The body clock we are allborn with is responsible for whether you are a morning or night person. Thisinvisible force may also dictate what type of small business might be right foryou.
The internal timepiecedetermines if you are a "lark" or "early bird", meaning thekind of person who is up at dawn, sharp as a tack and raring to go full force.If you are lethargic and apathetic in the morning but lively, energetic and onpoint during the late night hours, you are an "owl." The rest of usare "hummingbirds" – ready for action in the morning or late atnight. Some experts argue that hummingbirds may gravitate toward being"larks" or "owls" but generally are productive at anytime.
So what’s a"larkish" business owner to do when running a business requires somelate night hours? And is it possible for an "owl" to ever getanything done during the early morning hours or even before lunch?
The sleep factor
The solution is simple: Inorder to make the most of your day you’ve got to make the most of your night –no matter what your body clock regulates. The key to everything is sleep andgetting enough of it. Nearly everyone needs at least eight hours of sleep,according to various sleep experts. Sleep deprivation can lead to serioushealth problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and mental illness. Somesleeping disorder scientists contend that just one week of decreased sleep willhinder your ability to fight infections, manage stress and properly processcarbohydrates.
Energetic schedules
Entrepreneurs shouldschedule their days based almost exclusively on their energy level. Forexample, "larkish" people should work on projects that requireconcentration and attention to detail in the morning. Whenever possible,larkish business owners should hold staff and client meetings early in themorning, before lunch. This is especially important if the meetings areexpected to be lengthy, intense and even contentious.
Reserve the afternoon hoursfor sorting through the mail, responding to e-mails and holding informal orperhaps one-on-one interviews or meetings. Simply put, night owls should do theopposite. Do the easy stuff in the morning and the more cumbersome and tedioustasks in the afternoon or early evening.
Nap time
Back in the 1980s businesspeople used the power lunch to energize. Now we use the power nap. Believe itor not, a quick 20-minute nap can nearly recharge and restore your body clockto its full potential. It might also be a good idea as a business owner tooffer this luxury to some of your employees. Some savvy and progressive mid tolarge companies encourage employees to take a "cat nap" during thecourse of hectic workday. In fact, some firms even provide a "nap" orsnooze room for workers. In some cases, a 20-minute nap will boost your energyand proficiency level more than a cup of coffee or sugar laced cookie or donut.
Healthy Lifestyle
Entrepreneurs often workexcessively long hours in order to establish and maintain their dream job ofself-employment. Frequently, things such as visits to the doctor and regularcheck-ups are neglected or put on the back burner. While we all are somewhatguided by our internal clock, the key to adjusting to a morning or night ritualis to keep your health in check.
When your energy andproficiency level is in a slump, don’t simply accept it as the inevitablebyproduct of your body clock. Take a quick walk; drink a glass of water; take apower nap and recharge your faculties. While you cannot reset your body clock,you can indeed reboot and electrify yourself in order to maximize yourproductivity and help your business thrive.
– Courtesy of the NationalFederation of Independent Businesses. For more information on this topic, visitwww.nfib.com.
