The Afternoon Slump
Oh, the inevitable afternoon slump. It’s 2:30, you are just getting into the afternoon groove, there’s quite a bit to accomplish to wrap up the last few hours of the day. Then it hits. Seems like every day, like clockwork, you start to crash. Here comes the vicious cycle. Try to take a breather, not enough. Grab some more coffee-then you’ll be up all night, and it doesn’t last or even seem to work anymore. So, here we are again. “I guess I’ll just have to work through it”. Do the easier tasks till it passes. But, you’re thinking, “really? What’s wrong with me? Why do I feel like this so much? Why does NOTHING work? Wish I lived somewhere that has siestas.”
When you hit the afternoon slump, know that it’s probably not a health condition or anything to worry about. In fact, it’s been shown that 15-20% of workers are “closet nappers”. There are a few reasons for this, and things that we can do about it, and ways that employers can help staff stay energized & avoid the afternoon slump.
Eat to Nourish: Healthy Snacks Make a Difference
First and foremost is what we put into our bodies. If we eat too many calories, we’re going to have a reaction & be tired. Starting the day with lean proteins, fresh fruit, and staying hydrated will give us energy for the day. Isn’t that the purpose of eating anyway? Throughout the day, snacking is not only a good thing but a huge part of our busy lives. Not just any snacks will do, though. Half of us eat snacks at work because they’re in front of us, so if it’s a quick sugary or empty-calorie carb-filled food, no energy is going to be sustained from that. As a whole we prefer healthier energy-boosting snacks. A study in the UK found that respondents prefer to eat healthily, and even feel less stressed when eating healthy at work. So, having a breakroom with fresh fruit & healthy snacks really does provide energy to sustain & boost morale.
When we choose fresh fruit, we are getting natural sugars as well as vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants that our bodies use. And honestly, who doesn’t like to be treated with delicious seasonal fruits? Providing healthy snacks at work is the foundation for employee wellness. Whatever wellness plan the workplace chooses, is it really effective at all if the breakroom doesn’t reflect the message? Imagine a place where people get excited about the office snacks, and it even becomes a buzz around the office!
Making it Easy with Snack Box Delivery
This is WHY we, at Daily Harvest Express provide these snacks. We’re strong advocates of real, simple wellness, and of course, there’s the added bonus of helping the local economy. The delivery aspect of providing fresh fruit is perhaps equally important. We LOVE seeing how relieved HR is from taking care of a shopping task, and how happy staff is for getting special treats.
So, having your mid-morning break & grabbing an orange, swinging over to the breakroom in the afternoon & waking up with a banana, is the easiest way to be on your way to avoiding that afternoon slump.
Other things that you can do to stay energized is keeping your lunch on the higher protein/lower fat & calorie side of things. Eating too many calories and fat makes us tired. And it’s not just fruit that revitalizes us. Healthy fats, like those found in nuts, are made to sustain. And ready for this: reducing or eliminating coffee:o The quick fix is never the answer for fueling the long haul.
Any way you slice it, the simplest employee wellness plan is also the most effective, and the foundation for all others. We’ve got you covered & it’s for good reason.
Check out the options for office snacks here or contact us for a free tasting event. Dare I say, it’ll be life-changing.