Coffee is such a common part of our modern workplace, it’s hard to imagine a company breakroom without a pot of free joe. But sometimes, for some reason, you find yourself unable or unwilling to partake. When that happens, you have to figure out how to motivate without caffeine to give you that boost.
Whether you’re worried about the effects of caffeine on your health, tired of feeling jittery, or just want to make a change, you can survive work without coffee or soda. Here’s how.
(Photo credit: R.Halfpaap/Flickr)
Hydrate With Something Clear
While your past coffee habit wasn’t really making you dehydrated (that’s a myth), staying hydrated with some added water throughout the day is a great way to stay perky. Plenty of fluids flowing through your system will mean your brain will get vital nutrients and not go into snooze mode.
Get Up and Move
When you feel the gentle hand of sleep coming for your eyelids in the afternoon, instead of coffee (or a donut), try a bit of mild exercise to wake yourself up. Increase your endorphins without putting anything into your system but some oxygen. You can stay inside and do some squats or jumping jacks by your desk, head for the privacy of a stairwell and do a few floors, or head outside and get some sunlight, too.
Lie Down and Rest
If your workplace permits, find a nap room, or a quiet couch and take a quick catnap. The National Sleep Foundation says that a planned nap can have cognitive benefits. As long as your boss doesn’t mind, an afternoon siesta is the perfect reset button for your brain.
Do the Unexpected
One freelancer swears by an afternoon karaoke session to wake herself up. An avid yoga practitioner wrote an online diary about her break with caffeine and how a good yoga practice helped her get through the withdrawal throughout the day.
Use the Buddy System
Try finding a work buddy with whom you can quit caffeine, or one is just so naturally perky, they never need to touch the stuff. A coffee-free friend means you won’t need to bond over cups of hot java, and you can lessen your temptations throughout the day.
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Tell Us What You Think
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