The reality is that many people experience slumps in the afternoon. It could be too many carbohydrates eaten at lunch, low blood sugar, or a variety of other reasons. While it is important to know the cause, the key at this time is to get the blood moving and to motivate the mind and energy. Here are eight simple tips to beat the afternoon blues.

1. Eat smart. For lunch, eat light: Enjoy smoothies, fruit, water, nuts, and protein instead of heavy carbs that will require more of your body’s energy to digest.

2. Do the most difficult project of the day first. If you eat your “frog” in the morning, instead of leaving the most difficult task to do in the afternoon, you will have other less difficult things to work on in the afternoon, allowing you to wait for the afternoon and fly through it. .

3. Create an afternoon routine. For example: After lunch, take a 5-minute walk outside, do 10 jumping jacks, go to the bathroom, splash cold water on your face, and drink a large glass of ice water. Then walk into your office, clear your desk, do a mental workout of all your morning to-dos, turn on the lights/music, get some good airflow with a window/fun, and get to work! Routines help our brains connect to what we want to do. Once you develop habits, your brain will automatically switch gears when you do the same activities.

4. Engage your body. Do things that get your body moving and are “easy.” Stand up, sit on a balance ball instead of a chair; do things that keep your blood and body moving. Stay committed to the movement and let the momentum of the movement keep you on your toes.

5. Give your brain a break. Save the most active and meaningless tasks for the afternoon (eg errands, phone calls, filing, straightening, sorting). Tasks that require a lot of concentration, such as looking at the computer, reading, or listening, can work against your energy, making it difficult to focus and engage.

6. Change the scenery. If you can, move to another room. Do things to get extra light or air. Sit in a place that is suitable but not cozy (perhaps a natural setting to keep you from being distracted when your mind is already wandering). Play happy music. Let your surroundings keep you on your toes.

7. Play a game. Give yourself a goal or a game to play. For example, if you finish a project or make so many calls, you can reward yourself by going home early or stopping for a bite to eat on the way home. Introduce a bit of drive and urgency into the image to counteract the slowing force of your low afternoon energy.

8. Finally, don’t fight. If nothing else works, take a 10-minute nap or a 10-minute meditation time (set a timer). This will allow you to rest and then focus and re-engage in high productivity. If you continue to struggle, you will have a longer period of low productivity.

Track your energy and look for patterns of what works and what slows you down. Find the things that help you be more productive and attentive; try different things. When you find things that work, turn them into clothes. Try to notice what could be the cause, whether it is what you are eating for lunch, staying up late, stress, etc. you will always do better to fix the root cause.