Time mgmt: 'Take a nap' isn't good advice

[FIREin2018]

#8: When tired, take a nap

I tried it a few times.
I thought i'd do the house chores after a 20min nap when i'm more refreshed.
Nope. Each time I get up and get sidetracked by tv or internet.

I actually end up not doing the chores till bed time because I don't want to put them off till tomorrow where I face the same choice of nap or chores.
So now I sacrifice sleep to do them.

[Dicey]

I can't read the fine print. We're at the end of a road trip. I'm in the back of the rig, trying to take a nap.

[AuspiciousEight]

But....I love naps.

[GuitarStv]

I spent most of my life against the concept of napping.  But the after seriously fucking up my ability to sleep deeply/regularly  as aside effect of having a child who didn't allow normal sleep to happen for more than half a decade, I have really changed my mind on the issue.  A 20-30  minute nap at around 2-3 pm radically improves my mood, energy, and ability to concentrate.

[wageslave23]

Yeah I take a 15-30 minute nap everyday. I'm miserable if I miss it. If taking 20 minutes out of your day to nap makes you not do something, you weren't going to do it anyway. You need to look at your motivation for not wanting to do chores. Since you are an adult, you get to choose what's important for you to do and what's not. I don't think regular dusting is important, so I don't.  When I was a kid, my mom made me dust the house every week. So naturally I kept putting it off as long as I could because I didn't think it was important.

[FINate]

I think you're just doing #11 by pushing through a nap to get chores done.

That said, I think naps are fantastic and should be part of everyone's daily rhythm. I get really tired around 2-3pm and a nap makes a huge difference for the rest of my day. I usually do a caffeine nap, with a cup of black tea followed by a 20 minute nap.

ETA: If you are chronically tired and naps don't help you should see your doctor ASAP. Could be an underlying health condition like sleep apnea or other condition that requires treatment.

[rosarugosa]

I've never liked naps.  I wake up from them with a low grade headache and feel like I need to take a shower and make coffee, basically start my day all over again.  Waking up once a day is enough for me.  If I hit a slump of low energy, it usually just means I need to get up and do something more active for a bit.

[Morning Glory]

Not every piece of advice works for everyone.  I use audiobooks to make chores like mowing or cleaning less tedious, but my best strategy is to just do one or two quick things before leaving in the morning.  You could also eliminate friction by having less stuff in the house,  eliminating steps, and making sure you have the best tool for the job. E.g. cordless stick vacuum enables cleaning up small messes when they happen because there's no extra time needed for hauling it out of the closet or winding up the cord.

[Metalcat]

Not every piece of advice works for everyone.  I use audiobooks to make chores like mowing or cleaning less tedious, but my best strategy is to just do one or two quick things before leaving in the morning.  You could also eliminate friction by having less stuff in the house,  eliminating steps, and making sure you have the best tool for the job. E.g. cordless stick vacuum enables cleaning up small messes when they happen because there's no extra time needed for hauling it out of the closet or winding up the cord.

Exactly.

OP, this isn't your first time assuming that general advice is somehow universal. No advice is ever universal.

[LaineyAZ]

Naps/No Naps is something I always thought was just a learned habit, but Ancestry.com includes that as one of your traits from your DNA.

Just like you're more apt to be a morning person or not, they predict whether you are a napper or not.  In my case they predicted correctly: not a napper. 

[Must_ache]

#8: When tired, take a nap

I tried it a few times.
I thought i'd do the house chores after a 20min nap when i'm more refreshed.
Nope. Each time I get up and get sidetracked by tv or internet.

This isn't saying that a nap is wrong.  It's just you admitting you get sidetracked.  Maybe the TV and internet is the problem.

[mistymoney]

I wouldn''t peg #8 as the worst on that list.

[Zikoris]

Napping is a problem for me. It screws up my sleep schedule and makes me really groggy. I try to avoid it at all costs. I'll sometimes lie down a bit if I'm tired, but not actually go to sleep.

Re: chores and getting sidetracked, I find I get my best results by being structured when I have a bunch of stuff I want to do. I don't watch television but I can very easily get sucked into a book and do nothing but read all day, so I do interval reading throughout the day instead, and then the book gets read and the chores get done and everything functions well. We also do interval reading when travelling if we're doing a long walkabout day - we regularly find nice benches to sit and read throughout the day.

If television is distracting, it's worth considering just getting rid of it altogether. Lots of people don't have television service at all these days.

