An Entrepreneur's Guide to Napping 3
Calendar the important things
Today, I will take a break from ranting about the short-sightedness of corporate America when it comes to the topic of proper sleep and talk about acceptance.
Acceptance, that is, as pertains to the subject of this critical Substack, of the need to nap. As someone fortunate enough not to have a productivity-obsessed (and misled) boss looking over my shoulder, I have the luxury of sleeping when I need to sleep. If I’m tired, if my productivity is suffering, and if my schedule allows, I nap. I have this luxury because I am no longer on a corporate treadmill.
That doesn’t mean that I don’t account for my time. Despite my hours not being billable, I try to “time box” at the start of the day and throughout the day to ensure I remain focused and don’t go down technology rabbit holes (which, as a nerd, I am prone to do). I account for how I spend my time. But there must be some slack in the day’s schedule to allow for proper sleep if needed.
Above, you see a copy of my calendar from earlier today. It includes to-dos, appointments, meetings, and, gloriously, the time I spent napping (a lengthy one today).1 I accept the nap, I account for it, and it’s simply part of a productive day.
No denial. No trudging through unproductive lethargy. Sleep when you need to and when you can. Maximum productivity.
Ed: Arguably a sleep, but let’s not split hairs here or lose the forest for the trees.