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.

Courtesy of Simon Spotlight. No rights asserted as to image, and to be clear, we’re not here to assassinate “Lazy” Smurf’s character — far from it.

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?