In-House Counsel

Sleep Is Not Currency

Your clarity of mind is critical and directly related to your sleeping habits.

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Back in law school, there was a boy in my class who was terrible with time management.

Everyone knew it, but it was particularly evident any time an assignment was due because you could see he had barely slept. His hair was super messy, his eyes were glazed over, and he let out a huge yawn every five minutes (and not just because the teacher was droning on). The funniest thing was when really trying to stay awake. He would force his eyes open really wide and sit as upright as possible.

It would seem like he was awake, but the worst was still to come. After swaying like a tree in the breeze as he fought back waves of exhaustion, he tried a new tactic. He would sit with his elbows on his desk, holding a sharpened pencil under his chin! Any time his head began to droop, he would get pricked, suddenly (hopefully) able to focus for a few minutes before it happened again.

That sounds crazy — and it is — but I only realized the craziest part when I entered the corporate world. Attorneys not only normalize a lack of sleep but glorify it! Some even make it seem like a self-sacrificial act of heroism. To be honest, I believe it is a self-defeating act of stupidity!

Clarity of mind is a key element for any profession, and I have found it to be one of my best assets. It guides me, not only in my position as a CEO, but also in college, law school, and every other aspect of life. Your clarity of mind is critical and directly related to your sleeping habits.

If it helps you to understand, let me break down my philosophy on sleep.

First, sleep is not a currency. You should not be exchanging sleep for other things, thinking you’ve made a good or healthy purchase. As a matter of fact, you shouldn’t be exchanging sleep at all!

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Second, your well-being is priceless so, even if sleep were a currency, you still wouldn’t be able to buy anything because of the effect it has on you. I will occasionally settle for seven hours of sleep, but I know I usually need at least eight. In an ideal world, I would be getting ten, with those extra two hours acting like a dessert after the main course. You cannot have it every night without any consequences. You still have responsibilities.

Third, there is a balance to be found between work, rest, family, friends, and self-improvement. Sleep ensures that each of those interactions will be clear and impactful because you are well-rested.

I informally polled LinkedIn on the phenomenon and received quite a few responses that boiled it down to being a matter of ego. Someone in my network coined the term “Machoville” to explain how most lawyers live in a psychological town where everything is a test, a competition, or an act of heroism, where those who suffer the most win. In my opinion, this kind of self-inflicted suffering deserves neither sympathy nor glory.

I have more than just one bone to pick with this issue. The most obvious consequence is that it is unhealthy, inhibiting your ability to think clearly. It clouds your judgment, lowering the quality and efficiency of your work.

Bottom line?

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Rest well. Don’t compromise your sleep. That is how you maximize your output and impact.

Olga V. Mack is the CEO of Parley Pro, a next-generation contract management company that has pioneered online negotiation technology. Olga embraces legal innovation and had dedicated her career to improving and shaping the future of law. She is convinced that the legal profession will emerge even stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive than before by embracing technology. Olga is also an award-winning general counsel, operations professional, startup advisor, public speaker, adjunct professor, and entrepreneur. She founded the Women Serve on Boards movement that advocates for women to participate on corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies. She authored Get on Board: Earning Your Ticket to a Corporate Board Seat and Fundamentals of Smart Contract Security. You can follow Olga on Twitter @olgavmack.

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