This morning I remembered a half-serious discussion I had 15 years ago or so with a physiotherapist friend of mine. I was suggesting that a more effective way to manage your sleep was to do like dogs and cats do – i.e. work/play until you get tired, then sleep until you woke, then repeat, regardless of the time of day. My friend disagreed with me, saying it is best for the human body to sleep for longer, more regular stretches.
I remembered it because I was reading about a man called Richard Buckminster Fuller, who according to Wikipedia, lived a full life, and contributed much to our world.
There are many interesting facts about his life, including the fact that he often wore three watches simultaneously, died within 36 hours of his wife of 66 years, was the second president of Mensa, and for two whole years slept according to my suggestion above, only stopping because it conflicted with the sleep habits of his business associates.
There was one quote of his I found particularly useful though, and I want to share it with you, as we approach the reflective time of year that the Christmas and New Year period is for many.
“What is my job on this planet? What is it that needs doing, that I know something about, that probably won’t happen unless I take responsibility for it?”