How to function on little sleep
October 12, 2022 3:41 PM Subscribe
My deadline is Friday. I have a bunch more work to crank out for the client and I am having major problems sleeping tonight here in Europe. I hope to wake up to advice on how to be productive tomorrow on very little sleep. I have two features and two shorts to write and a not-very-sick grandkid to mind. What keeps you awake and functioning after a rocky night?
Best answer: A 10 minute nap/rest with eyes closed but awake can do wonders and if often time better spent that trying to power through
posted by raccoon409 at 4:11 PM on October 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by raccoon409 at 4:11 PM on October 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Don't eat any big filling meals. In theory, try to stay a bit hungry, but don't get starving because that'll make your energy dip. But some grazing and snacking instead of meals, being hungry is a feeling that fights tired for me.
Do as much work standing up as possible.
Switch tasks often to prevent brain drifting, shifting focus helps. Double check your work more often though because task switching means more mistakes (for me)
Do a version of exercise that we call "greasing your groove" in my house, where you do like, 50% of what would be a taxing exercise. It's enough to get your blood and endorphins flowing, but not enough to make you feel tired - for my husband, this is like 20 push-ups, for me it's like 10 inclined push-ups against a desk, or 10 sit-ups, or a one minute plank. Do this when you start feeling a bit exhausted.
posted by euphoria066 at 4:20 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
Do as much work standing up as possible.
Switch tasks often to prevent brain drifting, shifting focus helps. Double check your work more often though because task switching means more mistakes (for me)
Do a version of exercise that we call "greasing your groove" in my house, where you do like, 50% of what would be a taxing exercise. It's enough to get your blood and endorphins flowing, but not enough to make you feel tired - for my husband, this is like 20 push-ups, for me it's like 10 inclined push-ups against a desk, or 10 sit-ups, or a one minute plank. Do this when you start feeling a bit exhausted.
posted by euphoria066 at 4:20 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: These are my strategies for getting big projects done because I never have enough energy or time to be lavish with them:
- I make a framework first for what I'm going to produce first. Then I just have to fill in the blanks. It takes a lot of mental energy to remember where you are and what you're doing, so make it easier on yourself by setting up a scaffold to remember that for you. So what do you need for each assignment - I need an introduction, I need to mention x, x, z, then a conclusion. I plan all this stuff out explicitly.
- I think about how much time I have and what I have to produce in that amount of time. So let's say you have 8 hours to get all this stuff done and 400 pages is your goal, that's 50 pages per hour. It may seem scary and daunting when you calculate this, but at least then you'll have a realistic idea of whether or not it's possible. And if it is possible, then you also know you have that going for you. This way every defined period I check in with myself to see if I'm on track. It also gives you something productive to do that's not writing to give yourself a little brain break check on this stuff but without switching tasks or distracting yourself.
The other good thing about this technique is that if worse comes to worse, and you math it out and you're like oh my god there's no human way I can get this done in the amount of time that I have, if something is going to be late, people like to know sooner rather than later, and sometimes it just is what is.
- I get my physical set up as comfortable as possible so my body isn't going to bother me about anything and I can just focus. Get comfy. Don't worry about "being so comfy that you fall asleep". If you fall asleep because you were comfy, you would have fallen asleep anyway. If your body puts you to sleep that means that's what it needs right now, so you have to respect that.
posted by bleep at 4:35 PM on October 12, 2022 [10 favorites]
- I make a framework first for what I'm going to produce first. Then I just have to fill in the blanks. It takes a lot of mental energy to remember where you are and what you're doing, so make it easier on yourself by setting up a scaffold to remember that for you. So what do you need for each assignment - I need an introduction, I need to mention x, x, z, then a conclusion. I plan all this stuff out explicitly.
- I think about how much time I have and what I have to produce in that amount of time. So let's say you have 8 hours to get all this stuff done and 400 pages is your goal, that's 50 pages per hour. It may seem scary and daunting when you calculate this, but at least then you'll have a realistic idea of whether or not it's possible. And if it is possible, then you also know you have that going for you. This way every defined period I check in with myself to see if I'm on track. It also gives you something productive to do that's not writing to give yourself a little brain break check on this stuff but without switching tasks or distracting yourself.
The other good thing about this technique is that if worse comes to worse, and you math it out and you're like oh my god there's no human way I can get this done in the amount of time that I have, if something is going to be late, people like to know sooner rather than later, and sometimes it just is what is.
- I get my physical set up as comfortable as possible so my body isn't going to bother me about anything and I can just focus. Get comfy. Don't worry about "being so comfy that you fall asleep". If you fall asleep because you were comfy, you would have fallen asleep anyway. If your body puts you to sleep that means that's what it needs right now, so you have to respect that.
posted by bleep at 4:35 PM on October 12, 2022 [10 favorites]
Eat as often as you feel like it, but not a solid meal. I go for the kinds of foods hikers eat for energy: apples, trail mix (with dried fruit rather than candy), Clif Bars and so forth -- things that will provide you with healthy types of sugar, carbs, and protein without giving you enough of any to make you crash.
I have had to learn the hard way that a very stiff caffeine drink backfires when there is a big deadline, because the natural energy from anxiety combines with high caffeine levels to produce a crash or the shakes. I suggest green tea or even just herbal tea. Plenty of hot decaf drinks (if it's chilly) or cool sugar-free ones (if it's hot) will help keep you focused and hydrated. In general, any kind of small treat or accommodation to make yourself more comfortable is worth it when you're running on fumes.
