For me, the afternoon slump happens from 2:00pm – 3:30pm. I crash hard and find it nearly impossible to concentrate on work as well as I do in the morning. Luckily, I know this about myself so I schedule my day accordingly.
In a perfect world, I would work from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm and take the rest of the day to workout, cook, write, read, etc. But in the real world, I have to push through like everyone else. Here are a few ways I beat the afternoon slump.
Beating the Afternoon Slump
1. Take a “lap”
Take around you office, go outside and walk around your building or around the block. I started doing this at my first real full-time job when I was either really bored or someone was being a pest and I had to get away. It always helped me either charge up or cool down.
2. Drink a glass of cold water
I drink water throughout the day and prefer it at room temperature but if I need a little pick-me-up I add some ice cubes and slug it down at a quick pace. There is something invigorating about cold water that wakes you up from the inside.
3. Eat a snack
I loving eating at all times of day but during my slumpy time I have to make sure it’s something that will help me push through rather than intensify my crash (aka – not candy or pizza)
Some of my favorite mid-afternoon snacks are:
- Hummus & Veggies
- Rice Cake Protein Balls
- Smoothies
4. Run an errand
On days when I can get away, I like run little errands to beat the afternoon slump. Whether its the bank, CVS or just out for a coffee
5. Speaking of coffee….
Luckily, I am the type that can drink coffee up until bedtime and still sleep like a baby. I am not sure it is the ritual of taking a break and making a coffee that gets me over the afternoon slump or if its the caffein but coffee always helps.
6. Listen to music
Lately I have been jamming out to a hip hop workout station on Spotify that I love. Upbeat music quickly changes my moods from whomp whomp to whoop whoop (<– that was so lame but its true)
7. Chat with a co-worker
See how their day is going. Ask them what project they are working on. Something they say could
8. Change your scenery
If you can, pack up your stuff and do some work from a conference room or a walking treadmill (because yes, I am lucky enough to have two in my building). Simply moving locations can help get you out of whatever afternoon funk you are in.
9. Save your fun work for the afternoon
During my 9-5 I have tons of different things that I have to do almost daily including curating social media, writing HTML emails, reporting, and much more. Some of these tasks I love and some I would love to pass off to an assistant (if I had one). Saving my fun work for the time of day when I am feeling least productive gives me something to look forward to. It also helps that part of the day go by faster.
10. Make your cubical/work space suck less
Sometimes motivation to work comes from having a beautiful work space. If you are like me, you are surrounded by ugly gray half-walls (aka a cubical). Buzzfeed has a great article with lots of ways to spruce up your work space so read it and take a few minutes to figure out how to make your work space suck a little less.
