Power Nap at the Office

While driving my car this morning, I heard a discussion about Power Nap on the radio. Power Nap is basically a short sleep (between 15 to 30 minutes) that is intended to refresh you. Usually people feel sleepy in the afternoon (after lunch) and a short nap can help them recharge. But many people feel guilty about sleeping at the office. So if companies have a policy that allow workers to take short nap during office hours, then employees can take Power Nap without the guilt. The benefit will be improved concentration and productivity.

There are research evidence that a short nap can improve your mental performance (read about it here and here). I personally take a short nap if I get really sleepy while driving on the highway. For me, 15 to 20 minutes of short sleep is good enough. After sleeping, I would take a cup of coffee to boost my alertness and I am ready to go again.

However, taking Power Nap at the office may be a little difficult. If you have your own room at the office, you can lock the door and take a nap. But if you work in a cubicle, sleeping may not be a good idea because it can be embarrassing to have customers or visitors walk in and see you sleeping on the job.

Try talking to the boss and see if you can convince management to set up a private lounge for employees only. This would be the perfect place to take a nap (good luck talking to the boss).

But if you can't find the time or the place to take a Power Nap, try other solutions. Rearrange your tasks so that the ones that require higher mental concentration is scheduled in the morning and other tasks is moved to the afternoon. Make sure you get enough sleep at night so that you are well rested and fresh when you start you day.