The Two-Week Sleep Experiment That Reshaped Leslie Venetz’s Business Approach

In a recent LinkedIn post, Leslie Venetz shares how a two-week sleep experiment fundamentally altered her approach to running her business. Venetz details a personal challenge she undertook to understand her body’s true sleep needs, moving beyond the habits ingrained by years of corporate life.

The experiment, as described by Venetz, involves a strict regimen for two weeks: abstaining from alcohol and caffeine, avoiding late-night meals, and foregoing the use of an alarm clock. She emphasizes the need for commitment, stating:

“The experiment is simple. No alcohol, no caffeine, no eating late AND no waking up to an alarm for 2 weeks. You gotta do it full send for the experiment to be worth it though.”

Venetz explains that the objective is to recalibrate the body and discover its genuine sleep requirements, rather than the amount one has become accustomed to functioning on. She found that her body requires 8-9 hours of sleep nightly, a significant increase from what she had previously managed.

The Impact of Corporate Habits on Sleep

Leslie Venetz recounts her career, which was spent in environments with early starts due to global and British-based headquarters. This led to a ingrained habit of immediate productivity upon waking, a mindset she carried into her entrepreneurial journey.

The sleep experiment revealed more than just her need for extended rest. It highlighted the subtle stress that early morning meetings had imposed on her for years. Venetz elaborates:

“It also taught me that 8 am meetings had been quietly stressing me out for years. I struggled to fall asleep because I knew my day started with a sprint. I struggled to stay asleep because my brain was always like wellllll what if all 3 of your alarms don’t go off and you sleep through your meeting and everybody thinks you’re lazy 👀”

This realization prompted a significant change in her business operations. Upon launching her own venture, Venetz made the deliberate decision to avoid scheduling external meetings before 10 am.

Establishing Boundaries for Better Well-being

Venetz admits that setting this boundary was initially challenging, given her extensive experience accommodating others’ schedules. As she notes,

“I’d spent 15+ years accommodating everyone else’s schedule and the idea of holding a firm boundary with my calendar felt uncomfortable in a way that’s kind of embarrassing to admit now.”

She acknowledges that while some individuals may react negatively to these new scheduling preferences, Venetz asserts that personal well-being and sleep hygiene take precedence. She concedes that occasional adjustments are necessary for international calls but maintains that these are exceptions rather than the rule.

Ultimately, Leslie Venetz views protecting her sleep as a pivotal decision in her entrepreneurial path, one she would readily repeat.