How many days have you thought – oh man if I could just take a ½ hr nap? Well, your wish might come true. Companies are starting to get onboard with the napping at work concept. Now I am not talking about a 2 hr siesta but a ½ hr in a quiet place with your eyes closed. Can you imagine how great that would feel and how refreshed you would feel afterwards?
Companies are beginning to realize just how important it is for their employees and are starting to get onboard with the concept. Companies like Nike and Google are already on board with this idea. Nike has given workers nap-friendly quiet rooms that can also be used for meditation. Google created a number of napping pods scattered throughout its campus. Even airlines such as Continental and British Airways allow their pilots to take naps on international flights while their copilots take over the controls.
Just like the massage places that cropped up in Malls all over the country offering 10 minute massages, other companies are outsourcing their napping solutions. Companies like Yelo offer a napping spa where a client can nap in special napping rooms for about $15 for 20 minutes. Another place offers a nap and a 10 minute foot rub for $40. Wow – sign me up!
Companies are realizing that their employees need that short period of time to refresh themselves and that their productivity increases with the short naps. So they are starting to come on board with sleep rooms.
Of course, as with anything, there are do’s and don’ts and social etiquette to follow.
• 20-30 minutes is all you need. Don’t be taking a two hour nap on your employer’s dime.
• Do find a comfortable, darker place: close the blinds and turn off lights, if possible.
• You might want to consider using a sleeping mask.
• Do turn your cell phone off
• Don’t drink coffee, tea or anything with caffeine in it prior to taking a nap
Surveys have shown that we average between 6 and 7 hours of sleep nightly which is why we get sleepy during the day. This sleepiness can affect our work, our ability to concentrate and can contribute to making mistakes on the job. Most employees would gladly give up 20 minutes of their lunchtime in order to have a nice rejuvenating nap if only they had a nice comfortable place in which to nap!
A short nap can ease stress, moodiness, aggressive behavior and burnout and even has been shown to decrease heart issues in those studied. So, if you are working, maybe you could drop a proposal for a napping room into your company’s suggestion box. If you are job searching, 20 minutes away from the computer and the stress of the job search can leave you refreshed and able to come back to the search with renewed energy.
By: Nancy Anderson, Staff Writer
Oh, yeah..I work at home and need to take a short nap between tasks as a way of rebooting..otherwise I find myself working one project, but still thinking about the previous task.
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