So I get home from the Proclaimers around midnight last Saturday. With ‘500 miles’ in my head.

I head straight for bed.

It’s 1.15am before I get to sleep. Helped in no small measure by several ‘streams of nonsense-ness’ on my phone. Like at one point, around ten-to-one, I’m on the verge of booking flights and tickets to see The National in Cologne.

I mean like, come on.

*

I wake up very tired and annoyed with myself the next day. It’s like the characters of Inside Out are moshing to Smells Like Teen Spirit in my mind. Only Joy has left the building.

This tiredness could have been avoided, surely.

*

Downstairs I’m staring into and stirring a simmering saucepan of porridge.

A conversation with Des a couple of weeks back ago comes to mind. He’d mentioned to me that he’s been sleeping great recently. He’s leaving his phone downstairs at night. And he’s got some sleep friendly alarm clock on the go now too.

He says that he’s been sharper and more productive at work as a result. Able to make better decisions. All in all, he feels much better in general for it.

Even with the haze of sleep deprivation clouding my mind, I know that it makes absolute sense to give it a shot.

The porridge starts to bubble over. I turn off the hob.

*

So here I am a week later.

And d’you know what, Des is right. I’ve been sleeping well all week. I have the alarm clock on the go now too.

I have been feeling good during the days. I’m definitely more focussed too, like.

*

Someone said to me during the week that your phone in your bedroom is like having your most energetic, excitable friend sitting on your bedside locker. As soon as they see you stirring at all, they see their chance.

Their like, ‘come here, are you awake? I just want to show you this one thing on Twitter there, mad stuff altogether.’ And then their off.

The ‘stream of nonsense-ness’ begins.

I’m really glad knowing that I’m leaving my phone – my energetic buddy – downstairs tonight.

*

Fair play to Des for the tip. He’s some man.

D’you know sometimes, jokingly, I wonder to myself, is Des God?

I might text him that for the craic and ask him.

Actually, d’you know, I might leave my phone down another while instead.

————

Acknowledgement:

This blog is part fact and at times part fiction, for effect.

Des, of course, is not real. He is however the real embodiment of three of the most important factors to balance in life and work.

The goal of these posts is to inspire you to maintain a metaphorical friendship with the gift in life that is Des.

————

If you have any feedback on this post or would like to know more about the work Inspo does, please contact john@inspo.ie