I run a small branch office of eight people here and I’ve never seen my employees sleep at their desks. They take most of their lunch hour (1.5hr) outside and just get back to working when they come back. They know I only care the work gets done and not how long they stay. Have to agree with MT it smells a lot like face BS to me.
This can sometimes be because of what you ate for breakfast. If your breakfast didn’t contain enough protein, or contained too mauch carbohydrates, it can make you crash midmorning.
And this habit of napping midday is typical of hot climates. It is picked up from when they were peasants working in the fields all day - napping during the hottest part of the day is a reasonable way to deal with a difficult climate. Now that they’re working in air-conditioned offices, it’s not necessary, but habits built up over generations are not always easy to change.
Just like in the States and Canada - we don’t have school in the summer because way back in the day our forefathers needed the kids at home to work on the farm during the summer. It’s irrelevant now, but that’s the way we do things and we don’t even think of why.
I sleep after eating at lunch time. Adapted to the lights out culture here. Initially I had my tiny little USB lamp to keep on surfing the net during lunch break. But the darkness makes me sleepy.
…Probably won’t stop because English teachers/editors don’t like it. Me working hard you know, with computatores and stuff… 
[quote=“bob_honest”]I sleep after eating at lunch time. Adapted to the lights out culture here. Initially I had my tiny little USB lamp to keep on surfing the net during lunch break. But the darkness makes me sleepy.
…Probably won’t stop because English teachers/editors don’t like it. Me working hard you know, with computatores and stuff… :p[/quote]
What do you think we work on? Papyrus?
8:40am?
If the working day starts at 8:30, I’d say it’s a problem.
If the working day starts at 9:00, I’d say who cares.
[quote=“Chris”]8:40am?
If the working day starts at 8:30, I’d say it’s a problem.
If the working day starts at 9:00, I’d say who cares.[/quote]
I care, because (a) it seems like a real weenie thing to do unless you’re massively hungover, and (b) it reflects a crappy, time clock mentality (and I’m his boss). Oh, I got to the office 20 minutes early, goodie, I can sleep for 20 minutes until work starts. Bullshit, we don’t use time cards, we are simply supposed to come in, work long regular hours to get the work done, and he’s a fucking Senior Manager. He’s supposed to be mature, responsible, devoted to his job, not sleeping until the last minute when he is absolutely required to lift up his head and pretend to look busy.
[quote=“Mother Theresa”][quote=“Chris”]8:40am?
If the working day starts at 8:30, I’d say it’s a problem.
If the working day starts at 9:00, I’d say who cares.[/quote]
I care, because (a) it seems like a real weenie thing to do unless you’re massively hungover, and (b) it reflects a crappy, time clock mentality (and I’m his boss). Oh, I got to the office 20 minutes early, goodie, I can sleep for 20 minutes until work starts. Bullshit, we don’t use time cards, we are simply supposed to come in, work long regular hours to get the work done, and he’s a fucking Senior Manager. He’s supposed to be mature, responsible, devoted to his job, not sleeping until the last minute when he is absolutely required to lift up his head and pretend to look busy.[/quote]
It also is not good for office atmosphere. 20 mins early, means he should make himself a cup of coffee, switch on his computer, settle down, wish everyone coming in a big good morning, chit chat and get the day going. MT you could do what they do in China and over here in dept. stores. 10 mins BEFORE work starts, everyone has to line up and the boss then what, makes them sing the national anthem?? or say a pledge or something? 
Thanks. I CAN really sleep anywhere and anytime! 
But I believe people with this ability ( 
) have a more irregular sleeping pattern. For me as an example, I can stay up all night or sleep more than 10 hours a time.
But I don’t agree with the idea that Taiwanese people fake the napping habit. At least I’ve never seen anyone that dose that. Or I, as well as most Taiwanese I think, don’t think napping is something worth praising. I think it’s just refreshing. I specially like a coffee after a nap, which gives me even hyperactivity dealing with things or brain-storming for solutions.
If somebody reall fakes it, it’s few minority. (Exaggerative way of expression: 少數的少數)
And look at this from an article in BBC News Magazine:
And some replies to that article:
The East Asians do seem more enlightened when it comes to the benefits of sleep. Here in Korea many companies turn the lights off at lunchtime so people can take a nap.
