No not caffeine, sugar or snoozing
Here are two ways to help you
Doing your best work requires focus and energy, two things that as the clock moves towards 3pm you increasingly lack. This is all thanks, in part, to our body clock. According to David Dinges at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the body clock, in interaction with the sleep drive, appears to produce a dip in alertness in the afternoon. So how can you find the necessary energy levels to get your work done?
Tailor your tasks to your energy levels
Most people know whether they’re a morning person or not,. Most people are actually at their optimal level for creative and focused work around mid-morning and late afternoon. Experts recommend that you organise your to-do list so that it matches the peaks and valleys in your productivity and energy levels, which makes sense really. So leave any high detail work such as writing, important decision making, or coding for the high-energy hours and during the lulls you can sort your inbox, return phones calls and complete any admin tasks. In matching your productivity levels to your most productive times you maximise the opportunity to make the most of your time at work.
Get physical
It’s no secret that any physical movement boosts your alertness and energy levels. Whilst we’re not saying that you should be ready to run a marathon mid-afternoon, if you know your energy levels are going to drop, take ten minutes away from your desk to go for a walk around the office. A few laps or a couple of turns up and down the stairs should be enough to get the blood and oxygen pumping around your body and encourages your mind and body to get over the afternoon fatigue.
So start planning your day and get moving!