Tom Lemanski's

Your Bridge to Discovery

Tom Lemanski's

That Critical Decision: When Should You “Sleep on It”?

There are times with decision making when we have both the need and the time to think it over. It might make sense to sleep on it.

By the way the words “think it over” strikes fear in the hearts of assertive sales people everywhere. The reality is you get to decide how you decide. To help with that, here’s my barroom example.

A Guy Walked into a Bar...

About 10 years ago I attended an in-person conference with other professional development colleagues. As was typical with these events, there was as much or more value in after hours bar conversations as in the formal sessions. In fact we grew to refer to the bar as The Knowledge Center.

One night in The Knowledge Center, Doug, (a senior colleague) approached me with an offer to collaborate with him to develop content for radio commercials for his business. Media folks are notorious for bartering with air time. So Doug needed to create content for his new found commercial time. He offered me a lower than market hourly rate justified by the idea that I would also gain from our collaboration.

The Challenge and Creative Solution

After considering his offer, I shared a conundrum:

“Here’s the problem; I do some of my best creative work when I’m asleep. Are you willing to pay me for sleeping on the job?”

The idea didn’t need explanation. Doug immediately understood. We’d had previous discussions about the power of the subconscious mind.

Of course there are countless other things that our minds work on when we’re sleeping. Some people keep a pen and paper at their bedside so they can capture potential eureka moments before they’re forgotten. So when would I know when to stop and start my meter to account for my creative time invested on his project?

We resolved the terms of our transaction the radio station way. We bartered. I had some coaching needs to exchange for his creative needs. So we found a creative way for me to get paid for sleeping on the job. A mutually beneficial win – win.

Leveraging The Power of the Subconscious Mind

The reality is that we all spend some time sleeping on the job. We can’t measure the amount of time our subconscious is at work solving processing our problems and decisions. But as knowledge workers, the work we do sleeping on the job does serve to make our conscious work hours more valuable.

With this in mind, how can we use our subconscious brain power more effectively?

It helps to remember that our subconscious is a very obedient servant. And that it has gathered and stored a lifetime of knowledge and experience. It just needs to be accessed. So when you assign a task to your subconscious, it will obediently and diligently go to work to solve the challenges you assign it; given some processing time.

Sleeping On Your Important Decisions

I’ve now answered the question about sleeping on complex decisions. If you have the time to allow your subconscious the opportunity to process your situation overnight, you will likely wake up with more clarity. The result is a more informed decision.

The Caveat: Over Doing It

If sleeping on an important decision for one night is good, multiple nights would be even better. Right? Probably not.

If you’re a perfectionist, this could be a trap that leads to needless and potentially harmful procrastination. If some new information or insight surfaces that makes your decision more complicated, MAYBE another night of processing time could help. Be aware that one night to sleep on it is enough for all but the most complicated of issues. Sleeping on a decision for multiple nights is most likely an unconscious decision not to make a decision. You need to stop hitting the snooze button. If you consider yourself an executive, remember; Execute is the root word.

Is Sleep Time Always Necessary?

The ability to sleep on a decision is a luxury. The urgency of some situations doesn’t allow us time to think it over either with or without the benefit of sleep. When a police officer walks into a crime scene and faces an armed suspect, there typically isn’t time to process the decision to pull the trigger. Given the proper experience and insight, the mind is capable of rapid cognitive decision making.

Malcolm Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point, addresses “The Power of Thinking without Thinking” in his book Blink. The book sites scores of examples of people who can immediately act instinctively. But your instincts must be developed. Experienced surgeons are able to respond to unexpected events during a procedure.

On my bar interaction with Doug, I didn’t need time to think it over. I instinctively came up with the idea of bartering, even after some adult beverages. Another example of rapid decision making.

Sleeping on a decision is a luxury. In complex situations, you can benefit from additional processing time Without the luxury of thinking things over, can you trust the instincts you’ve developed? If not, find someone who has the knowledge, intellect and experience that can “think without thinking”.

The Essential Prerequisite for Successfully Leading Others

February 21, 2025

Bad Hair Days and Big Opportunities: Overcoming Video Communication Fears

January 15, 2025

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what’s a video worth? I believe that Video Communication is “the next best thing to being there” in person. Better than a text, or an email or a phone call.

What Do You Tolerate?

November 8, 2024

Tom Lemanski

Elevating Leaders to Achieve Breakthrough Success

Tom Lemanski helps accomplished leaders unlock potential, solve complex challenges, and amplify their impact.

WHY IT MATTERS

Effective leadership is the key to driving meaningful, lasting success in a fast-changing world.

THE BIG PICTURE

For over 20 years, Tom has guided leaders across 60+ industries to achieve clarity, confidence, and commitment.
His 3 Cs framework transforms uncertainty into actionable outcomes, fostering purpose-driven leadership.

RESULTS

Tom’s focus on innovative strategies and self-awareness creates transformative results for leaders striving for the next level.

Tom Lemanski's

Your Bridge to Discovery

Tom Lemanski's

That Critical Decision: When Should You “Sleep on It”?

A Guy Walked into a Bar...

The Challenge and Creative Solution

Leveraging The Power of the Subconscious Mind

With this in mind, how can we use our subconscious brain power more effectively?

Sleeping On Your Important Decisions

The Caveat: Over Doing It

Is Sleep Time Always Necessary?

Related Articles

Elevating Leaders to Achieve Breakthrough Success

WHY IT MATTERS

THE BIG PICTURE

RESULTS

Become a Subscriber

Social Sharing

Enhance your power by sharing!

Search Articles

Daily Inspiration

Recent Posts

Popular This Month

Follow Us

Get In Touch

About

Coaching Services

We use cookies to improve your experience on our site.