Even if you start the day all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, it’s easy for all that early energy and enthusiasm to wane once your five-shot Mocha Frappuccino (or whatever your Starbucks drink of choice is) starts to wear off. And then when you look at the clock, you realize that there are still three hours to go until your training or workday is over. So if going home early isn’t an option and you still need to perform your best, what can you do to break out of your afternoon slump? Try these quick tips:
1) Make Time for a Mini-Meditation
In a recent interview for an Onnit article, Champion’s Mind app co-creator Jim Afremow suggested scheduling a brief meditation break. Often it’s tempting to believe that because you don’t have a big block of time at your disposal, you don’t have time for any mental skills training, whereas in fact, even five or six minutes is enough to give you a mindset boost.
“If you only have a few minutes,” Afremow said, “then fire up a guided meditation on an app like Champion’s Mind, or do a little single-point meditating by focusing on your breath. Picture yourself inhaling relaxation and exhaling stress. You could also do color breathing, in which you picture yourself inhaling a calming blue and exhaling a warning color like red.”
2) Take a Walk
Ever envy those lucky folks who get to walk to work, or the remote employees who can carve out a nice big movement break daily? Don’t despair – even a short bout of physical activity can kickstart your brain.
“If you’re in a mental slump—which hits a lot of people mid-afternoon—then step away from your desk and take a quick walk outside,” Afremow said. “Or, if you’ve got a meeting coming up, just take a stroll around the building and have a chat with a colleague. The change of scene will give you a mental lift. Don’t think of it as time wasted, but rather an investment that will provide greater clarity and focus. The more consistent you are with any mindset practice, the bigger the benefits you’ll experience.”
Want more ways to reenergize? Fire up your Champion’s Mind app.
Don’t have it? Then download it now for your Apple or Android device.
