Afternoon Crash at Work
You strolled into the office around early morning after a flawless eight-hour sleep. You are soready to take on the day. Bring on that seemingly never ending to-do list, it doesn’t scare you. Fast forward to middle of the afternoon. You’re not feeling so invincible anymore. You’re fighting to stay awake—it’s crash time. Well, you’re not alone. Find out the reasons you’re struggling to keep your eyes open, as most of us are, in the office post lunchtime.
Your workspace is perhaps too boring to fuel your brainwaves after a full day of wrapping your head around the same material over and over again. No one wants to sit in a space that isn’t aesthetically pleasing. When you take pleasure in your surroundings, your mood is better. Mood is directly correlated to productivity. Therefore, a better ambience leads to happier people working more efficiently—and longer. A workspace must inspire creativity rather than inhibit vision, which stems from what type of place you’re working in. Moreover, include mini-breaks to stop staring at your computer screen. Look around, walk away for a bit, have a conversation. Being in a stimulating environment won’t help if you only sit at your desk glaring at the computer all day.
You may need to rethink your lunch—what you eat, and how much you eat, matters. Improving your diet is important, not only for health reasons, but also for getting through the workday. It’s as simple as this: an unhealthy food intake will make you feel lethargic, and as a result, less likely to function at your best. Consider a snack in between breakfast and lunch or lunch and end of day. Yogurt, fruit, or veggies are great options that will hold you over without feeling uncomfortably full. A healthy food intake will help your body feel strong enough to take on your responsibilities head on. When it comes to the number of meals eaten throughout the day, it’s important to find what sort of pattern has the most positive effects on your body. Everyone has a personal preference.
Your caffeine intake could be out of control, doing more harm than good. Too much, and you’re stuck with jitters. Not enough, and you’re too tired. Pay attention to your first cup of coffee;you’ll enjoy it more and be able to better tell how much supplementary caffeine you still need, rather than mindlessly sipping while working. Get to know your body—carefully listening to what it’s saying through your mood and behavior will benefit you in the long run. Test out different amounts and types of caffeine until you understand what gets you through the day as successfully as possible.
You need to get out of your chair and move around to provide your body with the energy it needs. It’s been said, maybe a bit dramatically, that sitting is the new smoking. Although it’s probably not that bad, it does produce many negative externalities. In addition to providing you with energy boosts, incorporating standing, pacing, or other quick activities into your day is extremely valuable towards your overall health and performance. There’s a reason that many offices have areas to stand while working and also that standing desks are now widely used.