Bubby and Bean ::: Living Creatively: 8 Ways to Beat the Afternoon Slump

This post is in partnership with Simple Mills, but all opinions are my own.

I am not a morning person (at all), but once I get up and get going, I am at my most energetic, productive level of the day. Mornings are when I usually work out and also when I get the bulk of my daily work done. Then comes afternoon, and guys, the crash is real. Usually around 3 PM, I am feeling all sorts of blah.

One of the things I've been working on in 2021 is finding ways to beat this afternoon slump - both mentally and physically. After years of slamming afternoon coffees to stay alert followed by difficulty falling asleep, I set out to find better ways of picking myself up. And I am happy to say that several things have really made a difference. Today, I'm going to share them with you!

1. Stretch

When my daughter was doing e-learning, her teacher would have the students get up several times a day to stretch. She called it "taking a brain break." I noticed that those little breaks of stretching and movement made a big difference in my daughter's motivation. And it's worked for me too!

Eating Snacks to Beat the Afternoon Slump

2. Eat a snack

That lag in between lunch and dinner wreaks havoc on my energy level and mental focus. I find that if I have a quick nutrient-dense snack like Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers (alone or with some cheese and fruit), or a Simple Mills Almond Flour Soft Baked Bar, I feel like I can easily power through the end of the workday. You guys have heard me gush about my love for Simple Mills snacks before, but they've become even more a part of my daily routine in the past couple of months. Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers (Fine Ground Sea Salt is my favorite) and Simple Mills Almond Flour Soft Baked Bar (the Dark Chocolate Almond variety is everything!) are both delicious, and also contain only whole food ingredients, with nothing artificial. I'm a big fan of the minimal ingredients too. They are truly the perfect snack for beating the afternoon slump. Grab some at Walmart, in-store, or via online pickup or delivery, and make sure to take advantage of this great Ibotta offer!

3. Breathe

My 5 year old's son answer to everything is "just breath!" And he's not wrong. Setting down my computer and doing some quick breathing exercises resets me, mentally and physically. Try sitting criss cross, closing your eyes, inhaling for 10 second, holding for 10 seconds, and exhaling for 20 seconds.

4. Go outside

It's still pretty cold here in Chicago, but even 5 minutes of outdoors times in the afternoon makes me feel rejuvenated.

5. Choose grain-free, nutrient-dense foods

I'll be honest with you guys: I love sugar, and I love grain-filled carbs. But they do not love me (or anyone) back. And when I choose foods that contain them, I feel the afternoon slump harder than ever. I mentioned in number 2 above that grabbing a quick snack when you feel that afternoon slump coming on is helpful, but make sure you're choosing the right kind of snack. When you feel the urge to eat a cookie, grab a Simple Mills Almond Flour Soft Baked Bar instead; they're naturally sweetened with honey and molasses, and are chock full of nuts, seeds, and fruit pieces for a satisfying blend of textures and flavors. If you're craving potato chips, opt for Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers, made with a wholesome blend of almond and seed flour.

The foods you eat genuinely affect the way you feel, and Simple Mills nutrient-dense, grain-free snacks help me feel like I'm at my best. (I said it above and I'll say it again! Head to Walmart or use their online pickup or delivery service, and get yourself some Simple Mills today!)

6. Do jumping jacks

I'm serious. Try it! Any exercise burst will be helpful, but a few good old jumping jacks do the trick for me.

7. Turn on music

A couple of months ago, I really noticed the music played during my live stream yoga classes and how it motivated me to work out harder. Then I read that music helps boost concentration. So I decided to see what happened if I listened to music when I started to feel the afternoon blahs. It helped! Now I turn on music for a few minutes every afternoon for a quick pick-me up. Sometimes (usually if my son is nearby), it turns into a mini dance party too.

8. Hug someone

Yes, I know this isn't the period of time when you can hug just anyone. But if you work from home and start feeling that afternoon slump, go find a family member and give them a hug. Or facetime a friend or family member and give them a virtual hug. Loving human contact increases endorphins and just makes you feel good. I always feel more energized afterward.

I hope these tips help you with your afternoon slumps as much as they've been helping me! And don't forget to grab yourself some of my favorite afternoon slump-beating snacks -Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers and Simple Mills Almond Flour Soft Baked Bars - at your local Walmart, or via Walmart online pickup or delivery! (And don't forget to take advantage of the Ibotta offer!)