Feeling overwhelmed? Too many things to do? It might be time for a nap!
While it may sound completely counter-intuitive, there’s a reason that cutting edge businesses are investing in nap pods. Business News Daily summarized a recent study from the University of Michigan with the following:
Providing employees with napping pods or offering extended breaks can improve their productivity by counteracting impulsive behavior and boosting tolerance for frustration [].
Even NASA is on board.
NASA found that even naps as short as 26 minutes improved mission task performance by 34% and saw a 16% increase in median reaction time,
While your job might not put your life at risk in the same way that an astronaut’s might, avoiding that afternoon dip in productivity may be as simple as getting a little shut-eye at your desk. Our natural circadian rhythms tend to hit a low in the mid-afternoon. Why resist?
And when it comes to effectiveness in countering that afternoon slump, a study in Psychology Today ranks napping above both a cup of coffee and extra shuteye at night. So while espresso and coffee machines may be great perks at your office, you might do better just to pretend you were back in kindergarten and put your head down on your desk for 15. Happy Zzzzzing!
