An alternative to the 3pm cup of coffee
- Jay Trisko
- Jan 26, 2020
- 2 min read
We all suffer through the dreaded afternoon slump at 3pm, and if I am being honest, I sometimes just flat out cave and give into the nagging need for a nap, one of the benefits of being in a pandemic and everyone working from home i guess. Enough divulging of my secrets, lets chat about how to overcome the dependency on that 3pm cup of joe shall we.
Image provided by WaterColorAffair.com
Tt's funny (you will see why if you read this article), but I came across this piece while suffering through a mindless break just after 3pm today, and it resonated with me so much that I just had to share it.
Instead of working until your brain forces you to zone out for a bit, proactively plan real breaks in your day. This is a three-step process. First, assess when your energy slumps. Then, figure out what activities you find energizing. Finally, add in those energy boosters to your slump times. You’ll be unstoppable.
Written by Lauren Vanderkamp and published on forge.com
Don’t let your brain hijack you
Losing chunks of time down internet rabbit holes is a natural consequence of waning energy. After intense work, you need a break. If you don’t take a real break, your brain will take a fake one — which explains why you wind up at Pottery Barn’s website even though you don’t need a sofa.
But, sadly, finding a great deal for your imaginary living room isn’t all that energizing. Real productivity involves managing your energy alongside your hours.
Instead of working until your brain forces you to zone out for a bit, proactively plan real breaks in your day. This is a three-step process. First, assess when your energy slumps. Then, figure out what activities you find energizing. Finally, add in those energy boosters to your slump times. You’ll be unstoppable.
The first step is pretty straightforward. You probably already know roughly when you’re dragging, but if you’re not sure, try tracking your time and then giving yourself an energy score every 30 minutes. A 10 means you’re ready to run a marathon. A zero means you’re flat on your back. Most of the time, you’re somewhere in the middle.
Some of this is biological — most people have more energy in the morning and less in midafternoon — but some of it is situational. An intense, confrontational meeting is more draining than organizing your inbox. An extrovert might find a big group networking event energizing, an introvert less so. Once you monitor your energy for a few days, you’ll be able to see patterns. And that means, each day, you will be able to look at your schedule and pinpoint your deepest troughs.
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