Second Wind

I’m probably not alone when I say that around three o’clock most afternoons I start feeling like I’m losing a little steam.  In fact, some days I feel downright sleepy.

I try to just have one cup of coffee in the morning because if I have one later in the day, then I have trouble actually going to sleep at night.  This creates a vicious cycle and exacerbates the problem.

I’ve tried a few things recently that have helped and I thought I’d share them to see if they help those who experience a similar challenge.

• Drinking more water.  I have found that if I am constantly hydrating throughout the day, my energy levels increase as a result.  I often add a powdered supplement, like Emergen-C or EBoost to my water for some flavor, using a third of the packet at a time.  I only do this because otherwise, it’s too sweet for me.
• Taking a bonafide lunch break.  A lot of times I will have lunch at my desk and work while I eat.  I’ve found that actually taking a half hour to eat my lunch and recharge increases my energy level for the remainder of the day.
• Going on a walk.  Sometimes, because of work deadlines, it’s necessary to have lunch at my desk.  If this is the case, I try to take a walk in the early afternoon.  This light exercise helps get my blood flowing and rejuvenates me...all without breaking a sweat.
• Laughing.  Lucky for me, I’ve got colleagues who have great senses of humor.  Even though we all work remotely, we like to share a good laugh now and then over Skype.   It takes ten minutes and is a good diversion to get you through the rest of the day.  If I get a good laugh in, I’ve got a smile on my face and any work I tackle afterwards will automatically have a positive spin as a result.

What about you.  Do you start to hit a wall energy-wise in the afternoon at work?  Do you have a way to manage this that works for you?