[Metalcat]

Napping is a problem for me. It screws up my sleep schedule and makes me really groggy. I try to avoid it at all costs. I'll sometimes lie down a bit if I'm tired, but not actually go to sleep.

This is me too. DH naps constantly, to the point that I had him have a sleep test for sleep apnea because frequent napping is a warning sign and I thought his amount of napping seemed pathological.

Meanwhile I NEVER nap. If I fall asleep during the day, it's best to do a wellness check at some point because I may need to go to the ER.

[FIRE@50]

I would like to know that age ranges of the pro/anti nap crowds. I didn't nap in my 20's and 30's but in my 40's, I've embraced that life.

[Metalcat]

I would like to know that age ranges of the pro/anti nap crowds. I didn't nap in my 20's and 30's but in my 40's, I've embraced that life.

DH is in his 50s, has always napped. I'm in my 40s, have never napped. I didn't even nap as a child.

[Zikoris]

I would like to know that age ranges of the pro/anti nap crowds. I didn't nap in my 20's and 30's but in my 40's, I've embraced that life.

I'm 38 and anti nap. My partner is 36 and pro nap.

[Telecaster]

I hate to break this to you youngins' but your sleep patterns change over time.   As you age, you tend to go to bed and get up earlier.  This is called "phase advance."  You also want to take more naps.  So, you while might be anti-nap today, but you could be pro-nap in a few years.

On topic, NASA has done a bunch studies on sleep and performance, and has decidedly come down on the side of pro-nap.   NASA has instituted "nap culture" and has nap pods were employees can take a quick nap.   Google also has nap pods.   

[Zikoris]

I hate to break this to you youngins' but your sleep patterns change over time.   As you age, you tend to go to bed and get up earlier.  This is called "phase advance."  You also want to take more naps.  So, you while might be anti-nap today, but you could be pro-nap in a few years.

On topic, NASA has done a bunch studies on sleep and performance, and has decidedly come down on the side of pro-nap.   NASA has instituted "nap culture" and has nap pods were employees can take a quick nap.   Google also has nap pods.

I would be pro-nap if the consequences weren't so horrible. If one day I can nap without waking up feeling like death warmed over, and then not be able to get to sleep at night or be wide awake at 3 AM, I'm all in favour of that. It sounds lovely.

[Metalcat]

I hate to break this to you youngins' but your sleep patterns change over time.   As you age, you tend to go to bed and get up earlier.  This is called "phase advance."  You also want to take more naps.  So, you while might be anti-nap today, but you could be pro-nap in a few years.

On topic, NASA has done a bunch studies on sleep and performance, and has decidedly come down on the side of pro-nap.   NASA has instituted "nap culture" and has nap pods were employees can take a quick nap.   Google also has nap pods.

Yeah, I have a few years of education in sleep.

Based on my history and medical condition, I'll just likely never be a napper. Some people never are.

[San Diego Girl]

I wish I could nap.

The best I can do is sit or lie down and close my eyes and rest, usually with a cat sleeping soundly on me.

Maybe someday I'll be able to join them.

[jrhampt]

Naps/No Naps is something I always thought was just a learned habit, but Ancestry.com includes that as one of your traits from your DNA.

Just like you're more apt to be a morning person or not, they predict whether you are a napper or not.  In my case they predicted correctly: not a napper.

Oh, very interesting!  I’ve always been a napper.  I was always very tired as a teenager pretty much until I got out of college but ever since then I’ve been a morning person and just get even more enthusiastic about dawn as I get older.  Early afternoon naps are great.  But I will also take late morning naps and early evening naps…especially if I’ve done lots of vigorous lengthy exercise.

[PoutineLover]

I hate to break this to you youngins' but your sleep patterns change over time.   As you age, you tend to go to bed and get up earlier.  This is called "phase advance."  You also want to take more naps.  So, you while might be anti-nap today, but you could be pro-nap in a few years.

On topic, NASA has done a bunch studies on sleep and performance, and has decidedly come down on the side of pro-nap.   NASA has instituted "nap culture" and has nap pods were employees can take a quick nap.   Google also has nap pods.

I've often wished for nap pods at work. Since becoming a parent, my sleep is way more interrupted and it gets really hard to function when you don't get more than 2 hours at a time. I don't always nap, but some days they really help and I wish there was a private place for that at work, my afternoons would be way more productive.

[GuitarStv]

I would like to know that age ranges of the pro/anti nap crowds. I didn't nap in my 20's and 30's but in my 40's, I've embraced that life.

