There are things in Viet am so ordinary that the locals rarely give them a second thought. For me, one of these things is the office lunch nap. It lasts only about thirty minutes during the workday, yet this small habit has gradually given me insight into the Vietnamese way of life: knowing when to take a break when they feel tired, making space for oneself amidst the hustle and bustle, and returning to work with a lighter, more at-ease mindset.

From days defined solely by work...

Before coming to Viet Nam, I spent years working as a police officer in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. I approached the job with seriousness and a strong sense of responsibility, but it was also a period when work consumed almost my entire life. There were days when, even after completing my own tasks, I couldn't leave the office immediately; I had to wait for those around me to finish their work as well. Sometimes, this waiting period dragged on for another two or three hours. By the time I got home, I was utterly exhausted, with just enough energy left to sleep before facing another identical day the following morning.

Kaneya Manabu while working in Japan. (Photo: Kaneya Manabu)

Back then, I was accustomed to the packed morning trains. Jostling amidst the throngs of commuters, I was constantly met with faces that looked weary, sleep-deprived, and stressed. I, too, would often wake up with a heavy heart, wondering what challenges awaited me at the office. Due to the nature of my job, I had to keep my phone close at all times and be ready to spring into action whenever a task arose; even my sleep was rarely restful.

Perhaps that is why, upon living and working in Viet Nam, I became particularly drawn to a part of the day I had rarely enjoyed before: the lunch break. After the meal, the pace of work would slow down, allowing everyone to rest before the afternoon session began. For many Vietnamese people, this was simply a routine part of daily life. But for someone like me, accustomed to filling almost every spare moment of the day with work, the ability to rest undisturbed during the workday offered a completely different experience.

I gradually developed the habit of taking a thirty-minute nap at midday. A long sleep isn't always necessary; in my experience, simply closing one’s eyes for five or ten minutes can make the body feel lighter, the mind clearer, and stress levels drop. It is a seemingly small thing, yet it makes the afternoon feel far more pleasant.

I once shared this with some Japanese friends. To my amusement, they found it not only interesting but were actually “envious,” especially when they learned I could nap for thirty minutes every day. It turned out that something completely ordinary in Viet am could be an object of desire for those coming from a different work culture.

And perhaps that is why I began to reflect more deeply on those thirty minutes.

Having been in Viet Nam for a decade, Kaneya Manabu significantly enjoys life and the people here. (Photo: Kaneya Manabu)

A pause, a lifestyle

Living in Viet Nam, I have realized that resting is not necessarily the opposite of working hard. People can be deeply committed to their jobs, yet still allow themselves a brief pause when fatigue sets in. Afterward, they rise, return to their desks, and carry on with the rest of the day.

I used to believe that constant activity was the only true measure of effort. However, the midday breaks I’ve experienced in Viet Nam taught me that knowing when to rest can actually lead to better work. The human body is not a machine. A short pause does not diminish our sense of responsibility; on the contrary, it provides the energy needed to keep going.

There is another aspect of the Vietnamese workplace culture that I appreciate: the sense of closeness among people. Colleagues share lunches, chat, and check in on one another, all while taking a few moments to rest before the afternoon session begins. Some things need not be spoken aloud, yet that sense of connection makes the workday feel less impersonal.

After years of living in Viet am, I have come to clearly understand that while work is vital here, it does not have to be everything. People also make room for family, health, those around them, and themselves. This perspective has brought about a significant shift in my own mindset compared to the years I spent in Japan.

Kaneya Manabu enjoys the office lunch culture in Viet Nam: colleagues share a meal, chat, and catch up with one another, before taking a nap before the afternoon work session. (Photo: Kaneya Manabu)

If someone were to ask me now about one of the quintessentially Vietnamese habits I love, I would likely answer: the midday nap. It might seem like a trivial thing. Yet, affection for a country is often forged through such small details, not always by breathtaking scenery or momentous events. Sometimes, what lingers longest is a lifestyle habit one never had before, which one day simply becomes an integral part of life.

That thirty-minute midday break has become just such a moment for me. It is a time when I can set work aside, gently close my eyes, and allow myself to rest. When I wake up, the day and the work are still there, of course, but everything feels a little lighter.

If I ever had to take a Vietnamese workplace habit back to Japan with me, I think I would choose the midday nap.

Just thirty minutes. But they are thirty minutes that are truly, quintessentially Vietnamese.

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