How To Beat the Afternoon Slump

One of my biggest struggles in life is that afternoon slump. We all know the story. Sometime around lunch time we hit a wall and all we want to do is curl up in a ball with a cozy blanket and take a quick nap but we keep powering through until it's quittin' time.

I say I want to be a boss but I enjoy naps more; truth is that it's rare for me to go through a day without feeling like I need a nap. That doesn't mean I give in everyday but since i'm a stay at home mom, wife/blogger there are days when I do take a power nap but it's not my preferred way of beating that slump. Here are some of my favorite ways to get past that afternoon slump.



1. Plan Your Week

When you hit a wall it's easy to get distracted from the task you should be accomplishing. It's easy to pick up your phone and find yourself scrolling through Instagram for what you think is only a minute, only to realize that it's been 20. Then you're even more behind and off task. When you have your week planned out, it's easy to look at what you should be doing and jump right back on task.



2. Organize Your Workspace

Nothing stops my productivity and makes me feel so drained more than a messy workspace. My desk has to be neatly organized and clean for me to function plus I enjoy all the pretty decorations. They make me feel so much more inspired.



3. Move Your Workspace

Of course, this is all if you can. If you work from home it can be easy to take your lap top or a notepad outside and sit in the sun to work on or brainstorm ideas. This time of day my home office/craft room is too hot to be in so I bring my laptop to the living room and sit on the couch with the doors and windows open and music playing softly. I enjoy the change to scenery and sometimes it's just what I need.



4. Get Moving

Throw on some tennis shoes and take a short walk or do some light stretching/yoga. For me, it's usually yoga because it stretches my body and awakens my senses. I always feel more energized after I do a yoga routine. I recommend Boho Beautiful on YouTube.



5. Turn Up the Jams

Play some up-beat music, if you work in an office then put in your earbuds and jam out for a couple minutes. If you don't work in an office then turn up the jams and dance it out.


6. Eat

How many of us are guilty of skipping a meal; breakfast or lunch, especially? By the time afternoon comes our stomachs are growling and we either can't take a break to eat or don't have anything close by to eat. I've been guilty of this a time or seven. Our bodies need food to survive, we know that, but we also need food to keep our brains active and keep our energy levels up so take time to stock up on nutritious snacks to eat between meals.


7. Water

This one seems obvious but it's something many of us seem to skip over. Personally, I don't feel good if I don't drink at least 48 oz. of water a day. I love my sugar loaded coffees and teas but those are full of caffeine, which makes us feel good for a while then makes us crash again. So I try to limit my coffee and teas and drink more water.


8. Switch Tasks

Take 10 minutes out when you've hit that wall to do something else. You can give yourself the time limit to scroll Instagram, make a list of things you need to do, or look at funny memes on Pinterest. Sometimes we need a little inspiration break to get out of the afternoon slump and change our perspective.


What are your tips for beating the afternoon slump?