Permission To Nap

Tomi writes regularly at Think, Write, Inspire – consider stopping by to see what she’s been up to. This post was originally featured there. 

What do you do when you have so much to do that you don’t know where to begin?

I’ll tell you what I do. And what you should do, too.

Take a nap. I’m serious.

Here’s an example for you. Picture me at home. I had just returned from taking one of my daughters to an orthodontist appointment in another town. I had about an hour before I needed to pick up my son from school. I had been traveling on a spur-of-the-moment trip and had gotten home the night before. It had been a busy day. I looked around my office at all I had to do and realized I needed a little break.

I set my timer on my iPad for 20 minutes and took a very restful, quick nap. The world just melted away. When the alarm went off, I woke up feeling refreshed and ready to conquer whatever needed to be done.

This is something I do quite often. When I hit that sluggish part of the afternoon, I pay attention. When I get tired, things seem harder and I often feel I have more to deal with than I actually do. If I can shut out the world, even for just 20 minutes, I gain a whole new perspective.

I have read several articles and studies that show the healthy benefits of cat naps or power naps. I know other people who do this as well. I am a firm believer we should all do what works for us. For me, personally, I am amazed at how quickly I can refuel.

So, next time you hit that low point of the day, give yourself permission to take a break, shut out the world, and go to a still, quiet place. Mentally and physically. You might just be amazed at how quickly you regenerate.