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It's ironic that sleeping at the office is absolutely not accepted, while taking large doses of psychoactive drugs like caffeine and nicotine is even encouraged

It's ironic that sleeping at the office is absolutely not accepted, while taking large doses of psychoactive drugs like caffeine and nicotine is even encouraged. If you work with computers, then your brain is your absolutely most important tool. Going away to visit a conference is absolutely no problem. Sleeping for 15 minutes at the desk? Not ok.

yitchelle 12y ago
Your observation is probably due to a cultural thing. I know in some Asian countries like Singapore and Malaysia, I regularly see employees taking naps during the afternoon. Probably for about 20 to 30mins, then they wake up, freshen up and get back to it. I have heard some central American countries also have similar practices. Maybe Mexico with their siesta (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siesta http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siesta).
- thomasfl 12y ago
  You are right. In scandinavia, where I live, work is seen as almost a religion. It's the same culture in all european protestant countries. These are the same countries that drink the most coffee.
  - yitchelle 12y ago
    > These are the same countries that drink the most coffee. I travel to Sweden a bit and was introduced to the concept of fika. I like it.
- crpatino 12y ago
  You owe me 12000 hrs of sleep there. At least in large urban areas it is extremely uncommon. Probably if you are a boss with an actual office, but businesses tend to be not at all conductive to that. Traditional office hours were 9-2 and 4-7 a generation ago, in order to allow people to go have lunch with their families, but even then you had to take the commute times into account. Blue collar workers only have one hour for lunch, but the expectation is that it will somehow be provided in situ.
k-mcgrady 12y ago
I wonder if this is in part due to the transition to open plan offices. It's hardly a great depiction of reality but the TV show Mad Men shows people regularly sleeping/napping in their office. The lack of privacy in modern offices is probably a prohibiting factor to napping.
- aklemm 12y ago
  It would be interesting to see how often people with an office and daybed (along with enough stature to shut their door and expect privacy) take advantage of it by napping.
  - doktrin 12y ago
    I have my own office (I'm nothing special, all the engineers here do) and I usually take a nap in the afternoon. It's a no brainer in my book.
    - tootall 12y ago
      What company do you work for if I might ask?
Raphmedia 12y ago
I sleep in my car! In the summer that is. Our HQ office is quite remote, so if I drive 2 minutes, I can be next to the woods. I open all my windows, nap for 30 minutes with the sound of nature all around me. It's the best. I can't wait for summer.
- otoburb 12y ago
  During the winter, do you do the same thing but with the windows closed? Not sure how feasible this is for folks without a car. I work remotely, and typically take 12 minute naps either during lunch or closer to the end of the day to recharge if I feel tired.
  - Raphmedia 12y ago
    I would have to dress up and waste fuel to heat up the car. The felt temperature is -40 out there. My main advice is carry a book. You can nap anywhere if you have a thick book in your hands. "Oh, sorry. I was reading but fell asleep!"
- wanderingstan 12y ago
  I'd do the same when I drove to work! I've joked about giving an Ignite talk about "guerrilla napping". Here in SF I love napping in Yerba Buena Gardens with th construction workers and homeless. When I lived in Manhattan I could get short naps in the cathedrals, by learning to doze in a posture of prayer.
mlrtime 12y ago
Even worse, nobody snobs at the smokers who take a few 10-15 minute smoke breaks, however if you were to take a 30 minute nap you are 'sleeping on the job'.
nilkn 12y ago
My boss will occasionally take a ~20 minute nap on his couch in his office when he's really stressed. Then again, when you're the cofounder, CTO, a multimillionaire from a previous sale, and you have a nice private office with a door that closes, you can do whatever you want.
lazyant 12y ago
You can't even take a nap in some places like on a couch in a mall; maybe polices change but I saw a mall guard waking up some tired soul.

yitchelle 12y ago

Your observation is probably due to a cultural thing. I know in some Asian countries like Singapore and Malaysia, I regularly see employees taking naps during the afternoon. Probably for about 20 to 30mins, then they wake up, freshen up and get back to it. I have heard some central American countries also have similar practices. Maybe Mexico with their siesta (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siesta http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siesta).

thomasfl 12y ago
You are right. In scandinavia, where I live, work is seen as almost a religion. It's the same culture in all european protestant countries. These are the same countries that drink the most coffee.
- yitchelle 12y ago
  > These are the same countries that drink the most coffee. I travel to Sweden a bit and was introduced to the concept of fika. I like it.
crpatino 12y ago
You owe me 12000 hrs of sleep there. At least in large urban areas it is extremely uncommon. Probably if you are a boss with an actual office, but businesses tend to be not at all conductive to that. Traditional office hours were 9-2 and 4-7 a generation ago, in order to allow people to go have lunch with their families, but even then you had to take the commute times into account. Blue collar workers only have one hour for lunch, but the expectation is that it will somehow be provided in situ.

k-mcgrady 12y ago

I wonder if this is in part due to the transition to open plan offices. It's hardly a great depiction of reality but the TV show Mad Men shows people regularly sleeping/napping in their office. The lack of privacy in modern offices is probably a prohibiting factor to napping.

aklemm 12y ago
It would be interesting to see how often people with an office and daybed (along with enough stature to shut their door and expect privacy) take advantage of it by napping.
- doktrin 12y ago
  I have my own office (I'm nothing special, all the engineers here do) and I usually take a nap in the afternoon. It's a no brainer in my book.
  - tootall 12y ago
    What company do you work for if I might ask?

Raphmedia 12y ago

I sleep in my car! In the summer that is. Our HQ office is quite remote, so if I drive 2 minutes, I can be next to the woods. I open all my windows, nap for 30 minutes with the sound of nature all around me. It's the best. I can't wait for summer.

otoburb 12y ago
During the winter, do you do the same thing but with the windows closed? Not sure how feasible this is for folks without a car. I work remotely, and typically take 12 minute naps either during lunch or closer to the end of the day to recharge if I feel tired.
- Raphmedia 12y ago
  I would have to dress up and waste fuel to heat up the car. The felt temperature is -40 out there. My main advice is carry a book. You can nap anywhere if you have a thick book in your hands. "Oh, sorry. I was reading but fell asleep!"
wanderingstan 12y ago
I'd do the same when I drove to work! I've joked about giving an Ignite talk about "guerrilla napping". Here in SF I love napping in Yerba Buena Gardens with th construction workers and homeless. When I lived in Manhattan I could get short naps in the cathedrals, by learning to doze in a posture of prayer.

mlrtime 12y ago

Even worse, nobody snobs at the smokers who take a few 10-15 minute smoke breaks, however if you were to take a 30 minute nap you are 'sleeping on the job'.

nilkn 12y ago

My boss will occasionally take a ~20 minute nap on his couch in his office when he's really stressed. Then again, when you're the cofounder, CTO, a multimillionaire from a previous sale, and you have a nice private office with a door that closes, you can do whatever you want.

lazyant 12y ago

You can't even take a nap in some places like on a couch in a mall; maybe polices change but I saw a mall guard waking up some tired soul.