Midday can be rough for people. Chances are you’ve been working for a few hours, you just ate some food and all you want is a nap. While some people can nap, I’m not one of them. I either sleep for seven hours or I don’t sleep. Period. Additionally, most people don’t have the luxury of taking a midday nap. The question then becomes, how to we get some midday motivation so we can get over the hump?
Meditate
Meditation is the next best thing to napping. Sometimes are minds just need a quick reset so we can lift the mental fog and refocus. There are some great apps you can use to find guided meditations specifically for focus. One of my favorites is the Calm app which has an entire series on meditations designed to increase focus and concentration.
Move your body
Another way to get some midday motivation is to get out of your chair and move your body. If you have a gym in your building like I do, you can hop in for a quick sweat session. If not, you can always find some fun music on Spotify and shake it out for a little while.
The idea here is that your mind will follow your body. If you give your body a quick jolt then your mind will wake up. While it’s not a long-term strategy, it does help when you’re trying to find some quick midday motivation.
Take a break
Sometimes we really just need a break in order to get some midday motivation. However, I notice that taking a break by watching YouTube videos is not helpful – at least not for me. That’s because I get sucked into a black hole and find it even more difficult to focus.
What does help me is going outside. For example, at the time of writing this, it’s currently a beautiful 70 degrees outside. The sun is also shining. I can take a quick ten-minute break on my balcony and just let the fresh air hit me.
(As a sidebar, sometimes I actually move my laptop out to my balcony. This keeps me awake midday when I’m starting to fall sleepy but know I can’t nap.)
Try the Pomodoro Technique
Some people, like myself, thrive under pressure. If I know I have to finish something by a certain time, it gives me a surge of energy and focus. For example, if I know I have to leave for SoulCyle around 5:45 PM, then I know I have to be done working by 4 PM.
Some days I actually have an appointment or engagement to attend, other days I don’t. For the days that I don’t, I trick myself into thinking I’m on a time crunch by using the Pomodoro Technique. This is when you give yourself 20 minutes to work and then a five-minute break. Each round is a Pomodoro and you continue the process until the task is complete.
Final Thoughts
While the afternoon slump is annoying, it can be overcome by giving yourself a jolt of midday motivation. Use the techniques to give yourself a little jumpstart the next time you find yourself falling asleep at your desk.
Amanda Abella
Amanda is a best-selling author of "Make Money Your Honey", a book that helps freelancers and business owners understand their relationship with money and how to make it more productive. She's driven by helping others live the most productive and fruitful way possible.