In my blog in early 2022, I wrote about retaining your top talent in the midst of the “great resignation”, I’ve invited some of my esteemed colleagues to write about the kinds of things leaders need to pay attention to and this week I’d like to introduce you to Cara Moore. Cara is a Leadership and Life Coach and CEO of ProNappers.
Here Cara (a Nap Ninja!) talks about how having a short power nap in the day is good for you and your team.
Does your team need an afternoon pick me up? Then let them eat cake. No! Let them nap!
Do you feel sluggish in the early afternoon? Do the right words for an email seem elusive? Do tasks seem to take longer, and errors crop up in analytical work? Do you stifle a yawn and your concentration wanders in a zoom call? And by late afternoon do you find yourself feeling irritated and snapping at people? Then the energy, mood and focus reboot you need is a nap. It’s easy, free and takes no longer than making and drinking a cup of coffee. It’s healthier too. Anecdotally you might agree, but still refrain because of thinking the best way to get through your To Do List is to keep going and power through. Not to mention the stigma of sleeping in the day. Snooze you lose, right? Wrong!
I am a Nap Ninja – that means I love to nap and I’m very good at it. I nap nearly every day and I tell people I nap. I have a company ProNappers dedicated to normalising napping in the working day. I believe, and research supports this, that the best way to get things done efficiently and effortlessly is to switch off when your batteries are running low and recharge. Power Up by powering down. Not listening to your aching brain, drooping eyelids, and restless twitches is not lazy, but crazy!
The evidence for having a nap – and the cost of being tired
But don’t just listen to me. Sleep.org, whose mission is to provide informative, evidence-based content and recommendations about sleep health and science says that:
“Workplace naps provide a great benefit to employees and their work. Naps enhance alertness, strengthen memory, and improve emotions.
Researchers suggest that employers look at the cost of not allowing naps. Insufficient employee sleep leads to:
– Less productivity
– More absences at work
– Greater risk of errors
– Increased chance of workplace accidents and injuries
– Higher health care costs
– Company financial loss”
So what should you do?
During the pandemic, more people kept their sanity and productivity by having a nap. It was one of the upsides of working from home. Now as people are looking at hybrid working and returning to the office, companies cannot afford not to include naps – where to nap AND permission to nap – into their employee wellbeing provision.
The change starts with YOU.
Tell people you are blocking out time in your diary for a nap.
Tell people the difference it makes to you.
Tell your teams it’s as okay to have a nap as it is to have a break for lunch, go for a run or meditate.
Ask your employers for a designated quiet room.
Do you need more convincing?
Napping is natural. Our circadian rhythms means that even if we sleep well at night, we have an energy lull in the middle of the day that is replenished with a quick refreshing power nap. But for people who do not sleep well at night, having a nap is a life-changer. Maybe you do drink too much coffee or not take enough exercise or stay up too late online or binge-watching Netflix, and yes you could help yourself. But what if you are woken at night by a racing mind and anxious thoughts about work, or you’re a parent with wakeful children, or getting older and affected by hot sweats or multiple visits to the loo? The World Sleep Society has ten tips for a good night’s sleep and the Number 2 tip is have a nap in the day.
If you are someone who keeps going relentlessly through the day only to settle down in front on the tv with a glass of wine and then nod off on the sofa, but then when you go to bed feel frustratingly wide awake and unable to fall asleep, having a nap earlier in the day is the answer. Not only will you be more focussed at work and concentrate better in the afternoon, but you will be in a better mood and have energy left for your family at the end of the day, you won’t have to rewind the tv show you missed, and you will sleep better at night.
Summary
Good leaders lead themselves, and lead by example. They consciously manage their energy throughout the day.
Having a short power nap in the day is good for you and your team. If you are already a secret napper, then talk openly about it. And if you have yet to try having a nap, then do. You have nothing to lose.
Top tips for a good nap:
- Nap for 20 minutes, even ten is enough to make a noticeable difference
- Nap between 1-3pm
- Nap somewhere comfy and cosy – an armchair with a blanket
Cara Moore is a Leadership and Life Coach and CEO of ProNappers. To help individuals and companies embrace napping for wellbeing and productivity, we have produced Nap School, three short e-learning modules to be part of a company’s resilience resources. For more information email cara.moore@pronappers.co.uk.