Same.  Never ever napped at all all the way through my 30s (even gave it a few unsuccessful tries).  Around 41 or 42 I nodded off in the afternoon sun for a few minutes and it opened the floodgates of napping for me.  It's amazing!  I no longer fear having a shitty night's sleep.

[wageslave23]

I hate to break this to you youngins' but your sleep patterns change over time.   As you age, you tend to go to bed and get up earlier.  This is called "phase advance."  You also want to take more naps.  So, you while might be anti-nap today, but you could be pro-nap in a few years.

On topic, NASA has done a bunch studies on sleep and performance, and has decidedly come down on the side of pro-nap.   NASA has instituted "nap culture" and has nap pods were employees can take a quick nap.   Google also has nap pods.

I would be pro-nap if the consequences weren't so horrible. If one day I can nap without waking up feeling like death warmed over, and then not be able to get to sleep at night or be wide awake at 3 AM, I'm all in favour of that. It sounds lovely.

Try limiting your nap duration to 25 minutes or less and wake up by 2:30 pm.

[FIREin2018]

Not every piece of advice works for everyone.  I use audiobooks to make chores like mowing or cleaning less tedious, but my best strategy is to just do one or two quick things before leaving in the morning.  You could also eliminate friction by having less stuff in the house,  eliminating steps, and making sure you have the best tool for the job. E.g. cordless stick vacuum enables cleaning up small messes when they happen because there's no extra time needed for hauling it out of the closet or winding up the cord.

Exactly.

OP, this isn't your first time assuming that general advice is somehow universal. No advice is ever universal.

I read it as permission for a quick nap

[Dicey]

I'm taking a medication that has weird side effects. Some days I'm so tired, my body screams for a nap. Today was one of those days. Alas, we've just returned from a trip and I have a busy week ahead, so I just plugged away, but I'm not happy about it.

[Metalcat]

Not every piece of advice works for everyone.  I use audiobooks to make chores like mowing or cleaning less tedious, but my best strategy is to just do one or two quick things before leaving in the morning.  You could also eliminate friction by having less stuff in the house,  eliminating steps, and making sure you have the best tool for the job. E.g. cordless stick vacuum enables cleaning up small messes when they happen because there's no extra time needed for hauling it out of the closet or winding up the cord.

Exactly.

OP, this isn't your first time assuming that general advice is somehow universal. No advice is ever universal.

I read it as permission for a quick nap

Permission from who and for who??

Again, no advice is universal. You should scrutinize every piece of advice for suitability for your particular circumstances.

[ATtiny85]

I wish I could nap.

The best I can do is sit or lie down and close my eyes and rest, usually with a cat sleeping soundly on me.

Maybe someday I'll be able to join them.

See, we do have common ground. I am quite similar. I enjoy relaxing and the cat (sometimes both of them) seem to like it. But I would prefer to solidly sleep for a half hour rather than just relax.

[kite]

Love this list!!

Next time my workaholic, constantly-in-motion sister calls and asks what I’m doing, I’m gonna say “working thru some time management tips” instead of saying “napping.”

[Cannot Wait!]

When I was working and raising kids,  I'd nap every chance I got. I LOVED napping. I thought I'd nap all the time once I'd retired, but no, never do. Turns out I what I wanted to do was ESCAPE, not nap.

[twinstudy]

I find napping very useful as a mental refresh. I can't do sustained work for more than 4-5 hours at a time (I doubt anyone can, except under huge duress) and on busy days I typically work two shifts, from 7am-12pm and 3pm-7pm separated by a nap.

Unrelatedly, I also find it nearly impossible to get more than 8 hours of genuine productive (mental) work done in a day, and I doubt very many people can do more than that. By work I mean difficult and mentally stimulating work, not taking calls or pushing paper. (I used to work in a call centre and it was trivially easy to put in 10 hours a day. But that wasn't difficult work.)

[Metalcat]

I find napping very useful as a mental refresh. I can't do sustained work for more than 4-5 hours at a time (I doubt anyone can, except under huge duress) and on busy days I typically work two shifts, from 7am-12pm and 3pm-7pm separated by a nap.

Unrelatedly, I also find it nearly impossible to get more than 8 hours of genuine productive (mental) work done in a day, and I doubt very many people can do more than that. By work I mean difficult and mentally stimulating work, not taking calls or pushing paper. (I used to work in a call centre and it was trivially easy to put in 10 hours a day. But that wasn't difficult work.)

It really depends on the person. I have no problem with doing sustained, focused work for 12+ hours, but I can't do much the next day.

