Regular naps are 'key to learning'

Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by thomasfl on Tuesday January 13, 2015 @04:56AM (#8878881)

It's ironic that sleeping at the office is absolutely not accepted, while taking large doses of psychoactive drugs like caffeine and nicotine is even encouraged. If you work with computers, then your brain is your absolutely most important tool. Going away to visit a conference is absolutely no problem. Sleeping for 15 minutes at the desk? Not ok.

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by yitchelle on Tuesday January 13, 2015 @05:00AM (#8878889)

Your observation is probably due to a cultural thing. I know in some Asian countries like Singapore and Malaysia, I regularly see employees taking naps during the afternoon. Probably for about 20 to 30mins, then they wake up, freshen up and get back to it.

I have heard some central American countries also have similar practices. Maybe Mexico with their siesta (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siesta).

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by crpatino on Wednesday January 14, 2015 @03:13AM (#8884941)

You owe me 12000 hrs of sleep there. At least in large urban areas it is extremely uncommon. Probably if you are a boss with an actual office, but businesses tend to be not at all conductive to that.

Traditional office hours were 9-2 and 4-7 a generation ago, in order to allow people to go have lunch with their families, but even then you had to take the commute times into account. Blue collar workers only have one hour for lunch, but the expectation is that it will somehow be provided in situ.

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by thomasfl on Wednesday January 14, 2015 @03:05AM (#8884916)

You are right. In scandinavia, where I live, work is seen as almost a religion. It's the same culture in all european protestant countries. These are the same countries that drink the most coffee.

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by yitchelle on Wednesday January 14, 2015 @03:55AM (#8885070)

> These are the same countries that drink the most coffee.

I travel to Sweden a bit and was introduced to the concept of fika. I like it.

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by k-mcgrady on Tuesday January 13, 2015 @05:48AM (#8879000)

I wonder if this is in part due to the transition to open plan offices. It's hardly a great depiction of reality but the TV show Mad Men shows people regularly sleeping/napping in their office. The lack of privacy in modern offices is probably a prohibiting factor to napping.

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by aklemm on Tuesday January 13, 2015 @12:10PM (#8881087)

It would be interesting to see how often people with an office and daybed (along with enough stature to shut their door and expect privacy) take advantage of it by napping.

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by doktrin on Tuesday January 13, 2015 @01:12PM (#8881526)

I have my own office (I'm nothing special, all the engineers here do) and I usually take a nap in the afternoon. It's a no brainer in my book.

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by tootall on Tuesday January 13, 2015 @02:04PM (#8881807)

What company do you work for if I might ask?

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by Raphmedia on Tuesday January 13, 2015 @10:02AM (#8880227)

I sleep in my car!

In the summer that is.

Our HQ office is quite remote, so if I drive 2 minutes, I can be next to the woods. I open all my windows, nap for 30 minutes with the sound of nature all around me. It's the best.

I can't wait for summer.

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by wanderingstan on Tuesday January 13, 2015 @11:58AM (#8880996)

I'd do the same when I drove to work!

I've joked about giving an Ignite talk about "guerrilla napping". Here in SF I love napping in Yerba Buena Gardens with th construction workers and homeless. When I lived in Manhattan I could get short naps in the cathedrals, by learning to doze in a posture of prayer.

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by otoburb on Tuesday January 13, 2015 @11:47AM (#8880920)

During the winter, do you do the same thing but with the windows closed? Not sure how feasible this is for folks without a car.

I work remotely, and typically take 12 minute naps either during lunch or closer to the end of the day to recharge if I feel tired.

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by Raphmedia on Tuesday January 13, 2015 @12:44PM (#8881347)

I would have to dress up and waste fuel to heat up the car. The felt temperature is -40 out there.

My main advice is carry a book. You can nap anywhere if you have a thick book in your hands. "Oh, sorry. I was reading but fell asleep!"

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by mlrtime on Tuesday January 13, 2015 @02:04PM (#8881809)

Even worse, nobody snobs at the smokers who take a few 10-15 minute smoke breaks, however if you were to take a 30 minute nap you are 'sleeping on the job'.

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by nilkn on Tuesday January 13, 2015 @02:07PM (#8881824)

My boss will occasionally take a ~20 minute nap on his couch in his office when he's really stressed.

Then again, when you're the cofounder, CTO, a multimillionaire from a previous sale, and you have a nice private office with a door that closes, you can do whatever you want.

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Re:Regular naps are 'key to learning' by lazyant on Tuesday January 13, 2015 @05:04PM (#8882932)

You can't even take a nap in some places like on a couch in a mall; maybe polices change but I saw a mall guard waking up some tired soul.

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