😴Rest is Productive - Especially on a Plane

Resting is the best game plan. Even on a long flight.

Happy Sunday Friends,

I started writing this newsletter from 37,000 ft suspended somewhere in the middle of Sydney and Dubai.

Over the years, I have read some remarkable accounts of people being supremely productive on flights. Some finish book drafts, some make business plans, etc.

I, on the other hand, am a prolific plane sleeper. I do everything to get a good sleep on a long flight (my record is 14 hours out of 22 hours from London to Sydney). I buy gadgets and clothing to optimise my plane sleep (next level.. I know). Sometimes, I can work too. But those are rare occasions. Most times, I am out even before the safety announcements.

But this time, I thought I would do something different. I would not watch any on-screen stuff or use in-flight wifi. Instead, I would break down the 14.5-hour flight like a workday. I would read and take notes, sleep, write, and do some stretches in between. And every time I would fail at sticking to something, I would just sleep because that's what I do best in fights anyway. The upside is that I will be well rested and hopefully keep the jet lag at bay when I land.

At the beginning of this flight, I opened the paper I hoped to edit and realised that I had not downloaded the copy with reviewer comments. I had also not signed in to the Emirates app with my frequent flyer number, so I couldn’t use the free wifi to download it. But I stuck to the plan: no Wi-Fi and no TV. So, I grabbed my in-flight reading, “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker and took as many notes as I could.

I am 7.5 hours into this flight. I have stretched for about 30 minutes (sticking to maintaining some movement even on a flight), slept for roughly 2 hours and read a quarter of the book with detailed notes. But now that this newsletter draft is out of the way and the rest of my time is free from the paper edit, I can't help but suit up for a good sleep.

I mean business when I say suit up because my travel sleep gear is curated after eight years of solo travel experimentation. I might look like a crazy person sitting cross-legged on a hammock footrest, but trust me, I am having probably the best sleep one can have in an economy-class cabin.

However, before I sleep. I want to share two things from my failed work plans on this flight:

1. Even your best intentions require a game plan

I have heard goal-smashing productivity stories from writers and content creators who are prepared to write on a long flight. But my intention was not enough. I simply didn’t take enough measures to make sure this one paper gets done. And that’s ok.

2. Rest is productive, so we should optimise it. Even on a plane. Especially on a plane.

I have taken long flights with friends so many times, and each time, they laugh at how prepared I am to sleep on the plane. They are also surprised when I am fresh, like no one’s business when I reach the destination.

The same happened when I landed in Dubai yesterday. I slept at regular hours, and except for a bit of tiredness around 7 pm Dubai time, I haven't experienced jet lag. And I can attribute it to this single agenda to rest. Even in an uncomfortable situation like an economy-class plane seat. It has worked wonders for me to remain calm when all plans fail.

I guess what I am trying to stay here is if all your plans to make great stuff, despite your best intentions, fail this week. Try resting. It might feel like you are doing nothing, but you are optimising your body for the work that is close to your heart.

Tomorrow is a new day, and you will find a way to accomplish your goals in your own unique way.

Have a great week :)

Love,

Wajiha