How to beat your afternoon slump (hint: it involves tea)

September 21, 2017

We all know the afternoon slump – especially office workers. Three o’clock hits (maybe 2:00 for some unlucky souls) and it feels like the day is over. No motivation. No energy. No work getting done.

Most people have 2 solutions: scroll through Instagram ‘til you can go home. Or down a big, strong cup of coffee.

The problem? One of those eventually gets you fired, the other sets you off on a rollercoaster cycle of over-caffeinating and under-sleeping.

I spoke with some non-Instagraming, non-coffee drinking coworkers to hear about their strategies.

How do they beat the afternoon slump? Here are the best tips I heard:

-Go for a lighter lunch. Think veggies, no meat or sugar, and low carb foods like sweet potatoes. Less digesting means more brain power.

(see NYT’s “Case for the Breakfast Feast”)

-Alternate sitting and standing. Re-focus by getting blood moving and activating the biggest muscle groups in your body.

(sedentary is the new smoking)

-Drink Zest Tea. It’s tea with as much caffeine as coffee (3x the levels of regular tea) but without the caffeine jitters or crash. Sustainable, prolonged focus.

(Berkshire Natural carries it and studies show it works)

-Take a 20 minute walk outside. Completely shift gears for a moment, look at the trees, and get some sun.