8 Ways to Combat the Afternoon Slump
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By Vivian Bricker, Crosswalk.com
By 3 p.m., many of us have hit our limit. We have been behind the computer screen all day, and our motivation has evaporated. While we started the day with a mind of production, we are now tired, drained, and worn out. If you work in corporate America, you are too familiar with the 3 p.m. slump and how hard it can be to recover from. If we are never careful, the 3 p.m. slump will turn into the 4 p.m slump, and we won't get any work done for the rest of the day.
Our employer won't be too happy with us, and our future self won't be either. This is why we need to be proactive and take the necessary steps to fight back against the daily afternoon slump. By combating the 3 p.m. slump, we will be able to remain productive for the remainder of our day and ensure we produce the best work possible. While it will be a challenge some days, as long as we are trying our best, we are making progress.
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1. Plan to Take a Quick Walk
Whenever you feel the afternoon slump kicking in, it would be advantageous to get out in the sun for a quick walk. Moving around and getting your blood pumping can instantly bring up your energy levels. Your head will be clear, and you will be able to return to your desk or your task with a better sense of direction, focus, and motivation. If you are not able to take a quick walk around the block, take a quick walk down the hallway or to the bathroom to get some time away from your desk.
Staying in the same position and trying to fight through tiredness will only lead to increased lethargy. Try to get up and get outside if you can. This will help you jumpstart your motivation and focus immensely. It might also be beneficial to take a walk during your lunch break and see if being outside will give you the sunlight you need to stay awake, motivated, and focused for the rest of the day. If not, you might need to take a quick 15-minute break at 3 p.m. to do a lap around the block or a few laps around the office.
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2. Remind Yourself of Your Values
Sometimes the best thing we can do to help ourselves overcome the afternoon slump is to stick to our values. This is a tactic my mom used to keep my siblings and me on task, as it kept us on task during homeschool or whenever we had summer jobs. Rather than mindlessly doing nothing or starting to chit-chat with our friends, my mom said to remind ourselves of why we are at school or at work in the first place. By reminding yourself that you are there to get an education or to put your best foot forward, you can keep going when you hit the afternoon slump.
3. Exhausted? Take a Quick 15-Minute Nap
Another lesson I learned was that there will be times when you simply cannot fight the tiredness of the afternoon slump. You might even be exhausted. Depending on what you do, 3 p.m. might be the perfect time for a quick 15-minute nap. Set your phone's time and relax for a few minutes. Try to get in some quality sleep, and when the timer goes off, you should feel more energized to tackle the rest of the day.
If you start feeling chronically tired day after day and don't know why, it might be a good idea to make an appointment with your primary care doctor. Talk with them about how your energy levels drop after a while. It is possible that you could have an underlying health condition. While it could just be that you are tired, it is important to get every area covered.
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4. Switch Tasks
By 3 p.m., you can feel your motivation and eyes start to wane. When this happens, automatically switch the task you are working on. For example, if you are grading college students' papers, switch to writing a lesson plan for your curriculum next semester. Continue to switch up your tasks when you hit the afternoon slump. It might be helpful to start your day with any tasks you consider boring or uneventful so you don't get stuck with them during the afternoon slump.
Do any tasks you do particularly enjoy at the beginning of the day, and then switch to the more exciting tasks as the day progresses. This can help you stay focused and continue to deliver your best work. Although there may be days when you literally cannot switch tasks, try your best to keep your work fun and varied to prevent boredom or burnout. You could even ask your boss or workflow coordinator to switch up your daily tasks to keep your work fresh and different each day.
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5. Start Prioritizing Sleep the Night Before
Maybe you are saying, “I don't get bored with the tasks I'm working on. I just feel extremely exhausted by the time the afternoon comes around.” If this is true, it could be because you are not getting enough sleep the night before. Think over your schedule after work or after school and see what your schedule looks like. Are you staying up late or getting to bed at a good time?
If you find yourself staying up too late, it's essential to adjust your nighttime schedule. Make it a priority to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night, and create a peaceful bedtime routine. Read the Bible, pray to the Lord, and wind down from the stress of the day. Avoid screen time and try to calm your mind by focusing on happier things rather than tomorrow's stress. You might be surprised at how getting enough sleep will help you beat the afternoon slump and have the energy to make it through the rest of the workday.
6. Eat Smaller, More Nutritious Meals for Lunch
Eating a heavy meal can make anyone feel sluggish and tired. When you are at the office or school, make sure you eat smaller, more nutritious meals. I'm not saying you need to restrict or cut back what you eat, but rather try to have a lighter meal while you are at work. This can help you stay motivated in the afternoon and not feel as tired.
Whenever we eat a heavy meal, our digestion slows down, which makes us feel tired. All the energy from our body is going toward digesting our large meal, which leaves us feeling extremely lethargic. It is not surprising that we feel tired after a large meal at work or school, and we find it hard to concentrate on our workload. Thankfully, this is a quick fix, and we can simply have a lighter lunch. Pack a snack if you get hungry in the afternoon, but also make sure it is something that will give you lasting energy, such as fresh fruit, a granola bar, or some crackers with cheese.
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7. Jam Out to Your Favorite Song
While this one is not doable for everyone, it can be helpful if you work from home, are between client sessions, your students are not in the classroom, or you simply have a few minutes to yourself. Put your headphones on and play your favorite song. This can help you feel energized and build some motivation for the rest of the day. A short 3-minute song is truly all you need to get your head back into the game.
I don't know how many times I have struggled to get my afternoon schedule done, yet as soon as I put on some music, I'm right back to the work at hand. Consider putting on some music to keep you going and keep you motivated to complete your full day at work or school. Music can make a huge difference in our energy levels and give us the extra boost that we need to get through the day.
8. When All Else Fails, Don't Forget Coffee
Last, but not least, we need to remember what to do when everything else fails. If we have tried everything on this list and the afternoon slump still hits us hard, we need to be okay with grabbing a cup of coffee. Sometimes a simple cup of coffee can help us to power through the afternoon slump. While many people will tell you not to drink coffee so late in the afternoon, it might be needed in order to make it through the dreaded afternoon slump. Don't feel guilty for having some coffee; rather, give thanks that it is there to help you power through the rest of the workday and produce the quality work you need to provide your school or company.
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