5 Foolproof Ways to Beat the Afternoon Slump

By 4-4:30 PM almost every day, all I want to do is jump on the couch and procrastinate every single thing I have left to do that day. Even if it's been a super productive day - I could have been blowing through emails, crossing things off of my to-do list and feeling great about work but there's something that hits the air at the same time most days that just takes your focus and "oomph" right out of it! Instead of reaching for your phone to play your favorite (guilty pleasure) game or aimlessly scroll through Instagram and watch Snapchat stories, try some of my tried and true tips that help me get through the rest of the workday:

Re-prioritize your to-do list

By this point in the day, you've likely been working for hours and ideally have gotten a lot done - ideally being the key word, we all have those days! ;) Since you're already starting to tire out and it's getting close to the end of the day, take a look at what's left on your daily list and see what you can move to tomorrow, and what else has to get done today. For some reason it seems as if this helps a LOT! Especially if you're a visual person, you can see what's left for the day and what you have to do before you can go relax for a bit. And if you're already feeling unmotivated, it isn't likely that you'll be able to give your best for much longer anyway.

Give yourself breaks during the day

Take a lunch break (this means don't sit at your computer and multi task - give yourself time to eat!), take 20 minutes to step away from the computer - go on a walk, run an errand, watch some tv - whatever it is you like to do so that by mid afternoon you haven't been going nonstop and aren't as likely to be looking for the nearest throw blanket!

Do what refreshes you

Drinking an entire glass of lemon (or plain) ice water will help wake you up and get back into the swing of things (the occasional splash on the face doesn't hurt either... only kinda kidding!) or place a drop of peppermint oil on your wrists or spritz this marine boosting mist on your face - which happens to be my favorite! It's really meant to be used when applying makeup, but it always wakes me up and leaves my skin feeling refreshed which actually makes a difference in my productivity level. If you work from home, maybe a refresher for you is going on a walk or run - whatever it is that helps you to feel your best, do it at this time of day!

Make a list of things you're excited for

It may seem silly, but if you write down things you have to look forward to it'll actually help give you some motivation! You can even pin it to your bulletin board/keep it on your desk that way whenever you look at it, you're determined to get your work done sooner. Don't knock it till you try it! ;) I've been doing this for a while and it's super motivating - whether it's something you're looking forward to a day or two from now or a month or two, it's sort of a simple way to push yourself to get through your list.

Work around your least productive times

Figuring out what time(s) of the day you're most productive is a huge help because if you prioritize and get the most done during these times, there will be less for you to do in your least productive times, like around 3-4 PM. For me, I aim to capitalize on getting a lot done in the morning while I listen to my favorite morning talk shows and also at night. It sounds like a weird mix, but it's what works for me and finding what works for you is all that matters! If you schedule everything out so that the most important tasks fit into your most productive time slots, you'll be able to do less time consuming tasks and won't feel so overwhelmed when you're feeling like you could take a 3 hour nap.

Does that mid-afternoon slump always hit you too? I'd love to know what you do to beat it!

XOXO -A