Work from Home: 8 Ways to Overcome the Midday Slump and Regain Focus

The midday slump occurs when people feel sleepy and lethargic during the middle of the day. It is exacerbated by a lack of sleep and when people are forced to stay awake for long periods. This is something that even remote employees experience.

To prevent you from having a midday slump, it would be advisable to take short naps within the day if possible. Otherwise, take action to improve your sleep quality.

In addition, you can use the following actionable tips:

Rest your eyes

You might be a busy person, and you might not have enough time to rest your eyes in the middle of the workday. However, it is crucial to take a break now and then. You should trust your body and know that it needs time to recharge and rejuvenate.

When working for long hours, you start to feel tired and stressed out. You might not realize, but your body tells you that it needs some rest. So, take a break now and then, just like how we do when we sleep at night.

You don't even need to take too long. A few minutes of closing your eyes or looking at things from a distance can help your eyes get a short break.

Do some stretching

Stretching is the act of moving your body in a way that increases the length, breadth, and depth of your muscles. It's one of the best ways to combat fatigue and improve physical performance.

If you're feeling tired or sluggish during your workday, consider taking a few minutes for light stretching. It'll help you get into a better headspace for whatever task you have ahead of you.

Stretching can also be used as a way to break up time spent sitting at your desk or standing in place too long.

Take a power nap

Taking a power nap can help you regain energy and get back on track. It can help you work better and more efficiently. It can also increase your productivity, improve your focus, and boost your creativity.

It is vital to get the right amount of sleep, but sometimes it can be difficult for people to do so. A power nap during work hours will help you recharge and stay focused on your work.

Power naps are best taken in the middle of the day when you are working from home, as they will help you stay focused on your work and avoid distractions.

Rethink your caffeine relationship

Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, tea, and other beverages.

People need to be aware of the amount of caffeine they are drinking and how it affects their health. Depending on the caffeine's impact on your body and performance, you may need to increase or decrease it.

If caffeine makes you sleepless, less focused, and too all over the place, consider reducing it.

Reach for healthy snacks

Having healthy snacks can be beneficial. They improve your mood and focus because they contain the proper nutrients.

Eating healthy snacks is a way to ensure that you are not hungry in the middle of the day. It also helps you be more productive instead of having a full meal.

Not only does it help you be more productive, but it also helps you avoid being too hungry during the workday. As such, it will be easier for you to concentrate on your work.

Design a motivating workspace

The workspace is the place where we work, where we create, where we find inspiration. It is also where we can find peace and a break from our hectic lives.

But what makes a workspace motivating? Well, it's all about the design and the items you bring into it. A motivating workspace should be functional, practical, and ergonomic.

Some of the things that you should include in your layout are:

  • A comfortable chair or sofa for lounging
  • Decorative items to make your space feel homier
  • A desk with storage space
  • Good lighting

You have a comfortable and motivating workspace in your hands when you have these.

Break tasks down into smaller chunks

Breaking down your tasks can help you better understand what you need to do. You should break down your tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces. It will help you figure out how much time it will take to complete the job.

Clear to neutral

A neutral working environment is an essential part of a healthy work-life balance.

It helps you focus on the tasks at hand and not be distracted by the environment you work in. This also boosts productivity and gives enough room to encourage creativity.

You don’t want to overly personalize your work environment as it can end up cluttering your space, but you also don’t want to overly restrict yourself into making your space look too spic-and-span and professional. Thus, your best bet is to create a space that’s clear enough for working and neutral so as to allow you to refocus your energy back into work.

The midday slump is something that everyone experiences once in a while. However, it doesn't hurt to have a proactive approach against it. You should have the tactics to help you regain your focus throughout the day through the tips listed above. So try these out for yourself for your next workday.

About the Author:

Raymond Chiu is the Director of Operations for Maid Sailors, a top-rated NYC office cleaning service provider. Matched with affordable prices, Maid Sailors can address even the toughest cleaning needs and can turn any workplace into a healthy, safe and employee-friendly environment.

Employees who are well-rested and healthy are more productive and have higher morale, which in turn contributes to the success of the company. That’s why Maid Sailors creates articles that highlight ways a company can do better in terms of caring for their employees’ well-being. Not only will it eventually benefit the company anyway, but it also increases consciousness and awareness of the importance of caring for employees as a whole.

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