Recovering Overachiever Confession #2: I Nap. by @McDermott_Chime

From the series: Confessions of a Recovering Overachiever by Cortney McDermott, Chime

Before my four year old daughter Gaia Ray lies down for a mid-day nap, she always lists the things she’s going to do “tomorrow” when she wakes.

“Domani I’m going to read Duck for President and take Jackie Brown [her doll] for a walk and make tea and cookies with candy hearts.”

Naps are like that: They turn one day into two.

Siesta is obligatory in my house, in my town, in Italia. Maybe it’s just 20 minutes and you don’t even sleep, but that ‘time-out’ gives you a whole fresh start.

As a recovering overachiever, I can now clearly see that certain ideas I used to link to productivity (e.g., Go! Go! Go!) simply don’t hold up to scrutiny. We are not more constructive when we spend 10 hours a day in front of our computers with recurrent caffeine injections.

Even Henry Ford knew that!

Still, sometimes I still let my old-school mentality get the better of me: “You can’t possibly take a nap today! You have far too much to do!”

But on those days I find I accomplish much less, feel more stressed and less fulfilled.

Now, I realize that taking a nap in the middle of the day is quite a luxury, especially for corporate employees (even if in some cases it is possible). Luckily, meditation works the same magic and is something anyone can integrate into office break time. Even just booking a private conference room for ten minutes can do the trick, or going outside for frequent breather breaks.

Maybe you’re thinking, “Not at my company!” or “Yes, if you want to be regarded as the office freak!” If so take a look at what ESPN has to say about it.

If the winning team of the Super Bowl can find the time and the courage for meditation before heading out to the field, so can each and every one of us. We must, in fact, if we want to win the game.

How do you break away from ‘Go!Go!Go’? Please leave your own recovery confession in the comments below.

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• See more on how long to nap for the biggest benefits.
• See more Confessions of a Recovering Overachiever here on She Owns It:
  • Confession 1: I no longer plan my days.
  • And check back for more Confessions each month.

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Cortney McDermott – Co-founder & CEO,  Chime

Cortney McDermott is an internationally sought after sustainability and communications expert. After nearly a decade in the Fortune 500 world, Cortney decided to turn her passions into her profession. “The real crisis humanity faces is not planetary. It’s personal. At the heart of every poor decision, flawed system, or unhappy person is wrong thinking. We may not realize it, but we shape our world. It’s up to us whether we do so intentionally or not.”

An award-winning author and official blogger for The Huffington Post, Cortney helps others understand how to shape their reality with intention. Her 7-Step process to personal and professional transformation starts with what she calls simplicating: cutting away the unnecessary so we can hone in on the strategies and actions that spark success, enhance value, and create a better world. “It’s amazing the opportunities that open up when you build a discipline around doing the right thing.” Cortney has advised global corporate leaders on sustainability, corporate communications, and business strategy. She has also served as an executive at Vanity Fair Corporation, Vice President at Sustainability Partners, professor of graduate studies for Top Ten universities, and chair of multiple global business organizations.

She’s done all this without sacrificing her life as a wife, mother, marathon runner and yogi in a small mountain village in the North of Italy. Join her and thousands around the world chiming in to Work Life Harmony.

Follow Cortney on Instagram and Twitter and Facebook.

Cortney McDermott