
We discussed what my barriers to achieving my sleep goals would be. I came up with a few. Evening appointments that keep me from getting home early enough to prep for bed on time. I will need to be more mindful of my schedule to accommodate my sleep goals. If an important speaking engagement comes up in the evening, and I don’t want to turn it down, I will make sure that I have enough time the next morning to sleep in a bit longer to enjoy 7 — 8 hours of sleep.
My insurance carrier requires that I have three to five with the wellness counselor in order to earn the cash. I have happily committed the time for this. With some organization, prioritizing and my personal commitment to change, this can happen.
What is on your list to change or accomplish in 2019? How will you go about making the changes required? Is your linen closet screaming out for de-cluttering? Is your garage freezing you out in the winter because there are cartons stored instead of your vehicle? A plan requires thought, organization, scheduling, commitment and sometimes engaging professional support. I would love to hear from you, what’s your plan and how you expect to get there. Let’s do this together!
Happy organizing and sweet dreams!
By Eileen Bergman
Eileen Bergman is a professional organizer, a proud member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO) and the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD). Eileen is listed in the resource directory for the Hoarding Disorder Resource and Training Group. Eileen may be reached at 973-303-3236 or [email protected].
