360° Renewal: Get Energized and Avoid the Midday Slump
10 Ways to Boost Your Midday Energy Level
Some afternoons we can find ourselves fading fast, difficulty concentrating, not feeling productive, distracted, and looking for something sweet, another cup of coffee, or a chance to close our eyes! Instead of enduring the lunchtime lethargy, give these 10 midday energy boosts a try.
1. Stay Hydrated.
Start your day with a glass of water and be sure to keep drinking throughout the day. Our bodies can get dehydrated while we sleep, resulting in feeling extra fatigued upon awakening. If you start hydrating in the morning, you will be less likely to hit that midday slump. If you consistently drink less than 8 cups of water a day, you may be sluggish all the time. Get a 32 oz (1 quart, 4 cups) water bottle. Your goal is to polish off 2 of those a day. Try it for a week and see if your general energy level increases.
2. A good breakfast goes a long way.
Don’t expect coffee and a doughnut to carry you through the day, you need protein and fiber in your morning meal. For example, have an egg or sausage with whole grain pancakes or toast, or mix high-fiber cereal with yogurt. Here are some more great breakfast recipes from Chef Bill Wavrin.
3. Have some coffee with our milk.
If you can’t imagine your morning without coffee, try a latte–half coffee and half milk and avoid sweetening. The caffeine will give you a lift and the milk will help sustain it. Straight coffee or coffee heavy on the sugar will also give you instant energy but then result in a crash an hour or two later. Keep in mind, however, coffee with milk is not a substitute for a well-balanced breakfast.
4. Fatten up your lunch and other meals.
Studies show that omega-3 fats help improve brain function and can keep you alert. In addition, adding healthy fats to your meals will keep you feeling full longer and help sustain your energy. Healthy fats include salmon, tuna, nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil.
5. Get a massage.
Loosen up those tight muscles and you’ll feel more relaxed. A more relaxed you means a happier and more productive you. Trade a quick shoulder rub with a coworker after lunch to perk both of you up for the rest of the afternoon.
6. Listen to tunes while you work.
It’s well known that our brain’s pleasure centers light up when we hear music. Throwing on the headphones and listening to any music you like while working will give you a productivity boost.
7. Get moving.
A bit of physical activity will also get your mind moving. Take a brisk 10 minute walk or use your lunch hour to take a spin class or do yoga. Exercise will get your blood and endorphins pumping, giving you the stamina to get through the afternoon.
8. Avoid a mid-day cocktail.
If you want to function in the afternoon, avoid alcohol at lunch. Even if it’s just one beer. Alcohol’s sedative effects will take hours to recover from, killing the rest of your afternoon.
9.Socialize.
Turn off the internet and go socialize with friends. Humans are social animals, and we need regular socializing to keep ourselves in peak health and energy.
10. Stay organized.
Disarray can drain your energy because every item out of place is a visual form of procrastination. Instead of letting your cluttered home or office suck the life out of your day, take a mere hour a day to organize one area of your home or your desk. Knowing what you have, being able to easily find it, and having a tidy space will give you a lift and eliminate the energy-sucking effect of clutter.
Have a great day!
