#3 The Importance of Nap Time

Ohh man, I'm tired... Time FOR A NAP! I'll make this super quick! XD Napping on my breaks have been a life saver recently for me has recently. How do I mean? It means I work longer and more efficiently. I read an article about naps that says you can produce 3Xs as much if you were to take naps then if you were to just try and power through your work. So I put it the test, and I believe it really works.

So if you are student or freelancer, you have deadlines. OR if you are just a maniac artist, who just can't stop drawing, then then you are on a mission and do not stop drawing no matter what XD. The thing is when you work for a long period of time your focus diminishes, productivity is effected, and over time(years) this can really effect your health. Just being tired easy, back pains, hand cramps, weakening of vision, and weight gain... dang DRAWING IS KILLING US!!! HAHAHA 

So how to fix this, heres how. Take short power naps. but there is an art to this! 10 15 25 or 1:30, and here's why. If I know I have to work for 10 hours that day cause of procrastination, and have to this for 2 weeks straight, then this strategy will be my best friend.


10 minutes in intervals  1:30 
Usually I do this when completing smaller tasks. For example I got the roughs down, gotta move to my inks, WAIT! Wait... GOtta nap. But I only worked for a short period of time, so that's why I gotta make it quick. But how can you nap for 10 minutes??? well that is a good question, especially if you suck turning off. It still helps A LOT. Focus on just breathing, and clearing your mind, the feeling releasing. It helps if you know how to meditate, 10 minutes will feel like plenty. 

15minutes is if you feel like you need a little more or 2:00 of work. It'll help you feel more alert, awake, and focused. One of the biggest problems of not taking naps or breaks, is I have the tendency of wondering off doing other things, killing time, like facebook, youtube, games. I feel, I need a reward!!! I worked so hard, time to take a break! The problem with those breaks is, I NEVER stick to the intended break time. One game, is never one game, one you tube video is never one youtube, etc! Surprisingly, when I get up from these power naps, I have easier time making the right choice of getting back to work. I go, dam, that was NICE, I can work MORE! AHAHA It's powerful! 

25
Okay okay, so you've gone for 3 hours or more, because that's just how you roll! But now you are feeling all of the negative symptoms of prolonged work, including SLEEPY NESS!!! So your are sleepy, this will definitely fix that! You feel a boost like no other. It'll not only make feel alert, but boost your creativity and efficiency. The best thing about efficiency is, there is a hop to your work. You move to tools quicker, you make better  choices, less undos, and what may feel like regular drawing, really isn't. You'll get a lot more done, and also the work will a lot better in the end.

Pit falls you might face! 1 Hour and A Half
20-25 mins naps, are great, but heres a problem you might face. Hitting snooze until you've laid down for 2 hrs! Hitting that snooze over and over leaves you feeling groggy, tired and irritable. Not helpful at all. So the problem with longer naps is they are tempting to stay in bed longer. The trick to fixing this is to not avoid it. It means you are lacking sleep, and NEED SLEEP! So set your nap for an 1:30. The reason for an hour a half is, it's a full sleep cycle. If you feel like, dang, I fell asleep at 25 mins and need more, DO IT! SLEEP! BUT SET IT TO 1:30. You're body is the most ready to wake in intervals of 1:30 because 1:30 is a full sleep cycle. So when the alarm goes off, it'll be MUCH easier to get up. do this twice in a day after a night of being sleep deprived, and It'll feel like you've fixed your sleep problem, and still allow you to sleep that same night! The artical points how, at 1:30 it's great the best for boosting creativity AS WELL AS MEMORY retention! 

Okay heres a hack!
If you want to insure you wake up after your intended time, TAKE A HIT OF COFFEE! But the time the nap is up, the coffe will have metabolized, and you'll wake up feeling PUMPED! 

And thats about it! Hahah I was once able to draw for 3 DAYS STRAIGHT, with breaks only for for bathroom and snacks, Yeah that's how I use to be. We'll I did the 3 day thing once, and but all nighters A LOT! A LOT!!!!! I mean 24 hour drawing! That's why people say we barely remember college, it's because of all those dam ALL NIGHTERS! Our brain can't retain the memory. We like to think, we're machines, and we'll stay young forever, we are bullet proof. Adults will tell you over and over, but we never listen until we are there or it's too late. Well in this case, it doesn't have to be too late, it'll make you feel like you are a kid again XP But even if you are a kid, I recommend this type of practice because by the time you are 30+ you'll be MUCH better off then your peers and feel unstoppable. This works for any kind of job that allows naps, writers, youtubers, video game players haha. 

Heres the artical if you wanna see more. But the best way to see if it works is if you try it yourself! 
www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/opi…

Gluck, SORRY ABOUT THE SHITTY GRAMMER!

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