Napping on the job may be an impossible task if your workplace doesn’t have special rooms reserved for snoozes, but these handy-dandy tips (and accessories) will prove otherwise.
Short naps can power up your productivity, and companies are now realizing the importance of hitting the snooze button for at most, twenty minutes a day. Who doesn't want a freshly charged employee after that afternoon slump, ready to take on the day as equally energetic as they have been in the morning? Unfortunately, not all workplaces are like Google, who has futuristic sleep pods installed in their offices. When your workplace doesn't have a nap room, how then can you take that much-needed sleep?
Sleep Revolution author Arianna Huffington (yes, the same woman behind the digital publication Huffington Post) suggest some ways. “In the next few years, nap rooms are going to be as universal as conference rooms, because the science now is conclusive about the value of napping,” she predicts, in a Business Insider post. Lobbying up for a nap room could make a revolution in the workplace, but until there is one, it’s up to the managers to ensure that there are employee lounge spaces which can accommodate one’s need for sleep.
There are many reasons why an employee can feel sleepy throughout the day. It could be an overnight shift, a sick family, or even health problems. Putting those factors in consideration not only lifts up the morale of a person, but also shifts the company’s perspective from just pure productivity, to efficient empathy. When company owners take the time to look into their employees’ needs, the returns are much more valuable: it increases loyalty and spurs better love for their work.
Nap rooms don’t always exist in offices, but employees should be allowed to take their Zzzs within the day. If you are looking to do that but can’t, consider your desk, plus these tips:
Make a sleep kit. Your sleep kit should include an earplug, which is essential to drowning out workplace noise (especially if you can't get a private space for sleep), and an eye mask, which helps you block out the light and allow you to sleep properly. You may want to include a yoga mat for work if there isn't a couch to sleep onto, and a prime pillow to keep your head comfortably rested.
Be a desk sleeper instead. If there isn’t too much space in the office to accommodate you lying down horizontally, then sleep on the desk. Pack on your sleep arsenal – as mentioned above, minus the sleep mat – and prepare yourself to hunch over your desk to get a few minutes of sleep.
Get yourself covered. No, you don’t want your open-mouth exposed for the rest of your officemates to see, so make sure you have a blanket (or a hoodie) to cover up your face. This could be another helpful means of blocking out the light. Looking for an all-in-one sleep accessory? Why not look into the Ostrich Pillow – which is reminiscent to the back of a giant bird when its head is stuck in the dirt? This funny pillow can cause laughter, but will also give you good sleep, thanks to its smartly placed holes (two for your hands, one for your mouth and nose to breathe), and you can sleep on your desk with ease.
Ask for a better chair. If you’re in the position to choose your own furniture, maybe it’s nice to get an office chair that lets you lie on your back. Fortune’s lauded Altwork Chair allows your body to do a 180-degree stretch (a great way to break into your hourly sitting position) without diminishing the aesthetics of your room. Plus, it makes a good replacement for a bed.
Or raise your feet up. Under-the-table feet hammocks may not be the smartest things in the planet, but they sure help in keeping your legs comfy, if not your whole body.
Ever heard of white noise? White (or even pink) noise may be the best thing you’ll hear before sleep. The relaxing sounds help you calm down from all the office distractions, allowing your body to gear up for a full fifteen-minute nap without your daytime woes. There are white noise apps with a collection of sounds on iOS and Android, available for download. Or, if you want to share the love, how about purchasing a white noise speaker for all to hear?
These sleeping tips go from smart to outrageous, but one thing is for sure: you can get your office naps, whether you’re on a cosy couch or at your desk. Just don’t forget the essentials: earplugs, eye mask and pillows, and you’re off to your dreamland – at least for twenty minutes.
