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Take Naps at Work

nytimes.com

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Re: Take Naps at Work

#101

Post by bcoughlan »

have_faith wrote: post #92

>Sleeping on the job is one of those workplace taboos — like leaving your desk for lunch What kind of company is it a taboo to leave your desk for lunch?

Here's a quote from a "day in the life" sheet I was sent after a phone interview with Susquehanna. I didn't continue with the job interview for this very reason:

"SIG partners with external caterers to provide a buffet lunch of main courses, salads, soup, and dessert, and it changes on daily basis. So you grab a plate and head back to your desk to eat; it will give you some time to catch up on the latest tech and market news on the net as you eat."

Re: Take Naps at Work

#102

Post by drrob »

niuzeta wrote: post #94
drrob wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Incidentally, one of the (many) recommended none pharma treatments to depression is to stay awake for one night (don't go to bed at all), then go to bed the next night as usual (similar to jetlag prevention strategies I suppose). The idea is that the extreme tiredness when you do go to sleep resets your circadian rhythms and ensures deep rest. I've tried it, and it does kinda help.

How do you resist not sleeping the next day? I know I would be exhausted the afternoon with little capacity for rational thought, and likely pass out by 7-8 PM, ruining the attempt.

My strategy would be to constantly change "stimulus" to keep my self active and awake. I'd try reading for a bit, then of course I start to go foggy and you get a headache from focusing on the text. Then I'd play video games for a bit, then watch a film, then a documentary, then go for a walk, then do some work.

I found switching activities every 45 minutes or so kept me sufficiently engaged.

Re: Take Naps at Work

#103

Post by pulse7 »

hueving wrote: post #47
ianai wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel guilt for this where I work. It gets to 120f outside here during the summer. It's not great to run the car for just ac, but I benefit from the alone time.

Cars consume very limited amounts of fuel idling so you shouldn't feel guilt for that anymore than you should feel guilt for driving to a restaurant on the way home.

Just avoid doing this in a closed space like a garage, because carbon monoxide can kill you... Otherwise I also use my car as a "calm down" place (for 5-10 mins before coming home, about 5 minutes away from my home), or before having a meeting and so on. Sometimes also for the naps (during work or after work).

Re: Take Naps at Work

#104

Post by throwanem »

samsonradu wrote: post #68
beilabs wrote: post #57

When I worked in China (5000 engineer company) we'd have our lunch in the canteen, I found that many returned to their desk for the last 15 minutes of their lunch break. Out came the pillows, all lights were dimmed and calming music played through the PA system. No-one spoke, made noise during this time; quick power nap of 15 minutes did the trick for a lot of people. Definitely something I approve of; I've a small m…

Curious if you were able to do the same? From what I've seen asians have this ability to pretty much sleep anywhere , planes, trains, buses anything. The crappy chairs and noisy engines don't seem to bother them. I don't think I could ever fall asleep in the lunch break, the morning coffee and the light outside doesn't let my brain go off. EDIT I really don't mean to offend anyone, just curious whether the ability to…

Relatively few of the people with whom I share my afternoon light-rail commute appear to be of Asian extraction, and a fair number of us will tend to nap for part or all of our trips along the route. So, no, I don't think you need to be of any particular descent in order to sleep on such a conveyance. You just need to be tired.

Re: Take Naps at Work

#105

Post by speedplane »

have_faith wrote: post #92

>Sleeping on the job is one of those workplace taboos — like leaving your desk for lunch What kind of company is it a taboo to leave your desk for lunch?

I remember I went for a job interview at a law firm, and one of the more junior people interviewing me brought me out to lunch. It was freezing outside, but he left his jacket in his office. I asked him why he left it there, and he said it was so others would think he was in the office. I'm pretty sure I didn't get that job, but I'm glad for it.

Re: Take Naps at Work

#106

Post by throwanem »

daxfohl wrote: post #20

Better: eat less lunch. Ever since I've started having no more than a moderate bowl of low-cal (not "diet", just not "vitamix'd pizza") soup, the second half of the day is just as productive as the first. If I eat enough for a food coma, I go home; I'd provide no useful anything for the rest of the day, nap or no, so no sense hiding it by merely being around.

Same. On the rare occasion I get more than about 500 calories at lunch, and i have to be very careful about what I eat or I'm dozy half the afternoon. A salad is fine, or a bowl of ramen or similar if folks happen to be going out somewhere that serves it, but anything heavier than that and I'm going to have a bad time. A nice side effect is that a normal-sized supper generally does make me sleepy, which helps with getting to bed at a reasonable hour.

I can recommend the practice, especially to skinnier folk who would like to stay that way - too late for me, I'm afraid, despite three miles' worth of foot commute daily, but it does wonders for my afternoon productivity nonetheless, and if it doesn't actually help lose weight then it does at least help keep it stable.

Re: Take Naps at Work

#107

Post by speedplane »

cel1ne wrote: post #19
blhack wrote: post #6

I don't think I could physically fall asleep at work. Are people really this tired while they're at their offices? It seems like if you're so tired while you're at work that you actually want to take a nap , then maybe there is another underlying problem.

I work from home-office and try to lie down for 10 minutes in the afternoon. I don't really fall asleep, but I found that just closing my eyes for this short amount of time gives me a tremendous boost of relaxation, especially when my mind gets into a dreamy state for a minute or so.

It's funny, but I find a bit of the opposite. If I get up from my desk and pace the hallways for 10 minutes, that'll give me far more energy than a nap... not sure what's more socially acceptable though: sleeping on the job or pacing like a madman.

Re: Take Naps at Work

#108

Post by speedplane »

w458cmau wrote: post #95
wereHamster wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If your boss and coworkers new about it, why didn't they provide you with space inside the building to take naps? It's stupid having to walk outside and nap in your car. Google has special quiet rooms where people can go take naps and relax during the day.

Providing a quiet, disruption-free and hygienic environment for employees to sleep in seems like quite the commitment to make. I'm all for it, and can just the same understand why it would not happen in most environments.

I can see how taking a break from the regular grind can help things, but not sure that naps are really the answer. Going to a buddy's office to shoot the breeze, or taking a walk around the block seem equally beneficial.

Re: Take Naps at Work

#109

Post by yomly »

w458cmau wrote: post #96
yomly wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For some reason my brain thinks it's dangerous to run the AC when the car is stationary. I don't think this is the case and I'm complecting it with something else - is anyone able to shed some light?

How do you think it is dangerous? ACs do not emit any gases themselves, so except for the CO2 produced by the engine to keep it running it should not be dangerous.

I think CO and CO2 are what I'm thinking of. Maybe if you sat in your car in the garage...?

Re: Take Naps at Work

#110

Post by throwanem »

daxfohl wrote: post #67
quotemstr wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm generally a lot more productive when I'm hungry. Eating, for me, leads to lethargy.

I once read something about Julius Caesar being trained never to eat until satiated. Can't find it now. Granted maybe that's why he's now named after a salad.

My Austrian grandfather had the same habit, and while I never inquired, I suspect it had a similar sort of origin - of his brothers, all those I had the chance to know shared it.

Whether this had any effect on their all having been successful small business owners, one of whom manufactured parts used in every Space Shuttle orbiter, I can't really speculate - that's just one of the many conversations I'll never quite be done regretting the preclusion of opportunity to have with these very worthy and remarkable men, none of whom survived into this millennium. But it wouldn't surprise me all that much.

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