Celebrating birthdays together, corporate “Christmas Eve” and “eggs” or a donut on Fat Thursday — all these customs are so nice and popular that most often we see only pluses in them. Also the financial ones. There are many publications on why and how to include, for example, the Fat Thursday craze in business costs, as a bonus to increase employee loyalty [1]. However, you do not need special studies to see with the naked eye how a large dose of carbohydrates affects the team - after a temporary recovery, drowsiness appears, and work efficiency decreases - often even to zero. This is absolutely no reason to give up nice, motivating traditions. But what if the problem occurs more often? Or even every day?

Afternoon slump, or afternoon slump, is a term that refers to a fairly common phenomenon. Efficiency — highest in the first part of the day — naturally decreases between 1 and 3 pm, when we are a little sleepy and therefore more distracted. The problem arises at the moment when this natural phenomenon gains strength and prevents us from working. Or it occurs every day and at high intensity. What can be the reasons for such a state?

Fatigue is not everything, during the afternoon slump many people also experience headaches, muscle and vision weakness, irritability and a sudden appetite for sweets. If these symptoms increase, we can not only harm work efficiency, but also relationships in the team, as well as a healthy diet [2].

Causes of excessive energy decline in the afternoon

• Sleep Deficit

According to last year's STADA Health Report 57 per cent Poles reach for sleep aids [3]. The reason? The same report proves that almost half of us (as much as 47%!) , instead of resting, he worries about the events of everyday life. Sleep disorders actually affect the energy drop the next day, which in turn causes us to worry about problems at work — and this creates a vicious circle of stress.

• Unhealthy diet

It is no coincidence that we just mentioned Fat Thursday - it is a real holiday of simple carbohydrates, in addition to assimilated ad hoc, without proper intervals between meals. meantime nutritionists directly point out the correlation between a properly balanced menu (importantly, this balance also includes carbohydrates, but taken in a rational way), and decreases in energy during the working day. According to a study by the Health Enhancement Research Organization, Employees who regularly eat healthy meals are up 25 percent. greater productivity at work, compared to people who do not eat healthily [4].

• Poorly chosen training plan

Movement is health? Of course. But, like everything else, it should be planned and implemented “with the head”. It turns out that, for example, morning training can increase the release of cortisol, and stress will translate into a decrease in the quality of work [5]. So it is better to discuss the exercise plan with the trainer after describing to him the individual schedule of the day and the nature of the work.

• Too little hydration

For one kilogram of body weight, we should drink about 0.02 liters of water. It means from 1.5 to 2 liters of water per adult per day. In hot weather, this parameter increases up to 5 liters [6]. In the midst of our responsibilities, we often forget about it. The effects of dehydration come to us precisely in the afternoon, in the form of deconcentration and fatigue.

• Too strong stress

Stress affects not only sleep, but also how we act during the working day. Very often we focus on physical issues and, for example, blame for sleepiness we blame digestion, while this our brain demands a moment of rest from stressors [7].

Did you know that... as many as 15% of Poles do not eat at all during the working day, and more than 50% do not drink enough fluids [8,9]? You can read more about the nutritional mishaps of Polish employees and ways to support them in the pursuit of the right habits HERE.

What a company can do to support employees?

There are two types of solutions — Educate and give opportunities. Of course, it will come as no surprise that Both work best at the same time as part of a comprehensive health strategy.

What about that coffee? Usually, the simplest solutions that employees reach for are energy drinks and coffee. However, it is worth remembering that the daily limit of “little black” should not exceed 4 cups [10]. Providing employees with a good espresso machine is not a magic solution to the problem of energy decline. It is worth reaching for other, healthier options.

Prof. Christopher Barnes from Washington's Foster School of Business advises, via Forbes magazine, to incorporate natural energy losses into an appropriate work plan [11]. We will not then lead to a situation in which the afternoon fatigue will increase to a level that will jeopardize the performance of the tasks. For example, in the morning we can assign employees tasks that require a greater concentration of creativity or physical energy. The afternoon, natural decline of vital forces is a good time for classes that do not require a creative approach and new ideas — you can then propose, for example, organizing documents or a meeting summarizing the progress of the project.

