Is Napping Some Kind of Laziness Thing?
Far from it, Dude
In a recent post discussing what motivates us to nap, we commented that “isn’t a symbol of laziness, far from it.” Laziness is a common misconception regarding napping. In fact, it is responsible for many people currently choosing not to nap. Here is one recent example of why a nap is “far” from lazy, and actually a meaningful productivity enhancer.
My alarm was set for 6:30am, with a plan to wake up, do some work, and find a slot later in the evening for a workout. We all know the evening workout is a risky call, as it can be one of the first things lost to a busy and energy consuming day. Turns out I woke up at 5am. One choice was to go back to sleep — which for me would involve tossing and turning and nothing remotely restful — until the alarm went off at 6:30. The second choice was to forgo 90 minutes of lying in bed and get started on my day with a workout. Because I knew I had the nap option in my back pocket, I chose option 2 and bounced out of bed, unconcerned about the potential for weariness later in the day.
Workout complete, day started, I was able to catch a 45-minute snooze early in the afternoon. As a result, I had 45 minutes of far better rest and mindfulness, and an extra 45 minutes of productivity in my day — in exchange for 90 subpar minutes early in the morning. Who you calling Lazy Smurf?