🎩 How hats can help you sleep better (and solve other problems too)?

How hats can help you sleep better (and solve other problems too)?

Picture this: a typical online lesson. Cameras are off, students are probably scrolling through their phones, and I’m pretending not to notice. But then, out of nowhere, something extraordinary happens - a topic is suggested. Not something grandiose like “the fight between good and evil” or “what’s the meaning of life” but the equally daunting “I can never get enough sleep”.

If problems could be measured in weight, this one would win gold. Because who among us hasn’t stared at the ceiling at 3 a.m., wondering why we aren’t asleep, and then blaming the universe for our bad decisions?

To tackle this conundrum, I turned to Edward de Bono’s 6 Thinking Hats method. The topic was as simple as go to bed earlier, but my tools were equally humble: a basic Miro template. Yet somehow, that was all we needed.

Here’s how we approached the problem:

White Hat (Facts): How many hours are you sleeping? What time do you go to bed? What keeps you awake at night? (Hopefully not existential dread.)

Red Hat (Emotions): How do you feel when you don’t sleep enough? Frustrated? Tired? Like hugging the cat who’s smugly napping on your pillow?

Black Hat (Risks): What happens if this continues? Chronic fatigue, health issues, or maybe just a perpetually grumpy morning face?

Yellow Hat (Positives): Is there any silver lining to not sleeping enough? More time for Netflix? (Not exactly a win, but we’re trying.)

Green Hat (Creativity): What are the unusual solutions? Warm milk? Meditation? A futuristic device that knocks you out the moment you hit the pillow?

Blue Hat (Control): And now, the big question: how do we turn all this into a practical plan?

Fun fact:

After all the brainstorming, which included ideas like a “magic anti-fatigue pill” or “a smart alarm clock that makes you sleep on time” we came to a shocking conclusion. The simplest solution is often the best. And what’s that solution? Just go to bed earlier. No gadgets. No potions. Just sleep. Revolutionary, I know.

Why does this method work?

The 6 Thinking Hats method forces you to look at a problem from multiple angles, even if the problem is as mundane as a lack of sleep. It organizes chaos, curbs unnecessary debates, and often leads to practical solutions hiding in plain sight.

If you’ve got a problem you can’t quite figure out, try wearing these metaphorical hats. Or drop me a message, together, we might find a simple yet effective answer.

Coffee consumed during writing: one raspberry latte with a double shot of espresso. Homemade with an IKEA whipper. If you would like to fuel more problem-solving (and coffee), feel free to visit buymeacoffee.com/filatoff. No pressure, of course this post was brewed for fun, not funding.

#CreativeThinking #ProblemSolving #SleepMatters