Afternoon Routine: 5 Great Habits to Unplug and Recharge

In this article we will talk about some great midday habits that can help you build the best afternoon routine and avoid the afternoon slump.

We focus a lot on building morning routines that help us boost our energy and set the tone for the entire day.

Many of us adopt healthy evening habits to sleep better as well. And it’s great.

However, we don’t talk enough about what we can do in the middle of the day to recharge our batteries and prevent stress.

The reality is, if you don’t use wisely your midday break, you might find it a bit challenging to be productive throughout the day — even if you adopted the best morning and evening routines in the world.

Afternoon Routine

Here are five midday habits that can help you recharge your batteries, avoid the afternoon slump, and stay productive throughout the day.

1. Take a Break from Your Computer and Go Outside

When I got my first summer job, I used to spend my lunch break at my desk in front of my computer.

And I wondered why I felt so fatigued in the afternoon — and unproductive.

Then, one day I went for lunch with a friend. We met in a restaurant that was ten minutes away from the office.

Simply leaving the office, walking for twenty minutes in total, and spending time with my friend, made me realize how easy it was to clear my mind and give a boost to my energy in the middle of the day.

Not to mention, that afternoon I felt much more productive than usual.

I realized that, if I wanted to feel again so energetic in the afternoon, all I had to do was to force myself to stay away from my desk for an hour — so that I wasn’t tempted to sit in front of my computer during my whole lunch break.

2. Spend Some Time Talking to a Friend, Coworker, or Loved One

If you work from home, you can spend your midday break with your family or a flatmate — depending on your situation.

If you work at the office, going for lunch with your coworkers is a great way to take a break from your job.

Another great way to relax and clear your mind is to call a loved one. In fact, this is one of the best things you can do if you work from home and live alone.

Also, another reason to do it is that staying in contact with your loved ones is highly beneficial to your mental wellness.

This is an excellent habit you can build, as it can help you detach from your daily routine for a while, and reinforce a positive state of mind.

3. Take a Scottish Shower

If you can, take a Scottish shower. This is definitely a habit you should include in your afternoon routine.

It wakes you up like no other habit can do. In case you’re not familiar with this term, a Scottish shower is the practice that involves ending a shower with an ice-cold rinse.

Its benefits are many.

In particular, exposure to cold water after a hot water shower improves lymphatic and cardiovascular circulation. It improves your happiness levels, speeds up your metabolism, and boosts your energy levels.

For this reason, taking a Scottish shower is a great habit. It can help you clear your mind and recharge your batteries during your midday break.

4. Practice Mindful Walking

As Teresa Clark Jones explains in an article published in the Michigan State University blog, mindful walking means walking while being aware of each step and of our breath. You can do it anywhere, in a park, in the city, or even in a supermarket.

As Jones mentions, mindful walking has several benefits. For example, it helps reduce blood pressure, improve your mood, and reduce stress.

Usually, even just twenty minutes of mindful walking make me feel completely refreshed. This is why it’s one of my favorite midday routines.

5. Take the Stairs

Taking the stairs is not only a great way to exercise. It’s also an excellent way to boost your mood and energy levels. As Edward R. Laskowski, M.D. explained in Mayo Clinic, climbing stairs is an example of a practical, daily physical activity that provides several benefits.

As Nathan Lin mentioned in Run Society, some of these benefits are:

It can be incorporated at any point throughout the day,
Helps burn fat and calories,
Reduces cholesterol levels,
Increases stamina and energy.

All these benefits make climbing stairs — even for just five minutes — one of the most effective and restorative midday routines you can try.

The Best Afternoon Routine to Unplug and Recharge – Final Thoughts

You don’t have to put into practice all these midday habits to feel recharged after your lunch break. However, you can try them and decide which ones you should include in your afternoon routine.

Even trying just one or two of these rituals can help you avoid the afternoon slump, prevent stress, and improve the quality of your life in the long term.

The important thing is to detach yourself from your daily work routine for at least half an hour and make it an habit.

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