Beat the Midday Slump

Happy new year everyone! Today we’re going to talk about the dreaded midday slump. Something I’m sure many of us are plagued by. 

We all know with the new year comes new resolutions, goals, ambitions, hobbies, whatever we want to call them. That’s awesome!

Problem is most of us probably had a few days off over the holiday season, perhaps we’ve even indulged in a bit too much holiday cheer. Which means work tomorrow will be a drag…

You know what I’m talking about, right? That tired feeling, the desire to spend the rest of the day hibernating under the covers. It’s hard going back to work after having time off.

We do it because, well we need our jobs. We drag our tired selves out of bed in the morning, make ourselves look presentable, put a big smile on our face and do what our boss pays us to do.

But, come mid-afternoon, you hit the wall. Your energy reserves are completely drained. You spend 10 minutes spinning in your office chair trying to remember which email you wanted to reply to. Obviously, you need to get off the computer, so you move to grab a file, but which one did you want to work on, again?

Your memory is wonky, you can’t focus, you’re distracted and honestly, you’re useless as an employee right about now. Welcome to your midday slump.

It sounds familiar, right?

No one enjoys them, so let figure out how to banish them from our lives for good.

How to Beat the Midday Slump

1| Hydrate

Stay hydrated by drinking water, not coffee or soda. Staying hydrated has more benefits than just helping you beat the midday slump, but that’s the only one we’re worried about right now. So grab a water bottle and get started

2| Caffeinate

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a mid-afternoon cup of the good stuff. By that, I mean coffee or tea. Enjoy a few quiet moments while you’re waiting for it to brew. Find a mug that makes you happy, splurge on the good coffee beans or tea and savor every sip. 

3| Get Fresh Air

Getting outside, enjoy the sun. Eat your lunch in the park and go for a quick walk, maybe even read a great book. You can’t go wrong with fresh air.  taking a couple of steps away from your desk to regroup is never a bad thing. Go for a walk, sit in the park whatever you do is sure to provide a welcome way to refresh and recharge.

4| Organize

Clean your desk, empty your inbox. Neither task requires a lot of effort or focus, but when you’re done you feel you’ve accomplished something. It’s right there, totally tangible, you can point to your clean desk and know you did something. Let that productivity snowball into the rest of your work. 

5|Socialize

If you’re really feeling the slump, talk to people. A good or even mediocre conversation will lift your spirits and leave you reinvigorated. Socializing provides a nice break from the monotony of your daily routine. Take time to get to know your coworkers start conversations, maybe even build friendships. 

6| Focus on the Little Things

After several hours of consistent work, it feels like a drag. You find it hard to focus on the big tasks all the time. Your brain needs a break. Take this time to do your filing. Not to mention the added benefits of moving, bending and stretching is sure to reinvigorate you so your ready to tackle all your other work when you’re done. 

7| Stretch

Did you know YouTube has tons of workplace appropriate exercises? Even “chair yoga,” take a couple minutes, stretch, relax and get back to work.

Take a deep breath, roll your shoulders, reach for the ceiling. Your body will thank you. It will help combat the effects of being hunched over your keyboard staring at a monitor all day.  Best of all, you’ll reap these rewards almost immediately. 

8|Breathe

I know, you breathe all the time, don’t you? But take a few deep, soothing breaths. Feel the relaxation that comes from breathing a certain way. Don’t think about anything but the in and outs of your breaths. Let yourself forget about the drama and stress of work just focus on breathing. All it takes is a couple of minutes before your back and ready to work. 

9|Take a Break

If all else fails, take a break, take a quick catnap if you can get away with it. Stepping out of the office, getting away from your desk and coworkers for a few minutes can have great benefits for your productivity. Giving yourself permission to focus on something besides your task at hand will help you return to the problem with fresh eyes and renewed vigor and determination. 

10| Have a Healthy Snack

Notice I said healthy that means don’t run to the vending machines and grab the chocolate bar with the prettiest packaging. The goal is to get over your midday slump, not end up suffering from a sugar high. Ideally, you want a snack high in protein and fiber that cheese, nuts, meat, veggies…

Try these stuffed peppers

Final Thoughts

No one likes being a victim of the dreaded midday slump. Why not do whatever you can to prevent it? Let’s be honest with ourselves, some of these things sound like a lot of fun, don’t they? 

Let’s Talk

Do you ever find yourself struggling to keep going and be productive in the middle of the afternoon? What are your favorite ways to fend off the midday slump?