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The Afternoon Productivity Dip and How to Stop it

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When 2:55pm hits, your brain tends to just shut down. But don’t worry, it’s not just you — the majority of people in the workforce seem to have this same problem. LondonOffices.com conducted a poll of 420 office workers and found that 2:55pm is the time of day when people just stop working.

Distractions like social media or planning after-work events begin taking over workers’ time. Respondents of the poll said they need a sugar boost after lunch or a cup of coffee to give themselves more energy to complete the workday.

“We all have peaks and troughs when it comes to our levels of productivity,” said Michael Davies of LondonOffices.com. “But the trick is to maintain a steady work levels rather than swing between extremes.” He added that taking small breaks throughout the day can help.

Drake Baer of Fast Company suggests working in “sprints,” by working in focused chunks of time, whether it be an hour or 90 minutes. After each of these sprints, take a short break. Taking a short walk without your smartphone is a great way to get some rest from the workday while also getting a bit of exercise to get your blood flowing again.

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Marissa Brassfield
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