Basic HTML Version

|  | Table of Contents |  | View Full Version

Page 42 - The Indian EYE 071026
P. 42

    The Indian Eye
                                            Business Strategy with Hirav Shah                                                               42
                                                                                                                         JULY 10, 2026

             Can You Build a Strong Business Without Proper Sleep?

             Working 16 hours with an exhausted mind may produce less value than working 10 focused

                                           hours with a clear, energetic, and well rested brain

                                                                                                                  cessful entrepreneurs do not just man-
                                                                                                                  age their calendars; they manage their
                                                                                                                  energy.  They  understand  that  every
                                                                                                                  negotiation,  hiring  decision,  invest-
                                                                                                                  ment,  product  launch,  and  strategic
                                                                                                                  discussion depends on mental clarity.
                                                                                                                      In  today’s  competitive  business
                                                                                                                  environment,  energy  has  become  a
                                                                                                                  competitive  advantage.  And  one  of
                                                                                                                  the simplest ways to protect that ad-
                                                                                                                  vantage is by making quality sleep a
                       HIRAV SHAH                                                                                 non negotiable part of your daily rou-
                                                                                                                  tine.
               n business, we talk endlessly about                                                                    As Hirav Shah often says, “Work
               strategy, mindset, innovation, and                                                                 hard, but never let exhaustion become
            Imarketing. But rarely do we dis-                                                                     your business strategy.”
            cuss the one factor that quietly con-                                                                     Exercise: Sleep Audit for
            trols  them  all.  Before  we  enter  the                                                                      Entrepreneurs
            questions, pause and reflect—what if                                                                  Answer honestly:
            your growth ceiling is directly linked   During sleep, the brain processes information, repairs neural pathways, balances hormones,   1. How many hours do you sleep dai-
            to how well you sleep? Before debat-                                                                    ly?
            ing growth tactics or scaling models,               and restores cognitive function (File photo)      2. Do  you wake up refreshed  or ex-
            let’s step back and examine a more                                                                      hausted?
            fundamental question.             Short-term survival replaces struc-  Hirav  Shah,  entrepreneurs  should   3. Are your major decisions taken
                Q1: What is sleep, really?    tured planning. Sleep is not separate   stop  treating  sleep  as  an  interrup-  when mentally fresh?
                Sleep is not just rest. It is a bio-  from strategy—it strengthens it.  tion to success and start treating it as
            logical reset system. During sleep, the   Q4: Can innovation survive without   part of their business strategy. Just as   4. Is fatigue affecting your mood with
                                                                                                                    your team?
            brain processes information, repairs   proper sleep?                companies invest in technology, peo-  5. Would you invest in a strategy that
            neural pathways, balances hormones,   Rarely.                       ple,  and  marketing  to  improve  per-  runs on 50% efficiency?
            and restores cognitive function. Deep   Sleep  enhances  problem-solving   formance, leaders must also invest in   Score yourself. If  sleep is below
            sleep improves memory  consolida-  and pattern recognition. Studies from   their own physical and mental recov-  6–7 quality hours consistently, your
            tion. REM sleep enhances creativity   Stanford University highlight how ad-  ery. A tired leader cannot consistently   performance is likely compromised.
            and  emotional  regulation.  In  short,   equate sleep improves creative output   make energetic decisions for a grow-  Practical Tips
            sleep is the body’s strategic recovery   and  solution-based  thinking.  When   ing business.         • Fix a consistent sleep schedule.
            phase.                            leaders are sleep-deprived, ideas be-  Q8: Is sleeping less a sign of hard   • Avoid screens 45 minutes before
                Q2: Why does sleep matter in busi-  come repetitive, safe, and limited.  work?
                                                                                                                    bed.
            ness?                                 Innovation  demands   mental      Not necessarily.              • Reduce caffeine after 4 PM.
                Because business runs on de-  freshness.                            One of the biggest myths in the
            cisions. And decisions run on brain   Q5: Does sleep impact leadership   business  world  is  that  sleeping  less   • Protect at least 7 hours of sleep
                                                                                                                    like a board meeting.
            performance.  Lack  of  sleep  reduces   and team culture?          automatically means working harder.   • Make critical decisions when men-
            focus,  slows  reaction  time,  increas-  Absolutely.               Many entrepreneurs wear sleep depri-  tally fresh.
            es impulsive choices, and weakens     Fatigue   increases   irritability,   vation like a badge of honour, believ-
            judgment. Research from institutions   emotional instability, and poor com-  ing that longer working hours always   Conclusion
            like Harvard Medical School shows   munication. A tired leader transfers   produce better results.        Strategy builds business. Mindset
            that sleep deprivation affects the pre-  stress downward.  A  rested leader   According to Business Strategist   sustains growth. Innovation drives ex-
            frontal cortex—the part responsible   transfers confidence. Sleep indirectly   Hirav Shah, this mindset often con-  pansion.  Marketing  creates  visibility.
            for strategic thinking and risk assess-  shapes organizational culture.  fuses activity with productivity. Busi-  But sleep protects the leader behind
            ment. If strategy, mindset, innovation,   Q6: What happens financially when   ness success is rarely determined by   all of it.
            and marketing drive business growth,   sleep is ignored?            how many hours you stay awake. It is   So  ask  yourself  again:  Can  you
            sleep protects the engine that manag-  Poor sleep leads to poor deci-  determined by the quality of the deci-  truly build a strong business without
            es all four.                      sions. Poor decisions leak money si-  sions you make during the hours you   proper sleep?
                Q3: How is sleep connected to strat-  lently.                   are awake.
            egy?                                  Delayed  responses,  misjudged    Working  16  hours  with  an  ex-
                Strategy  requires  clarity.  Clar-  risks, weak negotiations, and lack of   hausted mind may produce less value   Hirav Shah is the Global Business
            ity  requires  cognitive  sharpness.   strategic  patience  all  cost  businesses   than working 10 focused hours with a   Strategist, Game Changer, and Author
            Cognitive  sharpness  requires  sleep.   more than entrepreneurs realize.  clear, energetic, and well rested brain.   of 19+ books—trusted worldwide for
                                                                                                                    validating big decisions of entrepre-
            When  sleep  is  compromised,  long-  Q7: Can entrepreneurs train them-  Businesses  reward  effectiveness, not   neurs, sportsmen, and entertainers.
            term  thinking  shrinks.  Leaders  be-  selves to sleep better?     simply effort.
            come reactive instead of proactive.   According to Business Strategist   Hirav Shah also believes that suc-  Email : Business@hiravshah.com

                                                                   www.TheIndianEYE.com

| 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 |