Need of Power Napping –
No matter how dedicated to our jobs, we’ve all been there.
Stifling continuous yawns after the heavy lunch, trying to get a shuteye before someone sees you…
Wishing like crazy to get a private corner in your workspace where you can rest your eyes for just 5 minutes, thinking that it will make all the difference in the world…
You’re neither alone, nor wrong in wishing so. If you try to look past your cubicle at the colleague sitting opposite you at this exact moment when you feel drowsy, there’s a 90% chance you’ll find him in a half-asleep state too.
This is a natural biological phenomenon. It is both your brain and body trying to catch a break after processing all the information for the past 6 hours or so, just like you yourself try to catch a break after every hour of work by engaging in social media.
So what’s wrong really, to demand for a 20 minute power nap, 20 to 30 minutes post your lunch?
Nothing.
In fact, if anything, this is one of the things that will make a lot of sense to your boss should you decide to demand for it (granted that your boss is reasonably sane).
In case you do decide to demand for it, here is a list of pointers to make your case:
Daytime naps increase alertness
Researchers say that short naps, say for 15 to 20 minutes post lunch, or any other time of the day, greatly increases alertness. It is important to note the duration of the nap; ideally it should not last more than 20 minutes. More than that can cause more sleepiness and grogginess on waking up.
Napping Boost Creativity
Napping at your job will especially be ideal if you work at a creative agency. This is because a good REM sleep, research says, greatly contributes to creative problem-solving. The study suggests that existing problems are solved by the passage of time, but new problems need a good REM sleep to be solved effectively.
They Improve Productivity
Tell your boss that a 20 minute nap actually increases your productivity. Have you ever tried typing at a time when you just can’t stay awake and woken up later to find gibberish written on paper? You can work in a drowsy state, but it won’t matter as any work done in a drowsy state is always counter-productive. On the other hand, recall how doubly energized you were when you woke up from that quick shuteye. That is the invigorating power of a power nap.
A nap invigorates, energizes
It is but obvious that you should feel sleepy in the course of daily, mundane work. A nap is important to retain your vigor at every interval. More important to retain your sanity. Otherwise, you may lose interest in your job over time. This is a very strong argument you can make for your boss.
So what you are waiting for? Yes there are a lot of health benefits, but we’re not going to pollute your mind with such radical ideas. We’re only thinking of the well-being of your company, your contribution to it, and most importantly, your boss.
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