Mel Buckpitt, Seoul, South Korea
Over here in Japan I was shocked by how many people just sleep anywhere. Starbucks and McDonalds at lunchtimes seem to be favourites, but pretty much anywhere - standing up next to a vending machine was the funniest I’ve seen. But now I’ve been here a while, I’ve developed the habit myself - although I do have to set my mobile phone alarm to wake up at the right time so I don’t miss my train stop (the Japanese have this built in it seems).
Allan Connell, Kitakyushu, Japan
What? Standing up napping next to a vending machine? 
The security guys in my building are sleeping all the time
I used to close my office door during lunch, set my cel to wake me five minutes before lunch was over and nap on the floor. Can’t sleep hunched over a desk. Too uncomfortable. Kind of like siesta, I assume. Always felt refreshed afterwards and could work up a storm after lunch with a coffee at my desk.
Good times.
Edit: Although, I agree with MT that the guy coming in and napping before work in the morning? :loco: Sounds extremely odd.
Another thing that irritates is the constant yawning and/or falling asleep during meetings when the fuckers are supposed to make a meaningful contribution.
And the cherry on the cake:
Me: ‘Good morning/afternoon/evening Ai-Yuan! How are you?’
Ai-Yuan: ‘Tired.’ :s
The first year here I always slept in the meeting rooms, 20 people in it, sealed, no windows, aircon not on or on low setting. Now I switch the damned thing higher by myself.
[quote=“golf”]
The East Asians do seem more enlightened when it comes to the benefits of sleep. Here in Korea many companies turn the lights off at lunchtime so people can take a nap.
[b]Mel Buckpitt, Seoul, South Korea[/quote]
This guy can’t have spent much time in South Korea. The men I knew there ‘worked’ (often actually ‘team-building’ visits to room salons, but still, they were awake) until midnight and were expected back at work by 7am. Add in the commute …
High school students were told that if they slept more than 4 hours a night, they’d never get into university. One of my students had his mother help him study well past the point of exhaustion - she would sit next to his desk, and every time he fell asleep she would hit him with a stick.
Like Indian mums.
I was on the train last night. I was seat no.6, and seats no.s 2 and 4 (in front of me) had been taken out. In their place was a man sitting in a lotus position with his eyes closed and his head nodding, but still maintaining perfect posture.
[quote=“golf”]Over here in Japan I was shocked by how many people just sleep anywhere. Starbucks and McDonalds at lunchtimes seem to be favourites, but pretty much anywhere - standing up next to a vending machine was the funniest I’ve seen. But now I’ve been here a while, I’ve developed the habit myself - although I do have to set my mobile phone alarm to wake up at the right time so I don’t miss my train stop (the Japanese have this built in it seems).
Allan Connell, Kitakyushu, Japan
What? Standing up napping next to a vending machine? [/quote]
Totally right.
I haven’t lived in Taiwan (yet) but I did live in Japan. Vending machines? Who needs? I’ve seen (everybody has, it’s common) them sleeping while standing on the trains, just holding the hangers or even taking advantage of the fat that the packed cars won’t let you move , let aside fall, anyway.
I confirmed with my girlfriend back then (saw her sleeping in the most awkward positions), no faking, no pretending, they do sleep and, yes, she assured, even dream. And yes, for some genetic conditioning they’ll open their eyes just a second right before their stop (some admit using the vibrator of the mobile in silence mode as an alarm clock, though), unless it is drunk “salary men” at night. Those don’t make it home half of the times.
They even sleep in conferences, meetings… one of my colleagues had a stunning entry in his blog with the sleeping heads of around of 10% of the businessmen attending an event organized at our embassy. I actually adapted quite well, once I fell asleep through two thirds of a drama I attended (Japanese Noh is long and monotonous), which I would be ashamed of back home (not to say regret for the wasted money)
Another friend also told me she had a pillow in a drawer in her office for when she needed to nap at work, just like the girls in the jeans… errrr… with the yellow cushion in the picture.
It seems to adapt to Taiwan coming from Japan won’t be hard, he 
8.40am in the morning - just doesn’t make sense. 12-2pm, yes, Chinese/Taiwanese siesta time, and fair play to them if they’re on the go from 5am to 12 at night.
I have the use of the campus hotel when I teach at the second campus and usually have a 30 minute power nap, any longer would make me groggy.
I still maintain that the best time to take over China or Taiwan would be between the hours of 12 and 2pm, when the entire country is napping, including entire governments and armies.
This thread makes me start singing Smoking in the Boys Room for some reason.