Naps Lead to Increased Productivity

Summary: Many of us would probably welcome the idea of taking naps, but some may feel that a nap is taking away precious time from our busy schedules. Learn why naps are a good idea.

Stopping to take thirty minutes out of your busy day seems like the opposite of productive but getting that little bit of rest can make a big difference in your alertness and energy level. We have all attempted to get work done when we were tired but instead ended up rereading sentences, spacing off, or forgetting what we were doing to begin with. Trying to power through our day when we are exhausted causes us to make mistakes and take longer completely tasks because we spend time trying to focus.

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German research has found that doing our work in 60 to 90 minute intervals with a 20 to 30 minute nap will make us the more productive workers. Research in Japan found that when people took a few minutes to look at pictures of kittens or puppies, they were more attentive when completing tedious projects. A University of Michigan study found that people that took 60 minute naps will try harder and become less frustrated when doing tricky problems.

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And the research continues. Productivity app DeskTime found that users that worked for 52 minutes with a 17 minute break were most effective. NASA even has data of their own that suggests that taking a 40 minute nap increases reaction times.

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So what does all this data tell us? Taking regular breaks is good for us and taking the breaks we are supposed to take like a designated lunch break is important. Your break doesn’t have to necessarily be a nap but it is the best option to really boost your success in getting work done.

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