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reading time: 2 minutes
insomnia

I used to enjoy reading right before I went to bed. It was one of those rituals that had always been a great way to close down the day. A chance to clear my mind of all the bits of clutter that had piled up and escape into a world of fiction. That was then.

The titles on my nightstand these days include “The Tao of Twitter: Changing your life and business 140 characters at a time,” by Mark Shaeffer; “Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business,” by Ann Handley and C.C. Chapman;  along with a highly-recommended  “The Now Revolution: 7 Shifts to Make Your Business Faster, Smarter, and More Social,” by Jay Baer and Amber Naslund.

So, instead of quieting my mind with a summer read, I find myself consuming more ideas– losing valuable sleep to quotes like “Do what you love, love what you do, and deliver more than you promise” –from Jay’s story about Wally, a cab driver who transformed his business in one year by  changing his attitude. ” It’s hard to shut if off when there’s so much to learn, isn’t it?

Some nights, like last night, after reading chapter 12 of Content Rules: “Reimagine; Don’t Recycle” I find myself spinning ideas around in my head. I’m wondering, in my sleep-deprived state, when the house is quiet and the light of the day is gone…what content WILL I produce next? Is my editorial calendar up to date? What about a Facebook contest?

And honestly, it really must stop. As much as I love your work–  Jay and Mark — and you know I do — I need sleep. So, there will be no more late night readings. No more note-taking after the lamp has been dimmed and the dog has nestled into his corner of my bedroom. Thinking is for daytime. Dreaming is for night-time.

What about you? Are you one of those obsessive “can’t turn it off” people, like me? Is there a book (or two) that you’re reading that’s keeping you up at night? I’d love to know (for daytime reading only). Share your favorite in the comments below!