leighyor
07-02-2008, 03:47 AM
How To: Pull An All-Nighter
By Jacob Franek
There comes a time in every man’s life when he must sacrifice sleep for the sake of success. Whether procrastination is to blame or lack of planning, it does not matter when you’re staring down the barrel of time’s gun. The fact is that you screwed up somewhere along the way and now it’s time to pay your dues. However, as with many things in life, there is a right way and a wrong way to pull an all-nighter. So we’ve taken the liberty of providing you a step-by-step guide to help you stay at peak efficiency and guarantee minimal harm to your body and mind while you pull an all-nighter.
First, however, let’s take a look at why you might need to pull an all-nighter.
why pull an all-nighter?
Most men first pull an all-nighter in their college years, but there are certainly a number of situations that demand such extreme action:
* You have an exam tomorrow and you didn’t study last night because it was happy hour at your campus bar.
* You have an assignment that you haven’t started because you’re still hungover from that road trip to Tijuana.
* You have a report or presentation due in the morning, but you spent most of your afternoon impressing clients with your new golf stroke.
* You’re a fourth-century desert monk of the Christian Church who has chosen to deny sleep to heighten spiritual awareness (true story).
In many cases, simply pulling off the all-nighter isn’t good enough. There are those times in which you actually have to be alert the following morning. It is for this reason that a careful and well thought-out plan of attack is needed.
how to pull an all-nighter
Preparation is the key to success, and this holds double when attempting to pull an all-nighter. Firstly, and most importantly, ensure that you get a good sleep the night before. If that means sacrificing some extra morning time to sleep in instead of starting your work, go for it -- the extra rest might just pay off in the long run -- but then again, if you had time to sleep, you wouldn’t be in this mess.
Before you pull an all-nighter, take the following steps to prepare:
* Preset several alarm clocks to the time you have to get up.
* Lay out tomorrow’s clothes and have your suitcase or backpack preloaded with any necessary writing or presentation tools.
* Grab a large quantity of energy foods. Avoid sugary and high-fat foods. Foods high in protein but low in carbs will give you continuous energy without burning you out. Fruits, particularly berries, trail mix, whole-wheat crackers with peanut butter, salads or cereal with low-fat milk all qualify.
* Find a friend who’s in the same boat as you and have them come over.
* Clear a work area. Do not work on a bed or couch. Have a hard table or desk and chair ready to go.
* Tell all your friends and family to leave you alone. Avoid online chatting programs, turn off your cell phone, pretend that you’re not home -- anything to avoid distraction.
* Get mentally psyched and ready to go.
With everything in place, you should be ready to begin your all-nighter. Use the instructions below as a rough time line to get you through the night:
Early on
1. Ensure that your work area is not overly warm or dark as this environment would induce sleepiness. Keep a window open or fan running to stay cool, and make sure there are plenty of lights on.
2. Throw on a good collection of techno or other fast-paced electronic music. Electronic music will keep you energized and has the advantage of not having distracting lyrics.
3. Set a constant pace, making sure to take regular breaks. For example, do 50 minutes of work then take a 10 minute break. Get up, walk around and try to avoid thinking about your work during your break. Getting some fresh air or splashing your face with water can be refreshing.
4. Warning: Avoid caffeine if at all possible. Caffeine will only give you a temporary boost and repeated use will leave you exhausted and jittery, particularly if you are taking sugar in your coffee. If you’re pulling an all-nighter to study for an exam, a caffeine-induced crash will only ensure that you’re entirely useless once morning comes. For similar reasons, stay away from pills. Instead, drink a tall glass of cold water every 30 minutes.
5. Eat light energy snacks often -- every hour and a half or so -- to keep energized.
6. Warning: Particularly if you’re reading or working at a computer, eye strain can become a problem. When you take a break, try to avoid watching TV or doing other tasks that might strain your eyes. When working, if possible, set your computer screen to a dimmer setting to reduce eye strain. Reduce glare on your monitor by lowering bright light sources directly above or behind you.
7. Try switching tasks/subjects every hour so that you don’t bore easily.
8. Set goals and reward yourself when you complete them.
Halfway point
1. Do some light cardiovascular exercise to give your mind a rest and reinvigorate your body, but don’t go overboard. Either at the halfway point or at a few points throughout the night (one-thirds and two-thirds in, for example), go for a light jog or bike ride.
2. Debatable: Some swear by the power nap while others strongly oppose it. To find some middle ground, if you feel yourself starting to fade, try sitting comfortably and closing your eyes for 5 to 10 minutes just to help put your mind at ease. Have some music playing to keep you awake and distracted. Meditation can be a good stress-reliever, but it might put you to bed.
3. Take a longer break. Once you reach the halfway point, take a good 30 minutes off if you can spare it.
4. Get psyched. When getting back in the game, pump yourself up. Focus your mind. Yell out loud if you have to. Punch the air. You’re the man!
Nearing the end
1. Nearing the end of the road you may find your mind starting to stray. Stay focused.
2. Try to enjoy yourself. Film a little monologue at four in the morning -- an inspiring memento for you to look back on and laugh.
3. Know when to throw in the towel. Once your brain is fried, there’s no sense in pushing things. Take the rest of the night off to relax.
4. Eat a light breakfast and take a quick shower right before go time. If absolutely necessary, have some coffee just prior to your exam/presentation -- this is the only safe time to do so.
5. Never again. Be smart; don’t let it come to this again.
don’t let the bed bugs bite
Man was meant to eat, sleep and play, but there’s no play without sleep. Though at times it must be done, the all-nighter is not something you want to repeat. Sleep my friends, sleep.
