Work has changed dramatically in recent years, as the pandemic accelerated trends of flexible work hours, remote work, and more. Here are 4 insights from a survey of 200 high achievers about how they’re getting their work done.

Productivity suffers tremendously if you’re not adequately rested. Here are 3 things you can do to make sure you get a good night’s sleep.

Our bodies are designed to function best with sleep. The secret to win at work and succeed in life, sleep.

My two-year-old is asleep for the third time today. I thought I had developed a clever disciplinary method when I started telling him that cranky kids need naps, and sending him to bed multiple times. Turns out I was being more clever than I knew. Instead of being better behaved, he just keeps going to […]

The intentions are noble: You want to buy a house with a backyard for your kids, pay off debt, or do something to actually justify the $50,000 worth of student loans that feels like a noose around your neck. You vow to work harder than everyone else on your team, to be the first one […]

This past weekend our family had to cancel a special trip to a friend’s lake house that had been circled on the calendar for months. Our initial weekend plans had play and adventure built into them to recharge the grownups, help us finish a busy season well and open our minds up to new possibilities […]

For my first job in Washington, DC, I worked very long hours. One night, a rare dinner date was lined up. “What time do you get off?” my date asked to coordinate. A long, awkward pause followed. “It’s kind of a philosophical question,” I finally admitted. That was fine by me at the time, but […]

How do you feel when there’s a difficult conversation brewing at work that you won’t be able to duck? Unless you’re a sociopath, the answer is usually “not good.” Most of us know the ill effects of dreaded discussions. A brewing conflict will make you more distracted and irritable, which has knock-on physical effects, which […]

One of the most important lessons I have learned about productivity is this: It’s less about managing time and more about managing energy. Why? Because time is fixed, but our energy can flex. Most people get this exactly backward. They cram their day with tasks, thinking they can get it all done. Instead, they end […]

No sleep.” “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” “Sleep is for the weak.” I often see motivational statements like these hashtagged on social media. The idea is to spur high-achievers on to work harder for better results. But what if that’s exactly backwards? What if our willingness to shortchange our sleep is actually sabotaging our success?

Have you ever found yourself feeling like you have too much work and not enough margin? The good news is that it can change. Here are seven strategies I am following.

On a recent Catalyst Podcast , Andy Stanley said, “The best thing a leader can bring to his team is his energy” (quoting Bill Hybels). … The good news is that you can be a more energetic leader by becoming more aware and intentional about developing it.

Leadership and entrepreneurial breakthroughs depend on creativity. But we don’t always feel very creative, do we? Thankfully, research suggests we all have access to the kind of creativity we need to get the results we want—even if you don’t feel especially creative. Last week I went fly fishing on Hesse Creek in East Tennessee. Nothing […]

The weekend gives most of us the chance to downshift and recharge. But how often do we seize on it to catch up or get ahead on our work instead? If researchers are right, more than ever before. Not only are we working more hours on the weekend, we’re cramming the time with more chores, […]

If you’re an entrepreneur, corporate boss, or ministry leader, chances are good you’re not getting enough sleep. In fact, I’d bet money on it. The national average is short of seven hours a night. And that number, already below the recommended eight, is probably overstated. Why do I think that?

I love Amazon, but like many I was disturbed by what I read in the New York Times’ recent exposé. Still, I was actually more disturbed by what came next. I read defenses of Amazon from entrepreneurs, leaders, tech writers, and others. Some were easy to agree with. It’s a free country, after all. People […]

When do you make your best decisions, at the end of a day crammed with meetings and calls? Or early in the morning after a day of rest? My Twitter stream was filled last week with teachers and professors grading papers—and by that I mean teachers and professors complaining about grading papers. It’s hard work, […]

I’ve been talking about the benefits of working at a standup desk for years now. Standing makes you feel happier and more energetic. It also burns more calories. I’ve also been a major advocate for getting enough sleep each night. Sleep keeps us sharp and improves our ability to remember, learn, and grow. Now I’m […]

The evidence is undeniable—we need good sleep to perform at our best. And one way we can get more rest is to make room in the middle of the day for a killer nap. I once worked for a man who napped nearly every day. He would sit upright in his chair, hold his keys […]

Every business has projects from time to time that demand our total focus and attention. The good news is that there are certain tactics we can use to keep our edge even when we’re under the gun. The most important thing is to recognize up front that we have to prepare. If you were going […]

I’ve been thinking a lot about sleep recently. Most research shows that we don’t get enough, and our deficit is seriously hurting our productivity, our physical health, even our mental well being. Leaders and business writers like Arianna Huffington and Tom Rath are devoting more time to the topic. Greg McKeown’s Essentialism, a book I’m […]

Our society puts a high value on achievement but not much on rest. I hear people brag about how much they work and play but never how much they sleep—usually the opposite. But what if sleep could help you achieve more? My team and I just finished launching the Get Noticed! Theme for WordPress, and […]

I started experiencing mild depression the week before Christmas. Here’s how I overcame it by re-focusing on the basics.

Of all the things that affect my energy and productivity, nothing is more important than getting a good night’s sleep. Exercise, diet, and mental focus are all important, but they can’t make up for a lack of rest. Here’s how I make sure I get a good night’s sleep.