Stress Management – Attack Your Mid-Day Slump in 5 Easy Steps

Every morning I’m raring to go – my hair is bouncy, make up perfect, clothes crisp and comfortable. I’m energetic and pulled together, ready for whatever comes. By mid-afternoon, however, I often seem to run out of energy. I’ve become a shadow of my bright and peppy morning self. My hair is limp (or sticking straight up), and my makeup has faded into dark smears around my eyes. I feel like my clothes are sagging and wrinkled and my shoes are pinching. I’ve got caffeine withdrawal or jitters, depending on how much diet soda I’ve had that day, and if I ate a low calorie lunch I’m famished; if I ate a high calorie lunch I’m stuffed and sluggish.

I call this state The Slump. While it often hits me mid-afternoon it can also hit under other conditions, like when I haven’t gotten enough sleep or I’m under stress. One of the most dangerous aspects of The Slump is that it often results in a lack of focus resulting in accidents or mistakes. In addition, The Slump can bring about overly emotional reactions or a burst of unwarranted temper.

When I worked for a big company there was no recovery time built into my schedule – I usually just powered through my 3:00 Slump until the end of the day. When I arrived home I was exhausted, famished, cranky and in a totally disconnected state that typically lasted throughout the evening.

Now that I’m in the world of coaching, I’m learning how to take better care of myself and one of the most powerful things I’ve learned is the value of countering The Slump with The Check-In. A Check-In is just that – it’s checking in with your body, emotions and stress level to identify what’s needed to bring you back to full power and energy.

Here’s how to do a Check-In:

1. Start a Check-In when you notice that your energy or attention is fading. The first step is to stop what you’re doing, close your eyes, relax and take a few deep breaths.
2. Take a mental inventory of your body – how do you feel? Are you tired? Hungry? Thirsty? Does anything hurt? Is anything uncomfortable?
3. Take an inventory of your emotional state – are you angry? Upset? Overwhelmed? What are your emotions telling you?
4. Next ask yourself the question “What do I need?” While I love this question, I’ve noticed that it makes some people uncomfortable. I’m asking you to suspend any feelings of discomfort that come up and take the question seriously. Really seriously. And don’t limit your noticing to your physical self, sometimes actions that address how we feel emotionally are what we really need for renewal.
5. Next, do what you can do to address your needs. What we need tends to fall into two categories:

   Quick Fixes – Quick fixes, such as taking a walk, touching base with a loved one, or getting drink of water, are often all we need to restore our energy. And don’t stop at one, we often need a couple of Quick Fixes when The Slump hits.

   “Red Flag” Items – Red Flag items show up when the answer to “What do I need?” is something major like needing a new job or resolving issues in a relationship. While a response like this feels like a joke (“What do I need? A new Job!”) it’s actually a signal that there is an area of your life that could use some work. Stop and figure out if there’s a first step that you can take now, or look into hiring a coach to help you get into action.

The result of doing Check In’s and addressing my Slumps is nothing short of miraculous. My energy and focus return to productive levels (I’m writing this at 5:00 pm!) and I still have the energy to enjoy my evenings. While it may feel silly at first, taking the time to check-in and ensure you have what you need is a wonderful gift to yourself.

Below is a list of possibilities for what you may need ot cure your Slump.

Possible Needs:

• Food – keep snacks light and healthy.
• Something to drink.
• Sleep – while most of us can’t take a nap in the middle of the day, sometimes a short rest with your eyes closed will give you the break you need. If you can take a nap and need one – take one!
• Connection with loved ones – call your spouse, friend, kids, etc. for a short chat.
• Sunshine/Nature – take a short walk outside.
• Calm-down time – sit with your eyes closed and focus on your breathing to calm down when you’re upset.
• Connection with a passion – look at a picture of your airplane, touch your hand knit sweater, draw a little picture – connect with something you love in a small way.
• Music – listen to it, sing, dance, write some!
• Grooming – wash your face, refresh your makeup, comb your hair, straighten your clothes, do whatever it takes to be comfortable.
• Escape – take some time to read or, if you can, watch some fun TV.
• Exercise – take a short walk, do some stretching or tai chi -whatever will get your blood moving again.
• What can you add to the list?