Uh oh… it’s that two o’clock slump. Everybody knows how it feels to come back from lunch and realize you’re practically falling asleep at your desk. At that point, it’s too easy to just check out and coast through the last few hours. But those hours can still be valuable if you know how to use them.
- Do something mindless. Some tasks require all your brain power, but others can be done even when you’re running on empty. During those times, try doing something mindless, like straightening up your desk, filing papers, or sorting your email inbox.
- Prep for tomorrow. Laying out your to-do list the day before can make the following morning easy.
- Get out of your chair. Getting up to stretch or take a short walk can reinvigorate you and give you the energy to finish one or two more things before the day is over.
- Do a little reading. This is the perfect time to learn something new. All of those articles you’ve been bookmarking and webinars and podcasts you’ve been meaning to listen to are great afternoon opportunities.
If you followed Mark Twain’s morning advice and got your most important task out of the way first thing, it’s okay to have a low key afternoon and take on some housekeeping tasks – be that literally office housekeeping, or the kind of organizational housekeeping that’s necessary to keep your business running smoothly.