You get your eight hours of sleep and drink your morning coffee, but you still crash around 2 p.m. and enter the mid-afternoon slump. If you're feeling sluggish midday, try these tips to fend off the exhaustion for good.
Eat breakfast. You've heard it a million times, but that's because it's true. Eating breakfast jump-starts your day and stops you from crashing midway through. It also stops you from overeating at lunch, which can contribute to the mid-day slump.
Say no to empty calories. Swap out the starchy, empty calories in that muffin or doughnut for a protein-rich treat such as apples and peanut butter or an egg white omelet.
Have small snacks throughout the day. Eating small, healthy snacks throughout the day stabilizes your hunger and fends off that sugar or caffeine crash you usually feel in the middle of the day. Almonds, fruit, and low-fat cheeses are choices snacks to keep you going.
Stay hydrated. Don't just reach for caffeine when you're feeling tired. Fatigue can be a sign of dehydration, so keep water by your desk to keep you going. If you need a little flavor, add a splash of citrus.
Get away from the computer. If possible, instead of emailing your coworker, get up and talk to them. Staring at the computer screen all day can tire the eyes and add to your overall feeling of fatigue. Even if you have no reason to get up, just take a walk around the office and stretch.
Fit exercise into your morning. Instead of laying in bed half-awake hitting the snooze button, get up and go for a run. The energy you'll get from a good workout will sustain you throughout the day far better than an extra cup of coffee.
Change it up. If those eyelids are getting heavy and nothing seems to be helping, switch tasks. Sometimes what you think is fatigue is really just boredom. Don't let monotony keep you from getting through the day.
Get some rest. Of course, a good night's sleep doesn't hurt either. Do your best to get seven to eight hours a night. Even when you feel you still have work to do, it's better to get some sleep so you're more productive the next day. Falling behind on sleep one night can set you back the rest of the week.