Do you find yourself falling victim to the dreaded afternoon slump? You’re not alone. Many people start the day off with the best intentions (even if they are a little groggy), only to completely lose motivation and energy during the afternoon. If you want to start getting more done and just feeling better while you’re working, these ideas are perfect for you.
Get Plenty Of Sleep
The first thing you need to do is make sure you’re consistently getting enough sleep. You should be in a good routine, going to bed and getting up at similar times each day. Most people need around 7 hours, but it may vary. Bear in mind that having too much sleep can also mean you wake up feeling groggy, so you should be monitoring how you feel when you get up in the morning. After a good quality sleep, you’ll always feel better to face the day.
Wake Yourself Up Nicely
It’s never enjoyable being woken up by a loud alarm. It makes us want to crawl right back in bed. If you’d rather wake up more naturally, consider investing in an alarm clock that simulates sunrise and sunset. Your body will naturally begin to wake up when the light comes on, and you’ll be less startled when your alarm goes off. That’s if you need the alarm sound at all!
Visualize Your Day
In the morning, before you do anything visualize your day. All of the most successful and productive people do this. You can even do it before you go to sleep the night before, if you wish! Picture yourself jumping out of bed, feeling wonderful. Picture yourself feeling great, and getting your tasks done. Picture yourself making success after success. Do this with feeling each day, and you’ll likely mimic it in real life! Visualizing is a very powerful tool.
Eat A Good Breakfast
Eating a good breakfast in the morning will set you up for the day. Eating a heavy breakfast could make you sluggish, so make sure you have something that won’t weigh you down. Maybe go for some healthy cereal, and a smoothie or juice. Have something that will satisfy you and energize you.
Don’t Drink Too Much Caffeine
Drinking too much caffeine guarantees a crash for you later on in the day. You can have a couple of cups in the morning, but avoid drinking it throughout the day. It could make you jittery, and eventually cause an energy slump. Switch to something caffeine free, or low in caffeine like green tea later on in the day. Bear in mind that lots of teas and even fizzy drinks have caffeine in, so know what you’re putting into your body.
Stay Hydrated With Water
Water should be your go-to beverage when you’re thirsty. It’ll keep you hydrated and even energize you. If you like, you can put fruit in it to make it more tasty. Drink at least 2 litres a day and you should feel much perkier throughout the day. It’ll stop any headaches you might get after working a lot too!
Eat A Healthy Lunch
Eating a healthy lunch regularly will ensure you don’t have a sugar crash an hour later. Some people eat rubbish for their lunch, and then wonder why they can barely keep their eyes open later on. Eat something packed with colourful veggies, and avoid having too much sugar. You’ll feel so much better and more productive.
Work In Natural Light
People are naturally more productive in natural light. Let as much in as you can to feel happier and get more done. It’s so much better than working in artificial light all day long!
Stand Up As You Work
Humans weren’t meant to sit down all day, so this is a great tip for those with office jobs. Stand up as you work. This is possible, even if you work on a computer. All you need is a stand up desk, and you can find anti-fatigue mats to compliment them. This should stop your legs from getting tired. You won’t believe how much more you can get done when you stand up. It may take some practice at first, and you may need to switch between standing and sitting. Work your way up to standing for the majority of the day. You’ll be fitter, healthier, and more productive.
Make Your Workspace Motivating
Don’t just sit and stare at a blank wall all day. Make your workspace more motivating. You can do this by adding a plant, some quotes, and pictures that make you happy. You can also incorporate colours that motivate you, if possible. Make it a comfortable, nice place to be.
Listen To Some Music
Listening to music can make working so much easier. Usually, you’re better off listening to something like jazz and classical – something that doesn’t contain too many words. However, studies have shown that listening to heavy rock music can make people more productive! Listen to what works for you.
Stay Off Your Emails
Emails are a huge productivity killer. Instead of checking your emails all throughout the day and getting distracted, stay off them. Have set times for checking and replying to them if you need to. Just make sure you don’t feel tempted to check them all the time!
Take Short, Regular Breaks
Short, regular breaks will help to keep you feeling motivated. Maybe every hour or so, have a 5-10 minute break from the computer. Walk around the office, grab a cup of water, or do something to help you bring your energy levels back up. This is more effective than working for long periods of time, and then having a longer break. After longer breaks, it tends to take much longer to get back into what you were doing.
Using all of these ideas, or as many as you can will help you to stay productive at work all day long. Getting as much done as you can in the morning will allow you to relax a little more later on. The morning is usually the time we all feel most productive, so make the most of it!