A sleepless dog, a missing mouse, and what it taught me about focus
Sleep has been in short supply in our house recently.
Our dog Lily, usually calm and playful during the day, has turned into a night-time patrol guard. She paces the bedroom, ears pricked, eyes alert, unwilling to settle.
It all started after she spent more than an hour tracking a mouse that had made itself a cosy home behind the radiator. Lily eventually flushed it out, but in her mind, the job isn’t finished. Ever since, she’s been on duty – convinced there’s still something lurking.
We’re trying medication to ease her anxiety, and we may even let her stay with a sitter for a couple of nights, just to reset the cycle.
But in the meantime?
We’re shattered!
When Sleep Slips, So Does Everything Else
What’s hit me is that it’s not just about being tired.
Lack of sleep seeps into everything.
• Concentration vanishes.
• Focus drifts.
• Even the simplest tasks feel harder.
• And beneath it all, there’s this fog of worry about her that clouds everything else.
Work becomes tougher. Home life feels heavier. The spiral starts quickly.
Productivity Is Built on Self-Care
It’s a reminder I didn’t particularly want, but one I needed.
Productivity isn’t just about to-do lists, colour-coded calendars, or clever planning apps.
At its foundation, productivity is built on self-care.
If you’re not looking after yourself with sleep, rest, health, and a little space to think, none of the other strategies really stick.
The sharper and more energised you are, the more effective you can be.
Sometimes that means stepping away, sometimes it means asking for help, sometimes it simply means giving yourself permission to pause.
For us right now, it means helping Lily to feel safe so that we can all sleep again.
For you, it might be something else entirely such as exercise, switching off earlier, eating better, or simply saying “no” a little more often.
Your Challenge This Week
So here’s my challenge to you:
What’s the one thing you could do this week to look after yourself just a little better so that you can focus, concentrate, and show up at your best?
We’ve all heard the saying that if you don’t put your own oxygen mask on first, you won’t be much use to anyone else…
And the funny thing?
The better care you take of yourself, the more your productivity takes care of itself.