Different neurotypes function differently.

[rosarugosa]

I'm a 67 year old non-napper.  Both of my parents were nappers.  I don't think my sister is much of a napper either.

[use2betrix]

I “love” naps. I napped when I was in my 20’s and used to party a lot, to make up for my lack of sleep at night.

I still technically love naps, but anymore I’ve found that a 20 minute nap does far more harm to my night of sleep than adds value to the actual nap itself. Same with having caffeine after around 2 p.m., or drinking liquids after around 4-5 p.m.

I’d love to take an hour nap, have some preworkout around 4 p.m., and slam some water with dinner/before bed, but I have grown to realize how much a good nights sleep needs to truly be protected. I’ve identified the things that impact that sleep and make those sacrifices to ensure my sleep is ‘hopefully’ good. While not perfect, I’m pretty content with where I’m at.

My wife (pre-babies) could take an hour long nap and still rock a perfect 8+ hours of sleep. Now she gets up at night with an 8 month old, and before that, when our 3 year old was younger.

[MMMarbleheader]

Napping is a problem for me. It screws up my sleep schedule and makes me really groggy. I try to avoid it at all costs. I'll sometimes lie down a bit if I'm tired, but not actually go to sleep.

This is me too. DH naps constantly, to the point that I had him have a sleep test for sleep apnea because frequent napping is a warning sign and I thought his amount of napping seemed pathological.

Meanwhile I NEVER nap. If I fall asleep during the day, it's best to do a wellness check at some point because I may need to go to the ER.

Haha same here.

I am much better at falling asleep than my wife but it has to be in a bed and when I am tired. Plane, car, etc, never ever. I am the one watching a movie at 2am on a red eye. But when I push through the next day, I sleep really well and am never jet lagged.

[Just Joe]

Naps are necessary sometimes. I'm taking one most afternoons for a little bit before DW and I drive to the big metro for her treatments. It's a big drive with heavy traffic. Happier being more alert.

Normally, sometimes I can catch a short nap with lunch in my office with the door closed. Not always motivated to nap. 

[Samuel]

Team no nap. I wake up feeling terrible for an hour or two afterwards. Only worth it if I'm running on less than 5 hours sleep for some reason and need to be semi-sharp that evening.

[TheFrenchCat]

When I was working and raising kids,  I'd nap every chance I got. I LOVED napping. I thought I'd nap all the time once I'd retired, but no, never do. Turns out I what I wanted to do was ESCAPE, not nap.

I'm currently in the working-and-kid-raising-years, and have been feeling super bad about napping, especially since I still feel tired once I get up.  I think I'm napping to escape for me too.  Glad to hear it might be temporary since I didn't used to be a napper.  Maybe I'll try to intentionally take a break doing something just for me instead of napping.

[GuitarStv]

Are you guys who feel terrible after a nap napping for more than 20-30 minutes?  Because I feel terrible if I try to nap for more than that, and will have trouble sleeping later that night.

[Metalcat]

Are you guys who feel terrible after a nap napping for more than 20-30 minutes?  Because I feel terrible if I try to nap for more than that, and will have trouble sleeping later that night.

Doesn't matter. Napping feels like trash.

I also can't just choose to nap either. Like, DH can go "take a nap," I can't do that. Even as a kid, I would just lie there, bored out of my skull watching other kids choose to sleep, which was always so fucking weird to me.

My nervous system just isn't built for naps. Period.

[Raenia]

Napping doesn't prevent me from sleeping at night, but I do always wake up feeling groggy and generally worse than before I went to sleep. Yes, even if it's just 20 min. So I really only try to nap when I'm sick and really need it.

DH, on the other hand, loves a good nap. He can sleep for an hour in the early afternoon with no ill effects. On the other hand, he often doesn't sleep well at night (whether he napped or not).

[Magenta_screwdriver]

I would like to know that age ranges of the pro/anti nap crowds. I didn't nap in my 20's and 30's but in my 40's, I've embraced that life.

I’m 39 and I hate napping. I wake up super groggy and then I have trouble falling asleep the next night. It’s been like this since I’m a teenager.

A colleague of mine who is 25 years old loves to nap, does it almost daily, and when I tell her how nap messes with me she look at me like I have two heads.

I tried napping for 15/30 minutes, but when I did I was super tired when the alarm went off. It didn’t feel refreshing at all, in fact I was still super tired and fell back asleep quickly. In the rare times when I didn’t, it did not mess with my sleep, but I was still tired the rest of the day.