The benefits of napping seem well known.
There are a number of studies from the past several decades showing the positives.
And new research seems to come out regularly including a new one showing the benefits of napping for cardiovascular disease risk, one of the major reasons for death in the world.
But most of us would argue that understanding the benefits of napping isn’t the issue. There are other issues at play that prevent us from taking naps.
So here are a few ways to work napping into your regular work routine.
1. Assessing Your Own Views Toward Napping
One of the biggest hurdles when it comes to napping or making most changes, is yourself. Many see it as some kind of weakness to take naps. It’s often perceived as being lazy or not hustling or whatever.
Another angle is self-care. In today’s world it seems easier to point out the flaws in others as a way to avoid looking at ourselves and our own well-being. It’s a weird, but important quirk in the human makeup. It makes us feel good and accomplished, if only for a fleeting moment, to focus on others than on ourselves.
Napping will never work unless you understand your own views towards it and change those if necessary.
2. Assessing Your Work Situation
Another big hurdle is the work situation. It could be that you think your work situation doesn’t allow napping. That your boss won’t approve or that your coworkers will think less of you or think you’re weird or whatever.
Or even that you’re so busy and backed up with work that you can’t spare even 20 minutes for a nap a couple times a week.
So first determine if it’s all in your head.
My general rule of thumb is that most people don’t care about you. They’re too busy worrying about themselves. Just as you worry about yourself.
And if you’re producing results, your boss likely doesn’t care. If you’re not producing, she’s going to look at everything that might be the issue. Not just napping.
One option, depending on your office situation, is to just take naps and see what happens. Close your door, kick back in your chair and nap. Just doing 20 minutes per nap, 2-3 times a week has huge benefits.
Do it during your lunch break.
If you feel it’s better to talk with your boss, then let them know. It’ll probably be no big deal. If anything, they might tell you it’s fine as long as you do it during your lunch break.
3. Scheduling Your Naps
I’m a believer that if it’s not scheduled, it doesn’t happen.
How can you expect the result you want if you don’t schedule for it to occur? That’s like expecting to get your dream job by just opening your eyes in the morning.
Napping may seem simple, but it definitely won’t happen unless you schedule the time for it.
Again, 20 minute naps, 2-3 times per week. Choose the best time and days each week and put it on your calendar. Even if you have to use a code word like “busy” or “lunch”.
4. Withholding Judgment
Withhold judgment on your napping abilities. Especially early on.
If you’re competitive and like being good at things and in control, it can be very frustrating to try something new. Napping included.
You might believe that you’re “not a napping person” because when you lay down to try it you just think about all the work you have to do or the way you looked in the mirror that morning.
Forget the judgment. Just close your eyes for 20 minutes, 2-3 times per week.
And leave it at that.
The napping will come. With practice. With repetition. With quantity over time.
Napping is a skill or routine. Built like anything else.
5. Long-Term Commitment
This kind of wraps up the entire crux of the napping issue… If you think you’re going to be napping right away and in a routine, you’re delusional and you’re destined to fail.
Don’t even try it.
Commit to doing this for the foreseeable future. Plan for the days when you have doubts. Expect those and prepare yourself to stay committed.
Be very careful with letting things interrupt your napping. Sure, there will be times when something comes up and you’re not able to nap. But look closely for repeating issues and adjust your schedule accordingly. Don’t just continue to skip your naps.
Final Thoughts
Napping is a good thing. Most of us know it. One Google search would bring thousands of articles, studies and stories about all the good it brings.
But hopefully the tips here provide some guidelines for making napping part of your work routine. One that gets you started and that keeps you going when you have doubts.