You know how it is as you reach about 2-3pm and start falling into that afternoon slump. You start desperately missing those naps you hated when you were a child. The dreaded afternoon slump always ends up disrupting your workflow, and can make you feel awful whilst being stuck at your desk. So here’s some top tips on how to beat your afternoon slump, and get you to 5 O’clock.
Exercise
Whether it’s just a light walk or a strenuous class, exercise can help you to get over the mid-afternoon hurdle. Exercise can help you ward off any sleepiness by increasing your heart rate and increasing those endorphins. It can also help boost your productivity in the afternoon, which means those Lunch classes don’t sound too bad.
Eat Right
Mid-afternoon fatigue can sometimes happen if you have too much food at lunch, and too much of the wrong food. You should be going for a light meal that’s protein heavy rather than packed with carbohydrates. That massive pasta bowl may look delicious, but it’s going to make you feel pretty sleep this afternoon when you have to work on all those important projects.
Caffeinate
Now I’m not saying you should be an absolute coffee fiend, but most people do find that a cup of tea or coffee helps with a quick burst of energy to reach the end of the work day. Whether it’s coffee or tea, anything with caffeine in will help. If you’re trying to reduce your caffeine intake, try a drink with less caffeine like green tea which also has other benefits!
Plus, it’s a way to get away from the desk for a few minutes which will help perk you up.
Stretch
Once I’ve been in my desk chair for a few hours, I always feel like my body is going to sleep. So do some quick stretches like rolling your shoulders and stretching out your back to wake your body up again. If your body is ready to go, it helps put your mind back into gear too.
Snack
We get a lot of energy from the food we eat. So keep some light snacks in your desk drawer. High protein snacks such as nuts or cheese can be great to get your over the midday hurdle. Or you could go for some sugar based pick me ups if you just need a short term boost.
Small and easy tasks
One thing that helps me motivate myself is successfully completing a task. So, I leave my smaller and easy tasks for mid-afternoon because then I can do them quickly, and I feel more motivated for the next task.
Sleep better
I know, I know, it’s easier said than done. But if you’re getting enough sleep at night, it’s going to be easier to get through the day! There’s plenty of ways to improve your sleep, such as changing your routine, using scents to induce sleep and ensuring your bedroom is more sleep friendly! (plus plenty more!)