kestrel

Prompt 052: Half Past 2

52. How do you feel at work or school when 2:30 p.m. rolls around? How might you be able to feel differently at that time?
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Ah, the infamous "mid-afternoon slump" that assails nearly every 9-to-5 worker drone. I'd fall into that category too, it seems. However, I have worked out some tactics that help me avoid any possible energy drain round that time. I've been able to do this because my employer likes what I do, and I am able to enjoy and take advantage of a flexible schedule. Here are some of the things I do regularly:
1. Start my work day at 7:30am, so I can head out of the office most days round 3:30pm. When I know I'm heading out of work soon, the potential slump evaporates and I begin my end-of-the-day, wrap-up priority tasks.
2. I don't eat garbage for lunch or snacks. If I ate tons of carbs, processed foods, and other junk loaded with sugar and sodium and nitrites instead of wholesome, more-natural foods, then yeah I'd feel like shit, too. You are what you eat, fuckers: garbage in, garbage out. The days when I eat junk food, I usually end up taking a nap by default.
3. Write my schedule for the day either at the start of the day, or the day/evening before. This way, I know what I should be doing, and if I need to take a break or something, I can do so without feeling guilty or anxious about taking a break while not knowing what stuff I need to accomplish that day. Plus, scratching stuff off my to-do list is energizing.
4. Move round the office. Because I develop a fair amount of material (as curriculum developer/head instructor), I need to collect feedback from other staff members frequently. So I often find myself doing a first pass at the current project, printing out a hard copy, then visiting some other staff to have a brief feedback session. To sum up: I physically move around instead of slouch in my chair all day, and I have worthwhile conversations with people on a daily (and sometimes, hourly) basis. Such activity shakes off any enervation from the day's "drudgery."
5. Do good work, when you work. If you're good at what you do, if you turn things in on time, if you have quality outputs, then there's a greater chance your managers and supervisors will let you do what you want/need when you want/need to do it. Be a good member of the team.

If I didn't do at least a couple of the things I mention above, I am certain I would be feeling the energy lull just like most of the 9-to-5 working public.

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On an unrelated note, it looks like I've been able to complete 52 prompts with the inclusion of this one, in 13 months. I have 70 entries, however. What this leads me to believe is that I can complete prompts on a nearly weekly schedule, and throw in a few of my other personally-motivated entries like monthly goal reflections and the like. That seems fair. And keeping with a weekly schedule is one way to help me stay motivated to keep writing.

If anyone else reads this, I'm hoping you have a fantastic 2020, and seize any opportunity to help make it one of your best.