Taking a Time Out

Okay, we all have those days when we try to tap into our creative juices and come up dry. There are a lot of ways to address that problem, but here's one you may not have thought of: take a nap. According to at least one study (HERE), you can increase your creativity by up to 33 percent just by taking a nap.

Of course, not all of us have the time in our day to take a nap, but you'd be surprised how little sleep it takes to get back to your A-game. While it was found that a five-minute nap didn't make a lot of change in memory, creativity, and performance, a 10-minute nap immediately resulted in a marked increase in all of those areas. So taking a nap lasting 10 to 15 minutes may be the solution to getting past that creative block you're having.

It's worth noting that a poll by the National Sleep Foundation revealed that, in 2000, approximately 67 percent of Americans were sleep-deprived. My guess is that the statistics haven't gotten better in the last decade.

Still not convinced? Okay, here's a list of some influential people who made it a point to take a nap every day to enhance their creativity and performance:

Winston Churchill admitted he needed a nap each afternoon in order to handle his leadership responsibilities.
Napoleon took a nap every day.
Leonardo da Vinci took multiple naps every day.
Thomas Edison credited his tremendous creative energy to sleeping whenever he wanted to.
John D. Rockefeller took a nap every afternoon in his office.
Eleanor Roosevelt took a nap before every speaking engagement.
Gene Autry would take an hour nap in his dressing room between performances.

Hollywood Connect

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