The Mid-Day Routine
By: Shao Zhou
Tags: Routine, Lifestyle, Productivity, Mindset, Self Improvement

The Mid-Day Routine

Stay on track between morning and night.

Photo by Shao Zhou

There is a lot of attention on perfecting the morning and night routine, but what about the mid-day routine? Working from home these days has given me more control to reserve a break and flexibility to choose how to spend it.

The afternoon slump is rooted physiologically by our circadian rhythms, which naturally cues our bodies to be less alert and more relaxed around 2 to 4 pm ¹. Our core temperature decreases and triggers our body to release the sleepy hormone melatonin.

Furthermore, sitting for hours at our desks can make us feel sleepy because our bodies associate stillness with going to bed. But it doesn’t have always to feel this way.

If a good morning routine helps to set the tone for the day, a mid-day routine can help us stay on track.

Here are 4 things that help me reset mid-day when a power nap is out of reach, and it doesn’t involve a cup of coffee or matcha.

1. Get fresh air

A little change of scenery can make all the difference. Our bodies need natural light and movement to function at its best. Give artificial light a break and go on a walk in the neighborhood. In San Francisco, I have legs for lunch, thanks to the hills. And back at my New York City office, I’d take the stairs down from the 17th floor for extra steps. I like to put on a podcast or music during my walks to take my mind off from the work I’ve been focused on and offer space for new thoughts to boost creativity and inspiration.

2. Express workout

Working remotely has made it easy to swap into athletic wear and pop onto a mat at any time. There are many quickie yoga, pilates, or cardio workouts on YouTube that are as short as 5 minutes — some of my favorite instructors include Bailey Brown, Sami Clarke, Pamela Reif, and Emi Wong. We can hack our happiness and positivity through working out and producing endorphins, which ironically occurs when we put our bodies under stress and pain (hello burpees and planks)².

3. Knock out an errand

I am guilty, along with 93% of office workers³, of squeezing in something on the personal to-do list during the workday. The deteriorating definition of work set as a specific place and time has allowed for an understanding that employees are getting things done outside of the typical workday. Like #1, running an errand gives my eyes and body a break from desk work, but I don’t have to fall off the productivity wheel. For example, I have a habit of cleaning and organizing areas of my apartment often so that I don’t have to spend hours cleaning everything at one time.

4. Gather your thoughts

No matter how well and prepared you set yourself up for the morning, it can get interrupted by distractions,, and unpredictable things happen. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed after shifting tasks or accumulating a long list of follow-ups, leading to a harder time refocusing. Take a moment to gather your thoughts and re-evaluate your day or week’s priorities. This can be standing up and taking a stretch, opening the window and breathing deeply, closing your eyes and meditating, reading favorite quotes and affirmations, or journaling to curb overthinking.