Finally, it may be too late for this where you are, but when there's a big workload coming up, I will often front-load my sleep. This means going to bed as early as 6 or 7 pm, then waking up at 12 am and getting on with things. Often this allows me to get enough done to get a nap around dawn. After my early 20s, I couldn't pull all-nighters anymore, but I can just about manage this. It definitely helps me feel and act more human on the following day.
posted by Countess Elena at 6:10 PM on October 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
I have had to learn the hard way that a very stiff caffeine drink backfires when there is a big deadline, because the natural energy from anxiety combines with high caffeine levels to produce a crash or the shakes. I suggest green tea or even just herbal tea. Plenty of hot decaf drinks (if it's chilly) or cool sugar-free ones (if it's hot) will help keep you focused and hydrated. In general, any kind of small treat or accommodation to make yourself more comfortable is worth it when you're running on fumes.
Finally, it may be too late for this where you are, but when there's a big workload coming up, I will often front-load my sleep. This means going to bed as early as 6 or 7 pm, then waking up at 12 am and getting on with things. Often this allows me to get enough done to get a nap around dawn. After my early 20s, I couldn't pull all-nighters anymore, but I can just about manage this. It definitely helps me feel and act more human on the following day.
posted by Countess Elena at 6:10 PM on October 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: If you're worried you might keel over early, see if you can schedule the work so that everything hits "technically finished to a bare minimum standard" early. Then, if you're still conscious, start working that up to "adequate" and then "good."
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:59 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:59 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
Nap 7pm-9pm then work all night
posted by St. Peepsburg at 8:29 PM on October 12, 2022
posted by St. Peepsburg at 8:29 PM on October 12, 2022
Best answer: Exercise when the energy dips, even if it's just 15 jumping jacks or pushups. Adrenaline will wake you up, at least for a little while.
If you can do the work that requires the most thinking earlier in the day, you'll thank yourself. By the end of the day my low-functioning is much more apparent. Words are missing when I need them. By then, let's hope all the serious thinking is done, since I'm no good for it anymore.
Good luck!
posted by nadise at 9:45 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you can do the work that requires the most thinking earlier in the day, you'll thank yourself. By the end of the day my low-functioning is much more apparent. Words are missing when I need them. By then, let's hope all the serious thinking is done, since I'm no good for it anymore.
Good luck!
posted by nadise at 9:45 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Get outside, or at least open a nearby window, for some fresh air if you start to fade. If you're in Europe it's probably a bit chilly by now, which should help perk you right up.
posted by platinum at 10:22 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by platinum at 10:22 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Good morning Bella Donna -- I'm a bit busy too, so this will be brief: I start the day with a walk in the fresh air. This freshens me up for at least two-three hours where I try to get the intellectually challenging stuff done. After a while I will get tired again, but then I try to do the simpler tasks, while drinking tea or coffee (Only one coffee a day for me, otherwise I can't sleep and the bad cycle cycles on).
posted by mumimor at 10:56 PM on October 12, 2022
posted by mumimor at 10:56 PM on October 12, 2022
Best answer: This is my routine: take as many outdoor breaks as you can. Even if they're only 5 or 10 minutes, taking 3-4 breaks minimum so that you can get outside will do you a world of good (I don't only mean spiritual good, I mean exposing yourself to the brightness of the outdoors will help your brain trigger its alertness functions, and walking so that you're using your visual processing centers will help calm at least one part of your brain that drives anxiety and fear). Bring your grandkid if you and they are up for it, share the wealth of the time together, outside, taking even a few precious moments away from your work deadlines.
Hang in there, you'll be sighing with the relief of completion soon enough.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 1:44 AM on October 13, 2022
Hang in there, you'll be sighing with the relief of completion soon enough.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 1:44 AM on October 13, 2022
When I was trying to get by on far too little sleep, in a fairly intense environment where I needed to be functioning at a high level for a long working day, my solution was six small black coffees spaced throughout the day, augmented by plain M&Ms as needed (just one or two at a time).
Also: plenty of water, as much exposure to daylight as possible, a walk at lunchtime, and a light lunch (something in the sushi family works best for me in this context, but your digestion may vary).
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 2:00 AM on October 13, 2022
Also: plenty of water, as much exposure to daylight as possible, a walk at lunchtime, and a light lunch (something in the sushi family works best for me in this context, but your digestion may vary).
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 2:00 AM on October 13, 2022
Best answer: Lots of light, artificial if needed – gather any lamps to your work space.
posted by lookoutbelow at 2:18 AM on October 13, 2022
posted by lookoutbelow at 2:18 AM on October 13, 2022
Best answer: 40 minute power naps (which don't have to involve sleep, but should involve closing your eyes and PUTTING DOWN THE PHONE, in my case) are how I get through a day on short or no sleep. Your grandkid might want to nap with you if they're not feeling great. Set an alarm!
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 10:01 AM on October 13, 2022
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 10:01 AM on October 13, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also: stay hydrated, don't drink too much caffeine and eat something spicy if
energy dips.
posted by JaneTheGood at 3:50 PM on October 12, 2022 [3 favorites]