Bill Gates uses a dish-washing trick before bed, and it could help you improve your productivity (2024)

• Getting good sleep is key to ensuring you start the following day feeling positive and productive.
• If you struggle to fall asleep at night, Bill Gates may have the solution for you.
• The Microsoft founder's routine is based on two simple habits — washing the dishes and reading.

Giving your body the rest it needs so you can feel your best the next day is one of the most important things you can do to improve your productivity.

Bill Gates is clear about what works best for him when it comes to getting the sleep he needs.

If you find yourself struggling to get the recommended amount of sleep each night, you may want to start following Gates' nightly routine.

It's extremely simple and you can give it a try right away.

Wash the dishes after dinner

To sleep well, your mind needs to end the day freed from obligations and problems, otherwise, those repetitive thoughts will keep you awake.

Scrolling through your cell phone, checking your email for the last time, or even the evening news won't do you any favors.

Bill Gates uses a simple trick to clear his mind.

"I do the dishes every night," Gates said on a Reddit AMA in 2014.

Simple tasks like these are helpful for easing anxiety and being more mindful of the present.

Read before going to sleep

Reading is a great habit to get into at any time of the day, but doing it before going to bed is a particularly good time as it helps you to fall asleep.

That's precisely what Bill Gates does.

Known for being an avid reader and for his literary recommendations, reading is a key part of Gates' nightly routine.

"I read an hour almost every night. It's part of falling asleep," Gates told The Seattle Times.

Finishing the day by reading will not only help you become a more cultivated person.