Ever have one of those days where it’s impossible to get anything done? You do a little work in the morning, have your lunch, and then by 3pm you’re absolutely drained.
Or you have bursts of energy at 9am, and even brag to your colleagues how chipper you feel today, only to crash late afternoon.
Just two hours left to go…
Many of us exhale.
If you’re reading this and nodding along, then we have good news for you – the 3pm slump is very much a thing, and you can beat it.
Unfortunately, there’s plenty of reasons you could be crashing at around 3pm. But thankfully, we know how to combat it! Let’s breakdown some of the factors.
1 – Anxiety
If you have deadlines you need to hit, or a manager that watches your every move, it’s very easy to find yourself anxious or tense.
Anxiety increases cortisol, a stimulating hormone. If this stays high for too long, it drains your energy and leaves you feeling exhausted.
We’d recommend speaking to your manager, or a health care professional if you notice this pattern, and remember your mental health is much more important than your job.
Keeping your cortisol levels steady by talking it out, or getting the right help, could beat that 3pm slump – and give you the bursts of energy and concentration you need!
2 – Back-to-Back-Meetings
If you’re wishing your boss could take the hint and decipher what’s important and what should just go in an update email – we feel you.
Back-to-back meetings are no good for anyone, and completely unproductive if you’ve forgotten everything from the first meeting by time you get to your fifth.
All that pointless information makes you tired, which goes on to our third point…
3 – Excessive screen time
Most of your meetings are probably now on Zoom. Either that, or you spend huge amounts of time on Microsoft Teams, sending emails, and managing digital tasks. And let’s face it – it’s exhausting.
We’re not the first to say this, but human beings should not spend 40+ hours per week staring at a screen.
Overexposure of blue light can result in headaches, sore eyes and difficulty focusing. Digital eyestrain, which we’re certain was unheard of a couple of decades ago, is real and it can have severe effects on your health.
Why not try out blue light glasses? And remember to get your eyes tested regularly!
4 – Insufficient sleep
Ok this one is pretty much self-explanatory – but if you’re not sleeping enough, you will eventually crash. Once your body has used all its energy, that’s it, you’ll need to sleep again!
If you find yourself sleep deprived most of the time, you may be suffering from fatigue.
The Sleep Health Foundation says:
Definitely speak to your Doctor and your line manager for help – you’d be surprised with how common fatigue is.
So, we’ve broken down some reasons for the 3pm slump, and given some tips on how you can beat them – but is there anything else we can suggest?
There sure is!
Whilst you may need to speak to a medical professional to tackle the 3pm slump, here’s some general tips to avoid completely drifting off mid shift!
- Listen to upbeat music.
We all have that playlist that makes us smile and gets us in the mood to dance.
We’d recommend getting a playlist ready to lift up your mood, making you happier, which in turn will make you more productive.
Research has even shown it helps with creativity and energy levels!
- Eat a snack that’s high in protein, fibre, and lots of good fats!
Do you get enough protein daily? Fibre? Do you have foods enriched with good fats? It’s something we don’t usually think about when we’re sat at our desk, but it may be the answer to our problems! We’d recommend having a protein bar, or any other bar filled with Nuts and good fibre.
Protein is so good for us, helping our body create important enzymes that send signals to our brain to keep us moving, and fibre helps with our general wellbeing and can give you that all-natural detox.
- Take regular breaks
Get up and walk around.
Don’t be sat at your desk all day, hunched over. Walking round and giving yourself a break from screen time can do you good, and you may find you’re much more productive having a 10-minute break every hour instead of being glued to the desk from 9-5.
- Stay hydrated
One of the key factors for our overall health is hydration. Ensuring you’re getting enough water per day is vital and can also save you from getting headaches and eyestrains.
We’d recommend bringing a water bottle into work or buying one for your home that can hold up to 2 litres of water.
Water is power!
- Move to a brighter working space
This is much easier to do now the sunshine is out, but it still applies during those darker days. Ensure your office, or your work-from-home area, is nice and bright.
Save the dark cosiness for when you want to get your head down.
We hope this has helped you with the 3pm slump. Just remember, it’s extremely common and you’re not alone.
If you have any of your own tips and tricks to beat the 3pm slump, let us know!
