Sleepless Mumbai now naps

When 29yearold finance professional Priyanka Tomar started working from home in March she missed taking breaks with friends and stepping down for coffee There was nothing to do and no human interaction either My husband was in South Africa and returned only when international flights resumed There were times when even during lunch I was mindlessly eating in front of the computer In the process I realised I was working more hours from homemdashat a stretch and without real breaks It was exhausting So on days when work was light Id take a little nap during work hours Now it has become a thoughtless habit she admitsPriyanka TomarAs many of us continue to work from home with the bed or sofa right in front of us indulging in shuteye is tempting but also rejuvenating At an IT companys virtual Townhall recently the CEO addressed the employees sharing his own experience of working from home where he mentioned hed been taking power naps and found them to have made him more productive A 20minute nap during the day can lower stress levels improve mood and increase alertness without disrupting the schedule too much Just dont live dangerously please set an alarm warns TomarSoftware quality analyst Irfan Siddique 32 had been taking power naps even when at office and now that his workstation is installed in his living room right next to a cozy sofa it is harder to resist Back then I used to put down my head on the desk and snooze for a bit before resuming work I was known for it Now from home I ask my team lead for the amount of work that needs to be done in the shift and I do it in the stipulated time Thats it The rest of the time is mine and every now and then I take a quick nap Its a habit nowSiddique admits that the habit might be difficult to maintain when office resumes I hope they give us enough intimation before resuming work so I can break the habit of a fullon nap but I am also thinking of asking my lead for legitimate power nap breaksWhile forwardthinking companies like Google Mercedes Benz and Huffington Post have sleep pods energy pods and nap rooms respectively most office spaces arent designed to encourage a quick snooze For some napping while working from home can feel like a betrayal of trust because it is expected that youre constantly hammering on the keyboard even when your boss cant see you While working on this article many friends reached out admitting they do snooze during work hours but feared they might come across as unproductive to their bossesSetare IraniThankfully many newage HR departments in India do believe that the stigma around naps needs to be removed especially now when the lockdown has forced us to think differently at many levels Setare Irani head People and Culture IdeateLabs says The pandemic has changed the way we work and live Teams are working for longer and are finding it harder to organise and plan life and work While the comfort that a home offers is undeniable we do have to come back to work at some point We have a bean bag and creative room where employees take a quick power nap or quietly read a book or watch something during a working day Since we are a creative hub we know that continuous thinking can often tax the brain We encourage our employees to take regular breaks and refresh the way they want A coffee and discussion with a colleague a bout of speed games or a power napmdashwe have had this in practice alwaysSebastian Rodriguez Vice President Talent Acquisition and Management at Netcore SolutionsSebastian Rodriguez Vice President Talent Acquisition and Management at Netcore Solutions himself is a light sleeper packing in just five hours a night Power naps keep me going Just five to 10 minutes and Im back in full force Its almost like you get a second working day Club that with a quick shower and youre willing to take on the world he says His organisation encouraged power naps even before COVID19 forced us to stay at home Our offices have always been equipped with resting spaces with bed blanket and shower Personally I feel power naps or Inemuri as the Japanese call it help you come back with renewed vigour and stay focussed We want our employees to stay alert agile and super creative In the end thats all that matters he addsKeep scrolling to read more newsCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news