126: How Ops Execs Slam Mental Doors Shut at 3am

Find the full transcript and more support for ops execs at YourFutureRealized.com/126.

I consider myself solar powered — but sleep? That’s my real fuel. It’s what makes the sun feel warmer, conversations easier, and the world a little less sharp around the edges.

Without it, things go sideways. So when I hear someone say, ‘I was up at 2 again,’ the alarms in my head go off. Running operations sleepless is like driving on low oil. Sure, you’ll move for a while, but you’re grinding down the engine.

A client recently emailed me at 3 a.m.: ‘Still up, replaying a meeting, worried I mis-read it.’ I’ve been there — one weird exchange looping in my head for days, even when there’s nothing new to learn.

In this episode you’ll get a simple trick  to shut down that 3 a.m. loop and get your sleep back. 

Transcript

I consider myself solar powered — but sleep? That’s my real fuel. It’s what makes the sun feel warmer, conversations easier, and the world a little less sharp around the edges.

Without it, things go sideways. So when I hear someone say, ‘I was up at 2 again,’ the alarms in my head go off. Running operations sleepless is like driving on low oil. Sure, you’ll move for a while, but you’re grinding down the engine.

A client recently emailed me at 3 a.m.: ‘Still up, replaying a meeting, worried I mis-read it.’ I’ve been there — one weird exchange looping in my head for days, even when there’s nothing new to learn.

In this episode you’ll get a simple trick  to shut down that 3 a.m. loop and get your sleep back. Find the full transcript and more support for ops execs at YourFutureRealized.com/126.

Why Ops Leaders Can't Sleep (And How It Hurts Decisions)

Hey Ops Execs, 

You know this feeling, right?  You’ve had a long day — meetings, calls, a mountain of to-dos — and then boom, 3 a.m. hits, when you should dead to the world, but some little moment from the day starts eating at you. Something is just not sitting right. And so you lay there staring up at the ceiling and replay it over and over. Maybe even scrolling that email on your phone, hunting for clues. 

That vigilance, that finely tuned radar — it’s what keeps your ship steady, so kudos to that. But that same great asset can become a liability and turn on you at 2 a.m.. Honestly, it took me years to figure that out.

The Door Metaphor: Close Mental Loops for Good

Years ago, someone wise told me how they handle it: Treat decisions like doors — once you’ve done your homework and walked through, close it behind you. And reopen that door only if new information knocks. 

Not doubt. Not thinking “What if they hate it?” Just new data.

Honestly, this sounded arrogant when I first heard it. But replaying meetings in the middle of the night wasn't helping anyone — least of all me. Turns out, closing that mental door is the kindest thing you can do for yourself. It lets your brain rest, so you show up sharp for the people who are counting on you.

That client who emailed at 3am had turned nightly replays into a habit. What helped her? What finally helped her was ending each day jotting down three quick things—what she'd decided, why it made sense, and what new info would actually reopen the door.

From 3AM Email to Sleeping Soundly

She told me yesterday, "I thought I was just being thorough—if I didn't dig with a magnifying glass, I'd miss the disaster. Hyper-focus has its place but not at 3 a.m! What a relief to finally really get that."

I love how she caught that—how what felt like 'thorough' was really fear wearing a mask. Ever notice that happening with you?

This little end of day reflection habit might feel a little clunky at first — like sorting a junk drawer when you’re already wiped out. And it takes some discipline, especially when you’re mentally or physically dealing with other things. Funny thing is that it works because it's simple enough to stick, even on tough nights. Turns out our brains sometimes crave drama more than data.

Today I’ll leave you with this question: Which decision are you replaying tonight—and what's the new info—like fresh data or facts—it'd really take to reopen it?

 Sleep on that tonight — and if your mind’s 3 a.m. wake-up track sounds more like "What if this all goes wrong?" tune in to episode 127, next in this Sleepless in Ops series. Look for it at YourFutureRealized.com/127.

You can’t stop the chaos, but you can change the game. And I’m always in your corner. Sleep well!