I have all the content planned for the next couple of months - outlined and waiting to be written. Today was supposed to be about goals. While I love talking about goals, I wasn’t feeling it.

Not today.

No, today I sat down to write and decided to nap instead.

What can I say? I love naps.

It could be because I stayed up a little too late last night finishing a book, which I haven’t done in what feels like years. It could be because for several days I’ve felt off - cold-like, but nothing dire. It could be because I like to take it easier on the weekend and get back to it on Monday. I’ve earned the time off! But I just could not get back into the groove today.

Mostly I’m writing about naps because I like them and I enjoy being snuggled up in blankets.

And you know what? That actually helps my writing.

Here’s why:

When I’m tired, I’m not thinking about writing, or the subject matter.

I’m thinking about how tired I am, or how heavy my eyelids are, or whether it’s worth making another cup of tea with more caffeine so I can push out some extra words. None of this is productive.

When I’m thinking about napping, I’m already distracted.

Sometimes it’s about my anxiety flaring up. Sometimes it’s about not having slept well. Sometimes I just need a quiet break during the day! So if I sit down at the keyboard, or even my journal (which is a sacred, judgement-free zone), I’m going to get distracted by the tumbleweed of dog hair in the corner of the room.

I’m going to be thinking about all the sticky notes that have come unstuck from their respective homes and floated perilously near the edge of the desk where the puppy is sure to grab them as soon as he sees an opportunity. I’m not really showing up to my writing at this point, even though my body is in the chair waiting for further instructions from my glazed over brain.

It cleanses my mind.

Several times a week I use a brief 15 minute nap to meditate and clear all the junk out of my mind. You know the kind that really gets in the way of creativity: financial concerns, household chores, irritation at your dog eating yet another tissue out of the bathroom trash when you weren’t looking. It bogs me down! So I do a short meditation and rest my eyes for just a few minutes after, and voila! Brand new me who’s ready to kick ass again.

It’s alone time.

Those of you who live with a partner or spouse or roommate will feel me on this: when we’re at home virtually all the time, there’s not a lot of space. Our house is approximately 1100 square feet, and while I do have an office with a door, I can’t always shut it for one reason or another. Many times I’m napping for more than one reason. Having a little slice of alone time in a very together kind of lifestyle is almost always one of those reasons.

It calms anxiety.

Before I figured out how to deal with my anxiety, the only thing I knew that worked to shut everything down quickly was to nap. Even when everything was flying by at a mile a minute (like due dates for term papers and such) napping could always set me at ease.

Later on, I learned some other methods, but napping is always a sure way to contain my anxiety when it’s crept up without me realizing it. I always wake up from a nap refreshed, so it’s natural for me to take that time regularly. I mean, why wouldn’t I use a tried and true method to contain the panic monster when she’s trying to escape?

When I’m at ease, I write better. Like, a lot better.

I write a lot. I journal, I write for clients, I write my own blog content, I’m working on a novel. It’s safe to say that even for someone who loves words more than most other things, I write A LOT. It’s not always an easy transition between ideas either. If I’m writing a mental health article for a client, or an article about addiction recovery, I can’t just finish that and turn around and write about how much I’m inspired by my dogs (which I am). I have to have some time to shift my mindset and style.

Napping is the perfect way to ease this tension, especially when I’m on a tight schedule. The reality is I could just jump right into the next piece of writing, but it’s not going to be as good as it could be. And not as coherent as it needs to be. You can edit most things, but I’m typically a pretty clean first draft writer, so when I find something atrocious, I know I felt rushed or didn’t have my head in the right place. It takes me way longer to edit something really bad than to close my eyes for 15 minutes and come back and write a solid first draft.

Napping works incredibly well for me as a tool for productivity and writing success, and it has great potential to work for you, too!

My challenge for you is to try it: the next time you’re overwhelmed, try setting a 15 minute timer and forcing your brain to shut down.

Do you nap regularly? How does it work for you? I’d love to hear! I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing - and napping.

6 Ways Napping Helps Me Write