It is also worth introducing breaks, not necessarily completely relieving from work, but, for example, relating to lighter tasks [7]. In the end, such breaking away from intense work will improve its efficiency from the perspective of the whole day. Such a break can be, for example, the preparation of printouts or the delivery of documents to another department — this naturally forces you to take a break from tasks and move a little. Brainstorming meetings can also be a moment to breathe without interrupting work in the case when the team is mainly working on analyzes or other activities that require concentration.

Are you worried that you lack both the time and the knowledge to provide employees with the right support for a healthy lifestyle? You do not need to use internal resources. For example, you have access to external services such as Diet Wizard, created by MultiLife. Thanks to this benefit, you will also provide employees with other solutions that improve their mental and physical well-being, such as Access to inspirational books whether development courses.

Webinars with specialists, office massages, consultation with a trainer and nutritionist - all this will make employees more aware of health issues and easier to implement habits (including nutritional ones), translating into efficiency.

Excessive and regular feeling of “afternoon slump” can be the result of general fatigue. It's worth monitor the number of vacation days used in the team and make sure that employees find time to rest [7].

The reason for the afternoon fatigue can also be the very room in which we work. Noisy, crowded spaces can increase stress, and poor ventilation contributes to a rapid decline in efficiency. Sometimes the “afternoon slump” can work simply... opening the windows and ventilating the room soundly. [7]

Establishing healthy eating habits will be easier if the company provides employees a place where they can eat and drink water at many points of the office. Keep in mind that hydration — even more so than a “life-saving” cup of coffee — affects overall efficiency [12].

Exercises, traditional, but also breathing, are an excellent way to restore the “high revs” of a tired mind. Therefore, it is worth encouraging employees to take care of themselves and, as far as possible, give them a separate space, such as exercise rooms or relaxation areas [12].

As you can see, the tools that we have at our disposal to improve efficiency in the company are many and we have them practically at our fingertips. Keep in mind, however, that productivity is not, and never will be, constant throughout the day. so let us be understanding for ourselves and adjust the work to the natural rhythm. Then it will not only be effective, but also simply pleasant.

Sources:

1. situ https://bezprawnik.pl/paczki-dla-pracownikow-w-tlusty-czwartek/.
2. situ https://www.liveabout.com/causes-of-afternoon-slump-3514765.
3. situ https://www.stada.com/media/7248/20220810_stada_factsheet_sleep_engl_v02.pdf.
4. situ https://zdrowie.pap.pl/dieta/dieta-ma-duzy-wplyw-na-wyniki-w-pracy.
5. situ https://novumortopedia.pl/wydolnosc-w-roznych-porach-dnia/.
6. situ https://pacjent.gov.pl/aktualnosc/pij-wiecej-wody.
7. situ https://inewi.pl/Blog/spadek-energii-w-pracy-jak-z-nim-walczyc.
8. situ https://www.portalspozywczy.pl/dookola-rynku/wiadomosci/badanie-co-polacy-jedza-w-pracy,143558.html.
9. situ https://www.pulshr.pl/rynek-zdrowia/zdrowa-dieta-poprawia-produktywnosc-pracownicy-o-tym-zapominaja,77621.html.
10. situ https://www.medonet.pl/zdrowie,organizm-daje-znac--ze-pijesz-za-duzo-kawy--nie-przegap-tych-sygnalow,artykul,10109285.html.
11. situ https://www.forbes.pl/kariera/nie-unikniesz-spadkow-energii-zacznij-planowac/hmtzl6x.
12. situ https://poradnikpracownika.pl/-spadek-energii-w-pracy-jak-go-pokonac.
13. situ https://portal.abczdrowie.pl/wyniszcza-jelita-doprowadza-do-problemow-psychicznych-polacy-maja-ogromny-problem.
14. situ https://analitykadietetyczna.pl/dlaczego-wystepuje-spadek-energii-po-poludniu/.