By Jacob Franek
There comes a time in every man’s life when he must sacrifice sleep for the sake of success. Whether procrastination is to blame or lack of planning, it does not matter when you’re staring down the barrel of time’s gun. The fact is that you screwed up somewhere along the way and now it’s time to pay your dues. However, as with many things in life, there is a right way and a wrong way to pull an all-nighter. So we’ve taken the liberty of providing you a step-by-step guide to help you stay at peak efficiency and guarantee minimal harm to your body and mind while you pull an all-nighter.
First, however, let’s take a look at why you might need to pull an all-nighter.
why pull an all-nighter?
Most men first pull an all-nighter in their college years, but there are certainly a number of situations that demand such extreme action:
* You have an exam tomorrow and you didn’t study last night because it was happy hour at your campus bar.
* You have an assignment that you haven’t started because you’re still hungover from that road trip to Tijuana.
* You have a report or presentation due in the morning, but you spent most of your afternoon impressing clients with your new golf stroke.
* You’re a fourth-century desert monk of the Christian Church who has chosen to deny sleep to heighten spiritual awareness (true story).
In many cases, simply pulling off the all-nighter isn’t good enough. There are those times in which you actually have to be alert the following morning. It is for this reason that a careful and well thought-out plan of attack is needed.
how to pull an all-nighter
Preparation is the key to success, and this holds double when attempting to pull an all-nighter. Firstly, and most importantly, ensure that you get a good sleep the night before. If that means sacrificing some extra morning time to sleep in instead of starting your work, go for it -- the extra rest might just pay off in the long run -- but then again, if you had time to sleep, you wouldn’t be in this mess.
Before you pull an all-nighter, take the following steps to prepare:
* Preset several alarm clocks to the time you have to get up.
* Lay out tomorrow’s clothes and have your suitcase or backpack preloaded with any necessary writing or presentation tools.
* Grab a large quantity of energy foods. Avoid sugary and high-fat foods. Foods high in protein but low in carbs will give you continuous energy without burning you out. Fruits, particularly berries, trail mix, whole-wheat crackers with peanut butter, salads or cereal with low-fat milk all qualify.
* Find a friend who’s in the same boat as you and have them come over.
* Clear a work area. Do not work on a bed or couch. Have a hard table or desk and chair ready to go.
* Tell all your friends and family to leave you alone. Avoid online chatting programs, turn off your cell phone, pretend that you’re not home -- anything to avoid distraction.
* Get mentally psyched and ready to go.
With everything in place, you should be ready to begin your all-nighter. Use the instructions below as a rough time line to get you through the night:
Early on
1. Ensure that your work area is not overly warm or dark as this environment would induce sleepiness. Keep a window open or fan running to stay cool, and make sure there are plenty of lights on.
2. Throw on a good collection of techno or other fast-paced electronic music. Electronic music will keep you energized and has the advantage of not having distracting lyrics.
3. Set a constant pace, making sure to take regular breaks. For example, do 50 minutes of work then take a 10 minute break. Get up, walk around and try to avoid thinking about your work during your break. Getting some fresh air or splashing your face with water can be refreshing.
4. Warning: Avoid caffeine if at all possible. Caffeine will only give you a temporary boost and repeated use will leave you exhausted and jittery, particularly if you are taking sugar in your coffee. If you’re pulling an all-nighter to study for an exam, a caffeine-induced crash will only ensure that you’re entirely useless once morning comes. For similar reasons, stay away from pills. Instead, drink a tall glass of cold water every 30 minutes.
5. Eat light energy snacks often -- every hour and a half or so -- to keep energized.
6. Warning: Particularly if you’re reading or working at a computer, eye strain can become a problem. When you take a break, try to avoid watching TV or doing other tasks that might strain your eyes. When working, if possible, set your computer screen to a dimmer setting to reduce eye strain. Reduce glare on your monitor by lowering bright light sources directly above or behind you.
7. Try switching tasks/subjects every hour so that you don’t bore easily.
8. Set goals and reward yourself when you complete them.
Halfway point
1. Do some light cardiovascular exercise to give your mind a rest and reinvigorate your body, but don’t go overboard. Either at the halfway point or at a few points throughout the night (one-thirds and two-thirds in, for example), go for a light jog or bike ride.
2. Debatable: Some swear by the power nap while others strongly oppose it. To find some middle ground, if you feel yourself starting to fade, try sitting comfortably and closing your eyes for 5 to 10 minutes just to help put your mind at ease. Have some music playing to keep you awake and distracted. Meditation can be a good stress-reliever, but it might put you to bed.
3. Take a longer break. Once you reach the halfway point, take a good 30 minutes off if you can spare it.
4. Get psyched. When getting back in the game, pump yourself up. Focus your mind. Yell out loud if you have to. Punch the air. You’re the man!
Nearing the end
1. Nearing the end of the road you may find your mind starting to stray. Stay focused.
2. Try to enjoy yourself. Film a little monologue at four in the morning -- an inspiring memento for you to look back on and laugh.
3. Know when to throw in the towel. Once your brain is fried, there’s no sense in pushing things. Take the rest of the night off to relax.
4. Eat a light breakfast and take a quick shower right before go time. If absolutely necessary, have some coffee just prior to your exam/presentation -- this is the only safe time to do so.
5. Never again. Be smart; don’t let it come to this again.
don’t let the bed bugs bite
Man was meant to eat, sleep and play, but there’s no play without sleep. Though at times it must be done, the all-nighter is not something you want to repeat. Sleep my friends, sleep.