The Anxious Achiever Please Sleep: It Makes You More Charismatic with Dr. Christopher Barnes
Apr 2, 2026
Christopher M. Barnes, a University of Washington management professor who studies sleep and workplace behavior. He discusses how leaders normalize sleep deprivation through late-night work and rewards for constant responsiveness. He explains how lack of sleep amplifies emotion and anxiety and explores fixes like CBT-I, schedule changes, and leader behaviors that protect rest.
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Intern Told To Check Email Every 15 Minutes
- An intern was told to check email every 15 minutes throughout the night to stay responsive.
- That instruction explicitly taught the intern that constant nighttime availability is expected in that firm.
Quantity Versus Quality Trade Off At Work
- Working more hours doesn't equal better work because of a quantity-quality trade-off.
- Fewer, well-rested hours yield higher creativity, fewer mistakes, and better per-hour productivity.
Sleep Loss Increases Unethical Behavior
- Sleep deprivation increases unethical behavior and harms organizational outcomes.
- Barnes' research links tiredness to more unethical acts that can lead to scandals and stakeholder harm.
