Consulting Lessons Learned 12: Working late at night
As a consultant you will often have to work long hours. Here are my top 3 tips for working late at night:
1) No food after 9pm
When you work past midnight, you will often get hungry again. I advise against midnight meals. Instead, focus on drinking more water than usually. It will keep you energized longer and will improve your sleep after a long working night.
2) Lights on
When it gets dark outside, turn on all lights in your hotel room. You don’t want to sit in a dark room in front of your laptop. This will keep you awake longer, is better for your eyes and will help your body realize when it’s time to sleep and when not.
3) Stay efficient by relaxed
It’s hard to keep the right level of efficiency at night. Don’t lose your efficiency because you think the night of sleep is lost either way. However, at the same time try to stay calm and focused. Working at night should be about working highly focused on a bigger task without continuous interruptions. Don’t stress yourself but stay focused!
