( Careerbuilder.com ) -- Problem : Even though rest is how your body rebuilds , there 's virtually no time or space to do it at work . But we really need rest -- much of the population is sleep-deprived . It 's even more severely rest-deprived , which fouls up mood , performance and health . If you do too much at once , you 'll feel overwhelmed . If you do the same thing too much over and over , you 'll get exhausted . Taking breaks is often the only way to prevent the error that being tired and unrested can cause , yet it 's hard for most workers to rest -- and still be efficient -- at work . You have to be the right kinds of breaks . Solution : You probably ca n't take naps at work -- about half of Fortune 500 corporations will fire you or reprimand you if you nap on the job . Instead , take an UnNap Nap using the paradoxical relaxation technique . Careerbuilder.com : What does your cubicle say about you ? UnNap Naps can be taken in a very short time , one to three minutes , though you can certainly take longer ones . Where and when you can take an UnNap Nap : Anywhere , any time . What it is : It 's all about paying attention to muscle tension -- that 's it . Why it is `` paradoxical '' relaxation ? Because you rest and relax by not relaxing -- thus the paradox . How to take an UnNap : . 1 . Sit in a comfortable place ( try this first when you 're not at work ) . 2 . Start with any muscle in the head that feels tight . Ca n't find one ? If you 're looking at a screen all day , the middle of your forehead should feel tight ; others find that some spot on their neck is always a bit tight . 3 . Put one hand over your closed eyes ( if asked at work , you can say you have a little headache you 're trying to fix ) . 4 . With your other hand , point at the muscle that 's a bit tense in order to focus on it ; put your hand back . Careerbuilder.com : 7 questions not to ask . 5 . Continue to focus all your attention on the tense muscle . Feel it . Sense it . Do n't relax it or tense it . Just focus on it . You can also visualize the muscle . Muscles work like a set of teeth in a comb -- when they 're tense , they bunch up ; when relaxed , they pull away from each other . 6 . Sense that muscle and its tension for 30 seconds . 7 . Pull your hand away from your eyes and open them . Now , think about how the muscle feels . Does it feel relaxed ? What about the rest of your body ? Here 's where the paradox comes in -- with all your attention focused on one spot , the rest of the body relaxes . Now , sense other muscles on your face or head that are tense . Choose one . For the next 15 seconds , just sense that muscle alone . Feel it with your complete attention . Continue until you feel more relaxed . Extending the UnNap Nap To make the UnNap Nap as close to a nap as possible , do a mental scan of the body , focusing on different muscle groups one at a time , stopping at any that are feeling tense . Careerbuilder.com : 5 ways to rehab your resume . Go down the body muscle by muscle . Sense each muscle group for 15 seconds . Go from head to toe . After awhile , you 'll be able to easily pick them out , especially if you work at a desk . When you feel fully relaxed , notice your attention level . You should feel more relaxed and focused . Using the UnNap Nap You can use the UnNap Nap to relax anywhere , any time , and with practice it can be done in 15 seconds or less . It can be used to : . • Improve concentration quickly . • Relieve stress almost anywhere , any time . • Help you nap or fall asleep when you have the time . • Help teach you active rest -- the many different techniques to power you up when you 're exhausted or calm you when you 're stressed . • Help you relax and de-stress in the middle of a exam -- academic , medical , whatever . Rest rebuilds and revives the body . Active rest helps you direct that rebuilding , so it goes more the way you want -- it , making you more productive , more alert , more relaxed -- and often looking and feeling younger , too . & copy CareerBuilder.com 2011 . All rights reserved . The information contained in this article may not be published , broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority .
Even though rest is how your body rebuilds , there 's virtually no time to do it at work . Taking breaks is often the only way to prevent the error that being tired and unrested can cause . Take a one-to-three-minute UnNap Nap to relax yourself . Relax by concentrating on a particularly tense muscle .