The impact of sleep quality on motivation
We’ve all been there — struggling to get out of bed and face the day after a broken night’s sleep. Feeling overwhelmed by tasks that would usually feel easy, if only you’d had enough rest. Counting down the hours until your head hits the pillow again.
Sleep quality — or perhaps more aptly, the lack of it — can have a huge impact on your motivation levels. Caffeine and willpower can only take you so far: if you’re not getting enough sleep, your desire to seize the day will probably fizzle out long before someone who’s fighting fit after a full night’s rest.
You might think sleep is a personal issue, but more organisations are realising they play a role in helping people get their requisite 7-9 hours. Gone are the days when employees could easily leave work at work — now emails, Slack and Teams messages have the potential to follow you home, pinging through commutes, family dinners, your evening show. The pressure to keep up with these neverending notifications can feel heavy, unless your employer makes it clear it’s safe for you to switch off.
Other ways employers can support healthy sleep is through flexible working initiatives. For example, allowing time for exercise during the work day or even allowing employees to work the hours they feel most productive. While this isn’t impossible in every workplace, it’s promising to see employers look for ways they can get creative in supporting their people’s wellbeing — maybe it’s through providing nutrient-dense snacks or partially funding access to sleep specialists.
So here’s the thing: if you’ve been feeling unmotivated lately, it’s not a personal failing. It might simply be your body waving a tired little flag, asking for rest. By making some small tweaks to your sleep hygiene, you may find your spark again.