Hello from Hamburg,
Mindfulness training is booming. Not being dominated by tormenting thoughts—whether during the day or at night—is vital for survival in this turbulent period of upheaval that companies are currently experiencing. We don’t make good decisions when we’re in panic mode, but rather when we’re in a state of inner balance.
For me, the best daily mindfulness practice is a short afternoon nap. I learned this habit while working on my doctoral dissertation. As a part-time job, I used to read the newspapers to then-Chancellor Helmut Kohl. It wasn’t that he couldn’t read; he just didn’t have the time. Starting at five in the morning, we’d compile commentary on his policies from the daily press for him at the Federal Press Office in Bonn. I finished work at noon and took a twenty-minute ride on the Intercity train from the capital to Cologne, where I lived and studied. After a brief doze while seated, I’d wake up at Cologne Central Station feeling mentally and physically refreshed. If I’d overslept, I would have had to get off one stop further on in Düsseldorf—which is particularly painful for a Cologne native. Ever since then, I’ve carried the habit of power napping with me through every stage of my life and career.
The beneficial effects of a nap stand in stark contrast to its reputation. It is viewed as an unacceptable disruption to a work culture that, since the Industrial Age, has been characterized by a relentless succession of deadlines. Especially in times of crisis—when people feel they must respond with nonstop activity—the “reset” button seems counterintuitive. That’s why the midday siesta is kept secret. Yet the great value of this endangered way of life is well known. A NASA study of military pilots and astronauts found that a nap improves productivity by 34 percent and alertness by 100 percent. Shorter naps of ten to twenty minutes are ideal for avoiding grogginess upon waking and quickly boosting alertness. During this time, one experiences only the initial stage of sleep, which sleep experts call N1 and which has yet to be thoroughly researched. Experts from the Brain Research Institute at the Sorbonne University recently discovered that numerous dynamic processes take place precisely in the gray area between wakefulness and sleep. Brain activity decreases, the heart rate slows, consciousness begins to fluctuate, and rich sensory experiences occur. The researchers believe it’s possible that, while dozing off, the brain can associate ideas more freely than when awake and thus establish connections between more distant areas of the brain. This, they suggest, is what enables the increased creativity after a nap.
So far, so good. But how do you manage to take a quick siesta without the train connection between Bonn and Cologne? How do you switch off the many thoughts that swirl around in your head during a typical workday at the push of a button?
Everyone is familiar with that mid-afternoon slump, which is often exacerbated by a trip to the cafeteria or a business lunch at noon. This slump follows the human body’s natural biorhythm, which calls for a long period of sleep at night and a short one in the afternoon, as well as breaks every hour and a half. Only then can the knowledge we’ve acquired and processed settle in, allowing the brain to become receptive and productive again. Instead of futilely fighting this slump with coffee and sweets, when I’m at our company, I make a little nook out of the two high-back sofas in the break room next to the foosball table, close the door, tell myself, “You can all go to hell,” lie down, close my eyes, lose control of space and time within seconds, and find myself in the land of N1. To prevent that short nap from turning into a deep sleep—after which you wake up feeling more exhausted than before—we can learn from the greats. It’s said that inventor Thomas Edison held marbles in his hand, while painter Salvador Dalí held a spoon. The moment you doze off, the objects fall to the floor, and you wake up.
To all beginners, I urge you to be courageous and persistent: Come out as practicing afternoon nappers. Set aside time in your calendar. Practice a few times using autogenic training or relaxation techniques—there are plenty of them online. In doing so, become a driving force behind a work culture that adapts to your biorhythm. It’s in the company’s best interest to promote the siesta through acceptance, training, and suitable quiet spaces. Just like at Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, where, during my time as managing director, I had a napping room set up for students—and it’s used extensively.
