Next time you’re feeling that way, try adding one (or a few!) of these brilliant, energizing afternoon habits into your day. Some of them require more time, energy, and overall flexibility than others, so they might not all work for you depending on your exact work (and life) situation. But, hopefully, they provide a bit of inspiration for working your way out of that dreaded afternoon slump—or avoiding it entirely.
1. Take a few deep diaphragmatic breaths.
It’s hard to blame you if you’re sitting there thinking, Uh, how exactly is breathing—that thing I’ve already been doing all day to, um, survive—going to make a difference in my afternoon? The key is to focus on diaphragmatic breathing specifically. Your diaphragm is a muscle above your stomach, and it’s the main muscle you use to breathe, the Cleveland Clinic explains. When you’re anxious or rushed—like, say, before a tricky work meeting—your body’s sympathetic nervous system can make you default to breathing in a fast, shallow way that doesn’t rely enough on your diaphragm. This is part of your body’s stress response. Focusing on deep breathing that intentionally loops in your diaphragm as much as possible activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which can help counter that stress response. This is why deep diaphragmatic breathing can be a grounding technique in anxious moments. Here are some helpful details on how to do this kind of breathing, along with some handy deep breathing videos you can even follow along with as needed.
2. Or try another grounding technique.
There are grounding techniques galore to choose from if you’re in need of a soothing yet energizing midday break! Ultimately, the goal with grounding techniques is to find a low-lift habit that can center you without looming as another thing on your must-do list. So it should be something that actually feels doable even (or especially) in the hustle of a busy day and that is designed to really activate your all-important parasympathetic nervous system. This can go far beyond diaphragmatic breathing. Other options include touching something cold, tapping into your five senses with a very specific exercise, and doing progressive muscle relaxation. Here are a bunch of grounding technique ideas to try, along with detailed directions if you need them.
3. Read a chapter in a fiction book.
Madison D., 29, devotes 15 minutes of her lunch break to reading a fiction book. It usually helps her reset and clear her mind for the rest of the day. Reading a book—and completely immersing yourself in that fictional world—is a form of changing your mental state so that you can come back to the task at hand with a clear head. “Disconnecting, focusing on something else, and then re-engaging can pry you out of that state of being stuck or demoralized in dealing with what you’re dealing with,” Dr. Spiegel says. ”That act of getting disconnected and reconnected can reduce stress.”
4. Make an elaborate and visually appealing snack (charcuterie board, anyone?).
When Kelly O., 31, starts to hit the afternoon slump around 2 or 3 p.m., she whips up a charcuterie board. “It’s way less fancy than it sounds, but it feels more elegant than Cheez -Its straight from the box,” she says. She includes things like pretzel chips, hummus, salami slices, cheese, sliced avocado, and whatever else is in the fridge. And then she takes the time to enjoy every bite. “I savor each little stack, and for a moment forget that it’s month 16 of WFH during a global pandemic.” While the energy boost certainly doesn’t hurt, it’s also just something that Kelly looks forward to and enjoys during an otherwise-mundane workday. Here are some healthy, delicious snack ideas to get you started.
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5. Take an organization break.
“Tidying or organizing the physical space around you might feel like a little thing, but it’s a way to physically and proactively attend to yourself and care for your space,” Dr. Nelson says. “Oftentimes, people put themselves last, particularly in the context of work, but pausing and attending to your immediate space is really saying, ‘My time and workspace are worth my attention.’” This can help put your mind at ease and improve your mood, Dr. Nelson says. “Organized” can mean something different to everyone—so you don’t have to go all Marie Kondo on your desk if that would stress you out instead of relax you. Whatever helps you feel a little more pulled together and focused is what matters.
6. Resist the urge to pound more coffee.
We know it sounds counterintuitive, but Dr. Nelson recommends avoiding turning to mood-altering substances—like caffeine—to power through a long, stressful afternoon. “The negative sides can supersede the immediate positive effects,” she says. A good example: You down a late-afternoon coffee, and now you can’t fall asleep when you try to get to bed because you’re too wired. Then you feel more on edge and stressed and overwhelmed the next day because you didn’t get a good night’s rest. Dr. Nelson suggests swapping that afternoon mug for a different beverage that you enjoy drinking and making that your new p.m. habit. For example, maybe it’s sparkling water with lime if you’re after some zing, or an herbal tea if what you crave is a warm, nourishing liquid.
7. Have a “you can do it” hype session with someone you love.
Who better than the group chat to cheer you on so you can power through the rest of the afternoon? If you feel like you’re dragging, and you have the kind of bond with someone you can ask for some energizing encouragement, go for it. Of course, this doesn’t have to be a group chat with friends. It could be a one-on-one chat with a family member who always cheers you on or scrolling through your favorite affirmations-based Instagram account.
8. Watch a mindless 30-minute TV show.
Yes, we’re recommending TV in the middle of the workday if you can swing it. It can help you get a much-needed mental break the same way reading a good book can. Annie D., 36, opts for a show that’s only a half-hour episode and that will make her laugh. “Something mindless, like Friends or Younger, and the rule is only one episode,” she says. (Need some ideas? Check out one of these 17 shows that are delightful and distracting.)
9. Start and end your afternoon with transition rituals.
What is a transition ritual, you ask? Great question. “We spend our days transitioning between individual tasks and projects, and we also transition between larger blocks of time, like from our workday to personal time,” explained former SELF senior editor Anna Borges when writing about the beauty of transition rituals. “But what we don’t often realize is that we don’t always just bounce aimlessly from one thing to another. Instead, we sometimes mark transitions with little ‘rituals’ that signal to our brain it’s time to switch gears.” So, if you’re moving from a certain type of task in the morning to another in the afternoon, transition rituals (whether it’s moving your body, taking a coffee break, or something else) can make that shift easier.
Source: SELF
