Fighting the afternoon dip

January is the time when most of us set lofty personal goals in an effort to be our best selves. But what if taking a break does more for our productivity than a checklist? According to Daniel H. Pink, author of When, this is exactly the case.

During the day, our hormone levels go through many changes. One of those changes is a dip in the stress hormone cortisol. This dip happens in even the best of us and typically strikes between 2-4pm. At the same time, your brain has been on high alert since the morning, catching details and diligently focusing on everything it sees. All that effort has culminated in a bit of cognitive fatigue. According to Pink, the most unproductive time of day is 2:55pm. This is when we are at our most impaired. He says, “the [afternoon] trough represents a danger zone for productivity, ethics, and health.”

Pink gives some specific tips to help with this dip in productivity:

• Get away from your desk.
• Move around or be active.
• Be social.
• Go outside.
• Fully detach from any issues relating to work.
• Be in control over where and when you go.

The Nordic coffee break, known as Fika in Sweden, combines almost all of these restorative techniques. Coffee helps get our cortisol levels back in balance. Taking a break from being vigilant and focused helps our minds and bodies to reset and stay sharp. And moving around and getting our minds off work allow us to come back with renewed energy and a fresh perspective. All it takes is 20-30 minutes to eat, chat, and play to counteract the trough effect.

Simply put, the cognitive fatigue each of us experiences in the afternoon can be cured with a short restorative break. Happy Fika.

What did I learn from this?

Coffee breaks make us more productive.