One slow Tuesday afternoon, the IT helpdesk received what was, at first, a completely baffling support ticket. The user explained that their computer was “too loud” and it was seriously disturbing their nap. Yes, you read that right—disturbing their nap.
Curious but professional, the technician asked for more details. The reply was earnest and a little desperate: “My workstation hums and occasionally clicks, and it’s making it impossible to catch a quick snooze during lunch. Can you please make it quieter?” The user went on to clarify that this was not a joke, and that their boss had given them permission to take brief naps during the day because, quote, “rested employees are productive employees.”
The technician decided a trip over to the desk was in order. When they arrived, they found the source of the disturbance: an old desktop tower, aggressive in its fan noise and hard drive chatter. It sounded like a jet engine struggling to take off rather than a business computer. The user was reclining in their chair with eyes closed, hopeful for some sweet relief.
After politely explaining that computers aren’t typically designed to be lullabies, the technician did their best to help. First, they cleaned out the fans, which had accumulated enough dust to host a small ecosystem. Then, they re-seated some cables to reduce vibration noise. Next, they adjusted the power settings to minimize fan speeds without risking overheating. To top it off, they suggested a simple pair of noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs might be the easiest remedy.
The user was thrilled, reporting a noticeably quieter machine on the next check-in and a much improved napping environment. The technician, meanwhile, made a mental note to prepare a special FAQ entry: “How to survive office naps when your computer sounds like a rock concert.”
In the end, it was a reminder that sometimes IT requests don’t just involve fixing bugs or updating software—they might also involve preserving the sacred art of the mid-day nap.