Overcome the work slump

Whether you’re in the office or at home, it’s not uncommon for energy levels to fluctuate during the workday. While an energy slump often occurs after lunch, it can be particularly pronounced later in the afternoon.

This mid-afternoon drop in motivation and productivity occurs at 3pm, states a US survey* reported by the Study Finds website, and lasts about 29 minutes.

Some 21% of respondents say they feel the energy crash during the afternoon, while 74% say it can happen at any time of the day. Interestingly, working people attribute the sluggishness to several factors, including a lack of caffeine (56%).

Coffee delays the onset of sleep and in the short term, can improve cognitive performance (memory, attention span, etc.).

The workers surveyed also feel that boredom has a major impact on their motivation and productivity (53%) as does a lack of food (51%). That’s why many of them try to regain their energy by exercising or snacking. Anti-fatigue foods of choice are nuts, dried fruit, mini pretzels and potato chips. Generally speaking, employees think it’s easy to combat the afternoon slump by taking a break to clear the head or avoiding overly repetitive work tasks.

Surprisingly, only 47% of workers take a nap to recharge their batteries to be more productive. Yet 41% of them blame the condition on a lack of sleep. This shows how taboo the notion of sleep or rest is in the world of work.

Employers are increasing their initiatives for diet and physical exercise to promote employee well-being, but few are working on supporting sleep. Some companies have set up nap areas at work but these firms are still in the minority. And yet, if managers want their employees to be more productive, they can do so by tackling the notorious midafternoon slump. – AFP

The OnePoll survey was conducted among 2 000 Americans between November 7 and 8 2023.