The clock strikes three o'clock and you suffer from an afternoon slump... With these tips you will quickly get over it and you can work productively in those last hours.
You leave that afternoon slump behind you as quickly as possible by getting moving. There are countless connections in your brain that are sensitive to good blood flow. By moving, you boost blood flow and your brain can function better. Neurotransmitters are also released when you exercise. These are substances dopamine and endorphins. Those substances provide a happy and happy feeling.
Start your deskercise with your buttocks. Tense them for five to ten seconds at a time and then release. Extend both legs straight forward and move your toes toward the ceiling, hold for a while. Put your upper body to work too:make the namaste gesture with your hands and press them together as hard as you can, so that you feel your upper arms and chest.
Read also: "Always tired? These are surprising causes'
In the eighties the Italian Francesco Cirillo invented the Pomodoro technique. This is now a widely used method of time management in the office world. Cirillo noticed that he was constantly distracted during his work. With his method, you can keep your focus and give your brain a break on a regular basis. This way you stay fresh and alert.
Use the timer on your phone and set it to 25 minutes. You use that time (the 'pomodoro') to work on a task. After this, take a three to five minute break to give your brain a rest. After the fourth 'pomodoro' you take a longer break of about half an hour.
An afternoon dip often strikes after lunch, because your body then uses extra energy to digest your food. By making smart food choices, you can skip that dip. In Santé November, which is now in the shops, you will find lunch energy tips to make your (work) day super productive.
Go for an easily digestible lunch, which takes less energy to 'process'. In addition, try to eat something every two hours to keep your blood sugar stable. For example, eat some yogurt around ten o'clock and a handful of unsalted nuts around half past three, and especially stay away from sugar. Also don't forget to drink enough water:your brain consists of about 80 percent water and you want to keep that level.
The cells in your body need oxygen to function properly. Due to work pressure and stress you can unconsciously get disturbed breathing and become tired. By focusing on your breathing, you can easily get it under control. Hello, renewed energy!
Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach. When you breathe properly, you feel your abdomen move and the hand on your chest remains still. When you inhale, your abdomen and the bottom of your ribs expand and your abdomen contracts when you exhale. Breathe in and out deeply a few times.
Source:Santé March 2019 Text:Mara Ruijter
